This is one for the books. Apparently, Donald Trump doesn’t grasp the principle that the rising tide floats all boats and conversely, the low tide takes them all down. Using that principle, all Republicans are putting aside personal differences for at least the next week, while they universally assure the world and each other that everyone else with an R behind his/her name is a person of sterling character and great ability. But not Donald Trump. Trump was very peeved at Paul Ryan having the gall to contradict him on his latest scheme to end birthright citizenship with an executive order, while campaigning for Rep. Andy Barr. Ryan said, on WVLK radio
“you cannot end birthright citizenship with an executive order,” remarks that come after President Donald Trump said that he has thought about trying to do just that.
“You obviously cannot do that,” Ryan told WVLK when asked by an interviewer about the President’s recent comments and where he stands on “an executive order ending birthright citizenship. As a conservative, I’m a believer in following the plain text of the Constitution and I think in this case the 14th Amendment is pretty clear.”
Well, Sir, apparently, Trump construed them as fightin’ words and so he lashed back on Twitter.
Paul Ryan should be focusing on holding the Majority rather than giving his opinions on Birthright Citizenship, something he knows nothing about! Our new Republican Majority will work on this, Closing the Immigration Loopholes and Securing our Border!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018
Meanwhile, other Republicans are saying that Trump should be focused on holding the majority, rather than creating a ruckus like this so close to election day.
“This is a great way to screw up the message a week before the election,” this [Senior GOP] aide told CNN. “First the birthright comment itself and now attacking the top Republican in Congress who is trying to save our majority.”
Then this obviously disgruntled Republican chimed in.
We all know challenges of suburban R’s. The bloc of competitive R held districts less impacted by POTUS thus far are those w high # of immigrants. So now POTUS, out of nowhere, brings birthright citizenship up. Besides being basic tenet of America, it’s political malpractice.
— Ryan Costello (@RyanCostello) October 30, 2018
“Political malpractice.” Good term. Anybody have a plan for indemnifying oneself against Donald Trump before it’s too late? A lot of endangered Republicans would like to know.
