Walsh just apologized for past racist/sexist tweets & criticism of Obama, admitted he helped create

[highplainsdem]

the politics that got Trump elected.


https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/458720-joe-walsh-announces-republican-challenge-to-trump

"We've got a guy in the White House who is unfit, completely unfit to be president and it stuns me that nobody stepped up, nobody in the Republican Party stepped up, because I'll tell you what George, everybody believes in the Republican party, everybody believes he's unfit," Walsh told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. "He lies every time he opens his mouth."

Walsh was elected to the House in 2010 as part of the Tea Party wave and served one term. He began as a strong supporter of President Trump but over the past year has emerged as a fierce critic of the president. On Sunday he apologized for his own past racist and sexist tweets and "personal" criticism of former President Obama, acknowledging the role it played in creating today's politics.

"I helped create Trump, there's not doubt about that, the personal, ugly politics," he said. "I regret that. And Im sorry for that. And now we've got a guy in the White House, that's all he does."

When asked about Trump's high approval rating among Republicans, Walsh said GOP voters had no alternative, adding many of his former colleagues in the House feel the same way.

____


Editing to add that I'm listening to the full interview now.

Wow.

This might lead to Trump's worst meltdown ever.

____


Editing again to link to a rush transcript of the show:

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-25-19-rep-joe-walsh-cindy/story?id=65172383


I'll link to full video as soon as it's available.

[lunasun]

1. You have history in Illinois Joe You have a nasty media show + I think you just want $$

from running anti trump asshole. Please use it to pay your bills like child support

[uponit7771]

2. +1, People have good reasons not to give people like Walsh the benefot if the doubt

[Volaris]

8. Very true. But if this is legit and hes done got himself woke*,

I'd happy to have him as member of the 'loyal opposition'.

This will require 3 things at a minunum:

He can issue a public apology to his wife n kids for being a dick,

He can repay any back child support he owes,

He can publicly support any sane legislation that has come out of this congressional house session that will help his own 'base', and tell them that they're being self destructive idiots for disagreeing with him.


If he wants to be a 'Rockefeller Republican', I'm happy to support him. But I also want proof this isn't another grift.

*at least, as 'woke' as any post-Reagan Republican could possibly be.

[yardwork]

29. Walsh is not woke. He's in it for himself.

If he hurts Trump, that's fine, but don't be fooled into thinking Walsh has any moral compass.

[greatauntoftriplets]

39. There's a reason he only served a single term in Congress.

Walsh is scum, but saying the right things right now because he's ambitious.

[lunasun]

9. And veterans please remember it's ok to be injured for life but do not talk about your service time

in the military . Joe Walsh doesn’t think that’s a good thing
but getting suspended from twitter for telling America to “go after Obama” + BLM “that they are coming for you” is

[mucifer]

5. Yeah, he ran against Tammy Duckworth. It was ugly.

[WhiteTara]

3. Well, that boggles the mind!

That he apologized for his actions blows my mind. I have spent the past months berating him every time he says something about trump. I remind him he was a direct cause of this nightmare. Maybe there is hope for him a s a human after all.

[blm]

4. Good. That apology was owed to Obama, Democrats, and American people

For too long. Now DO SOMETHING about your party, Joe Walsh. Go back and make good on all the bad you were part of in your own life, as well.

[pecosbob]

6. Not an apology IMO

[highplainsdem]

7. Just edited the OP to add the link to a rush transcipt of the show.

[tanyev]

10. No fan of Walsh, but anything that can nudge Trump a little closer to the edge

between now and Nov 2020 is a welcome development.

[highplainsdem]

22. That's how I see it.

[jcgoldie]

11. This is as stupid as Scaramucci suddenly saying Trump's crazy

You can't be all in on the hate and racism boat for years and then suddenly wake up and point your finger at the captain.

[highplainsdem]

12. Nate Silver thinks Walsh will cause more trouble for Trump than Bill Weld will:

Link to tweet

IMO attacks on Trump from Republicans and former Republicans are welcome.

[pecosbob]

19. I would agree a challenge from a tea party member is more signigicant

than one from Bill Weld. But will most certainly be personal and nasty. He can't attack Trump for using the same BS he's been using for a decade or more. It will be interesting to see where he starts throwing rocks.

[highplainsdem]

23. Any damage Walsh can do to Trump is welcome.

[malaise]

13. Let me be kind

FUCK THAT FUCKING FUCK!

[highplainsdem]

15. See reply 14

[highplainsdem]

14. Film/TV producer and National Lampoon president Evan Shapiro:

Link to tweet

Yes, @WalshFreedom has said some cra shit, & his Tea Partiness guarantees I would never vote for him.

