a lot of people are asking to tone the rhetoric down. in terms of let s make the focus on policy. let s make it about the issues that these four congressmen represent that are now really the face of the democratic party and are not reflective of where america wants to go, in the direction we want to go, and i think this is a valid argument. it is a great cause for the republic and let s focus on that and not make it personal. you know, alice, it s pretty clear from what donald trump is doing he does not want to make this an argument about policy. this is not about socialism versus freedom. there s a lot of republicans are saying now this is clearly a racist appeal, a xenophobic appeal. that is what he is doing because he knows that he has not delivered on his promises from 2016. he is not re-opening steel mills. he s not bringing back coal mining jobs. and this is basically a way that he can distract his blue collar supporters in swing states from his failures to deliver on his oth
i abandon the chair. reporter: president trump praising republicans for standing unified. the president is not a racist. and i think the tone of all of this is not good for the country. were the president s tweets that said go back racist, yes or no? no. i believe this is about ideology. this is about socialism versus freedom. reporter: earlier the president tweeting, quote, i don t have a racist bone in my body. congresswoman alexandria ocasio-cortez firing back saying you re right, mr. president. you have a racist mind in our head and a racist heart in your chest. tensions also rising for white house officials facing questions about trump s racist comments. which countries were you referring? what s your ethnicity? why is that relevant? because i m asking a
their unfailing loyalty and devotion to donald trump, even when the questions were a tad close to home. when you say to her she should go back to her home country, wouldn t you consider that a racist attack? well, the democrat came here at the age of eight. i think the tone of all of this is not good for the country. were the president s tweets that said go back racist? this is about socialism versus freedom. the administration s defense of the president s words started this morning with white house counselor kellyanne conway on fox news. they represent a dark underbelly in this country. stop being so afraid of and adoring of four people who got
and a shameful abdication of our oath of office to protect the american people. reporter: that statement igniting chaos on the floor. request they be taken down. reporter: republicans objecting to the speaker even using the word racist to describe the president s tweets, saying it breaks the rules. the president had urged his party not to, quote, show weakness. its leaders falling in line. were the president s tweets that said go back racist? no. i believe this is about ideology. this is about socialism versus freedom. frankly, the majority leader is complicit in advancing racism in america if he doesn t even have the backbone to speak out against the most basic, basic line. reporter: most republicans have been trying to avoid the issue entirely. are these attacks good politics? are they good for republicans? let s find out. no, i don t think they are. first of all, i don t think they re attacks. reporter: they re not attacks? him saying they should go back to their
were the president s tweets that said go back racist? this is about socialism versus freedom. the administration s defense of the president s words started this morning with white house counselor kellyanne conway on fox news. they represent a dark underbelly in this country. stop being so afraid of and adoring of four people who got here legally. later she got in an exchange with a reporter on the white house driveway. the president was telling these four women to return to their countries of origin, to which countries was he referring? what s your origin city? i m asking you a question. my ancestors are from ireland and italy. my original home does not