'No moral equivalence': Both parties denounce Trump's Charlottesville comments
Trump 'just defended neo-Nazis and blamed those who condemn their racism,' says Democrat
Republican and Democratic lawmakers are reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest comments on the violence over the weekend in Charlottesville, Va.
The president said he believes "there's blame on both sides" for what transpired.
'Bigotry is counter to all this country stands for'
Senior and longtime members of Trump's Republican Party disagreed with the president's statement.
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Twitter that "bigotry is counter to all this country stands for," while Arizona Sen. John McCain said, "There's no moral equivalency between racists and Americans standing up to defy hate and bigotry."
We must be clear. White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity.
—@SpeakerRyanThere's no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate& bigotry. The President of the United States should say so
—@SenJohnMcCainRepublican members of Congress and the Senate also weighed in, with Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas saying "no one, especially POTUS, should ever tolerate" white supremacy, bigotry and racism.
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida tweeted: "Blaming 'both sides' for #Charlottesville?! No."
Blaming "both sides" for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Charlottesville?src=hash">#Charlottesville</a>?! No. Back to relativism when dealing with KKK, Nazi sympathizers, white supremacists? Just no.
—@RosLehtinenWe must speak out clearly against the hatred, racism and white supremacists who descended upon <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Charlottesville?src=hash">#Charlottesville</a>.
—@senrobportmanWhite supremacy, bigotry & racism have absolutely no place in our society & no one - especially POTUS - should ever tolerate it. Full STMT: <a href="https://t.co/dufC1MGWgB">pic.twitter.com/dufC1MGWgB</a>
—@JerryMoran'This is not my president'
Lawmakers across the aisle joined Republicans in denouncing Trump's "both sides" comment.
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, who is Jewish, said "words cannot express my disgust and disappointment" in Trump's comments, adding: "This is not my president."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said Trump "just defended neo-Nazis and blamed those who condemn their racism and hate."
As a Jew, as an American, as a human, words cannot express my disgust and disappointment. This is not my President.
—@brianschatzThe President of the United States just defended neo-Nazis and blamed those who condemn their racism and hate. This is sick.
—@SenWarrenDemocratic leadership warned Trump's comments could embolden white nationalists.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said, "When David Duke and white supremacists cheer your remarks, you're doing it very, very wrong."
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that "there is only one side," and Americans "deserve a president who understands that."
.<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> we heard you loud & clear. Ignoring the abhorrent evil of white supremacism is an attack on our American values. <a href="https://t.co/UNmyAbmTsz">pic.twitter.com/UNmyAbmTsz</a>
—@NancyPelosiBy saying he is not taking sides, Donald Trump clearly is. When David Duke and white supremacists cheer, you’re doing it very very wrong.
—@SenSchumerDemocratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia directly rebuffed Trump's comments regarding the violence that recently marred his state.
"Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and white supremacists came to Charlottesville heavily armed, spewing hatred and looking for a fight," he said in a statement.
"This was not 'both sides.'"
Charlottesville violence was fueled by one side: white supremacists spreading racism, intolerance & intimidation. Those are the facts.
—@timkaineBelow is Governor McAuliffe's statement on <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a> press conference on Charlottesville this afternoon: <a href="https://t.co/f73CBpwfF3">pic.twitter.com/f73CBpwfF3</a>
—@GovernorVAWith files from CBC News