Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) said Wednesday on CNN’s “Situation Room” that the country needed love and hope not more of former President Donald Trump’s “negative words with division.”
Guest host Kaitlan Collins said, “Speaking of the former president, I was looking at his truth social account just a few hours ago. He lashed out at you after you had told CNN that you thought the message that he had posted on Christmas day, a lengthy one, multiple, in short, he told his political rivals to rot in hell and you called that a pathetic message from a former president. And then this latest post, you know, he’s going back to what you know is a very familiar line of attack, going after the death of your husband, his funeral honors. He’s calling you a loser in all caps in this post. I just want to give you a chance to respond to that if you wish.”
Dingell said, “I’m going to say what, we’ve got to treat each other with dignity and respect. Civility matters, words have consequences. We’re in a holiday right now that so many people have had a tough, hard year. We need some calm, some love, some hope, not more negative words with division.”
She continued, “He goes back to my late husband who was a giant, a great man who touched many things and he earned everything he got at his funeral when he was buried. It was Nancy Pelosi and actually Mitch McConnell and others that helped arrange some of the things. But I’m going to tell you two things. I remember I did not call Donald Trump he called me. I remember his kind words that day. I was grateful that he lowered the flags and I remember that act of kindness and I choose to remember it as an act of kindness and a touching thing at a very hard time. And maybe all of us could remember that just having effort think will make everybody’s day better.”
Collins said, “You still stand by your initial assessment that that message about his political rivals rotting in hell was pathetic?”
Dingell said, “Why would you use that kind of language on Christmas day? This is a man that was a leader of this country and wants to be a leader again. Let’s instill hope, civility, love, support, kindness, compassion. A few other words than rot in hell on Christmas day.”
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