In a press conference Wednesday morning, Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) cleared up that he meant to describe Donald Trump as “authoritative” rather than “authoritarian” in a Tuesday interview.
“Instead of the word authoritative, I used the word authoritarian,” LePage told reporters, calling it a “misword.”
He also doubled down on his criticism of President Barack Obama, who he called a “dictator.”
“I called him autocratic yesterday, but let me be very clear,” LePage said, winding up. “I believe the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, is a dictator.”
LePage went on to praise Trump as “a very powerful personality.”
The Maine governor held the entire press conference behind a podium adorned with Clinton-scandal-themed Russian nesting dolls:
Props for LePage. #mepolitics pic.twitter.com/2rTZtLxJqX
— Michael Shepherd (@mikeshepherdME) October 12, 2016
According to a report by the Portland Press Herald, LePage explained that the dolls represented dwindling global respect for the United States.
Oooh, is it a contest?
Trump is still winning, but LePage is the GOP’s second best.
“I called him autocratic yesterday, but let me be very clear,” LePage said, winding up. "I believe the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, is a dictator."
I guess I need to reread those chapters defining the various characteristics of heads of state.
I thought that he promised never to talk to the press again, a month ago.
My dad killed Frank Rizzo, and we were all pretty sure he was dead, so I’m not sure how he came back to life as governor of Maine.