Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) on Sunday called on President Donald Trump to “step up” and condemn white nationalism in the wake of violence at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“This is not a time for vagaries. This isn’t a time for innuendo or to allow room to be read between the lines,” Gardner said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
He said the condemnation “needs to come from the Oval office, and this White House needs to do it today.”
“This is a time to lay blame, to lay blame on bigotry, to lay blame on white supremacists, on white nationalism and on hatred. And that needs to be said,” Gardner said. “Call this white supremacism, this white nationalism, evil, and let the country hear it. Let the world hear it.”
“I think the President needs to step up today and say what it is and call it for what it is. It’s evil, it’s white nationalism, it’s bigotry and it’s unacceptable,” he added. “And if he doesn’t do that, then we can continue to answer the question of why.”
.@SenCoryGardner on #CNNSOTU : the "President needs to call this what it is… white nationalism" https://t.co/09un2TpCaQ
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) August 13, 2017
After violence broke out on Saturday at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Gardner condemned “the hate being spewed” as “deeply disturbing and un-American.”
“Mr. President – we must call evil by its name,” he tweeted. “These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism.”
The hate being spewed in Virginia has no place in this country. It's deeply disturbing and un-American.
— Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) August 12, 2017
Praying for those hurt & killed today in Charlottesville. This is nothing short of domestic terrorism & should be named as such.
— Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) August 12, 2017
Mr. President – we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism. https://t.co/PaPNiPPAoW
— Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) August 12, 2017
