RNC chair Reince Priebus is standing by Rep. Allen West (R-FL) after West’s controversial comment that President Obama is trying to make Americans into his slaves.
A rush transcript from Priebus’ appearance on CNN Tuedsay:
WOLF BLITZER: Let’s talk about allen west for a moment. This is the congressman from south florida as you know is a republican. Is a military veteran. You know him. I’m sure you like him, right?REINCE PRIEBUS: Sure.WOLF BLITZER: He suggest add few months ago there were all these communist party members in the democratic party, I don’t remember the exact number. Close to 80 communist party members in the democratic party and democratic representatives in the house. And now he says this, he was at a townhall meeting. Listen to this.ALLEN WEST: He does not want you to have self-esteem of giving that and having the title of american. He rather you be his slave.WOLF BLITZER: He’d rather you be his slave. He’s referring to the president of the united states. He says he doesn’t like americans having the title of american. He’d rather see you as a slave. What is that? You can’t justify allen west saying that talking about slavery.REINCE PRIEBUS: First of all, I’m not the police officer of the republican party. Allen can say what allen wants to say. But I think what he’s really trying to say is that if we become a dependent society, if everyone is reliant on the government — I mean, listen, barack obama’s the one that put out this life of julia website. I think we all know what this is. It’s a life of a girl from preschool to I think death or near death showing how every step of her life —WOLF BLITZER: is she a slave?REINCE PRIEBUS: I think she’s dependent on government —WOLF BLITZER: so she’s a slave?REINCE PRIEBUS: Listen, it’s semantics. I’m not going to defend —WOLF BLITZER: I know you very well. You’re not going to defend that kind of language. And I deplore that kind of language when a democrat or republican says it. We shouldn’t be talking like this. It’s bad enough the lack of civility in our politics.REINCE PRIEBUS: Two things, allen west is one of the most dynamic new republican stars in our party. That’s number one. He’s got a bright future. But I’m more embarrassed about is the president that can’t keep a promise, that has an american economy that’s in the ditch that somehow isrying to perpetrate some myth to the american people that he’s not to blame for or has no role in where we are in the american economy.
