GOP Rep. Echoes Trump: Dems’ Refusal To Clap During SOTU Was ‘Un-American’

UNITED STATES - JULY 25: Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., speaks during a news conference after a meeting of the House Republican conference in the Capitol on July 25, 2017. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., appears at left. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - JULY 25: Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., speaks during a news conference after a meeting of the House Republican conference in the Capitol on July 25, 2017. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., appears at le... UNITED STATES - JULY 25: Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., speaks during a news conference after a meeting of the House Republican conference in the Capitol on July 25, 2017. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., appears at left. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) said Tuesday that President Donald Trump was not too far off the mark on Monday when he called Democrats’ refrain from clapping and standing during his State of the Union speech “treasonous” and “un-American.”

“I would say it was un-American. And they don’t love our country. I don’t know if I would go as far as treasonous,” Tenney said on CNN Tuesday morning when asked about Trump’s comments about Democrats’ behavior during his speech.

Tenney defended Trump’s criticisms for Democrats, telling CNN that the President just “likes to talk in colorful language.”

“But I sat on the Democratic side, and I was frankly appalled at the behavior of the Democrats,” she added.

The congresswoman was particularly offended that Democrats were not more enthusiastic about Trump’s offer to grant a path to citizenship to the 1.8 million immigrants eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

“My first blush at it at the State of the Union was, wow, this is really generous. And I was just shocked. I had Democrats sitting behind me that sat on their hands, not seeing what the President was trying to do,” Tenney said.

Asked if Republicans were equally resistant to President Barack Obama during his State of the Union speeches, Tenney insisted they were not.

“I saw many more Republicans en masse standing up in President Obama’s State of the Union addresses,” she said.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. I guess that’s why we executed Rep. Walsh for heckling President Obama.

  2. What’s the phrase I’m groping for?

    Oh, yes, “Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels.”

    And worse.

  3. Avatar for tena tena says:

    Hating on the president is the single MOST American thing an American can do and we Americans cherish that right and always have.

  4. Ahem, Wilson, it was, I think…

  5. How does it compare with, say, yelling “YOU LIE!” from the floor of the chamber while the president is speaking? Just curious. (Update: Sorry, bikerdad–didn’t see your comment at the top of the thread.)

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

176 more replies

Participants

Avatar for ajm Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for bikerdad Avatar for maxie Avatar for chammy Avatar for cervantes Avatar for wanderer Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for 26degreesrising Avatar for ignoreland Avatar for califdemdreamer Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for tena Avatar for dommyluc Avatar for canyoncountry Avatar for livingdeadgirl Avatar for erik_t Avatar for dannysgrandma Avatar for drtv Avatar for 19tibekius6

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: