You know for once I wish new Republican candidates, especially the more conservative ones, would get their stuff together before going on national TV and making themselves look foolish.
Here is Kelli Ward on CNN this morning trying hard to distance herself from Steve Bannon. While doing it, she blames CNN for trying to tie her to Bannon when its actually listed in her own press release!
Arizona Senate candidate Kelli Ward distances herself from her primary opponent, former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon https://t.co/fOpV4AE7uA pic.twitter.com/tzQnlO80Rj
— CNN (@CNN) January 11, 2018
At first Ward is really playing down the Bannon endorsement, like it wasn’t even really an endorsement. Then when pressed that it’s in her press release from just two months ago, she still plays it down and then accuses the media and the Republican Establishment of trying to tie her to Bannon. Ward finally admitted that she was in fact distancing herself from Bannon because he had made “significant mistakes” that are unacceptable to her.
Look, I’m sure the Republican Establishment would love to continue to tie her to Bannon. But the truth is she was tied to him before and she needs to do a better job of distancing herself than just trying to pretend it didn’t happen or getting defensive and blaming the media.
Everyone can have a rotten day in the media. I get it. I’m not saying it disqualifies her. But I just hate cringing when I see conservative candidates make themselves look dumb like this. Just calm down, stop being defensive, and just tell the truth.
As a side note, boy does this interview illuminate just how toxic Steve Bannon has become.
Here’s her full interview this morning from CNN. In it they bring up the birther thing first and she quickly and more expertly dismisses that from being pinned on her.