BUT we ALL MUST stop the GOP’s insane clown posse. Period.

So ANY republicans willing to grow a set & finally put country over party, are welcome in my book.

Go get ‘em Joe.

[dalton99a]

25. +1. Everyone knows Walsh is trash, but I welcome all ammunition against the treasonous regime

[highplainsdem]

36. Agreed.

[highplainsdem]

16. Cliff Schecter:

Link to tweet

Anyone thinking the Joe Walsh announcement isnt significant, I’d like to intro you to Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter & GHW Bush. And Weld doesn’t count. He hasn’t fit into the federal GOP for 2 decades. Walsh supported Trump in the ‘16 GE. This is much more interesting..

[DeminPennswoods]

42. O'Donnell pointed out the same thing when Weld announced

a primary challenge. He said every sitting president who has received a primary challenger has lost re-election.

[Iliyah]

17. I am a believer that people can change for the better or for the worse . . .

Let's see what happens . . . .

[Iggo]

38. Apologies are for children. Adults make amends.

Let's see him fix what he broke, then I'll stop saying Fuck Joe Walsh.

[highplainsdem]

18. Richard Painter:

Link to tweet

Another challenger for @realDonaldTrump on the conservative side. Even if you are a liberal or moderate, follow @walshfreedom and help bring it on! The Liar in Chief needs to be taken down from all sides.

[highplainsdem]

20. Sam Stein:

Link to tweet

I’ll probably eat a bunch of shit for this, but I think Joe Walsh may just do a bit better than folks are predicting on ole https://twitter.com right now. Of course, people expect him to get 0.001 percent of the primary vote, so the expectations are low.

[Downtown Hound]

21. Too little. Too late.

[highplainsdem]

24. Joe Scarborough:

Link to tweet

Apollo Creed got the warning:
“I don’t want you messing around with southpaws, they do everything backwards!”

@WalshFreedom may not be Rocky, but he’s a political southpaw who, like Trump, has never been constrained by Marquis of Queensbury rules.
Could get interesting.

[highplainsdem]

26. Neera Tanden:

Link to tweet

It’s odd how people on here desperately ask why Republicans don’t do anything about Trump, and then when one jumps in to actually primary him, they spend their time downplaying him. He’s a Republican. Of course you don’t agree with @WalshFreedom. I certainly don’t.

[highplainsdem]

32. Raw Story reporter Matthew Chapman on Tanden's tweet:

Link to tweet

[pecosbob]

27. Statistically/historically a primary challenger is a big prereq

I believe there have been several recent studies confirming this...in effect it's one of the boxes on the checklist for being defeated at re-election time. I realize that the studies indicate a 'significant' challenge is necessary to qualify as a predictor, but clowns are running the circus currently, and Walsh is every bit a clown.

[highplainsdem]

28. George Conway:

Link to tweet

Mark Sanford is a solid conservative. But he wants to talk about fiscal craziness and spending that’s out of whack. @WalshFreedom wants to talk about Trump’s craziness and the fact we have a president who’s out of whack.

That’s the big difference.

Responding to this tweet from WaPo's Aaron Blake about Sanford and Weld:

Link to tweet

[highplainsdem]

30. Matthew Dowd:

Link to tweet

As I said on @ThisWeekABC I have been the target of joe Walsh hate in the past and I thought he was most authentic in apologizing for his past. The path to redemption begins with regret and responsibility and then must include repair and reform.

[GoCubsGo]

31. Good. More republican money to be pissed away.

Any way their coffers can be drained is fine with me.

[Chemisse]

33. I appreciate the apology about Obama.

It's a rare Republican who can admit he was wrong and actually apologize for it. I hope all of this has an influence on others and on uneasy Trump supporters.

I hope he inflicts a lot of damage during the primary. Perhaps if he really wants to gum up the works for Trump, he'll consider running as an independent.

[highplainsdem]

34. No, we don't want him to run as an independent. We want those Republicans who agree with Walsh that

Trump is crazy to vote for the Democratic nominee.

[Chemisse]

35. Walsh is pretty volatile himself.

I think moderate Republicans will go with the Dem anyway rather than risk putting another nutcase in the White House. It would be nice to split the votes of the 35 - 40 percent of devotees.

We need a landslide to overcome Russian and GOP election sabotage.

[Iggo]

37. Good. Oh and also Fuck Joe Walsh. (n/t)

[Hotler]

40. Too late, piss off Joe. nt

[Paladin]

41. That's nice, Mr. Walsh. Now go fuck yourself. (nt)