So much for blood is thicker than water.
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel dodged when asked to respond to the GOP backlash her uncle Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) has faced since being one of two Republicans who voted in favor of witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial Friday.
During an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday morning, host Margaret Brennan asked McDaniel what her reaction is to the Conservative Political Action Conference disinviting Romney and whether that is “proper political retaliation.”
McDaniel instead attempted to comment on Brennan’s earlier point that President Trump reshaped the Republican Party, which is reflected in his fraught relationship with Romney.
“I disagree that the President’s changed the Republican Party. I think the President’s strengthened our party. And if you look at things that he’s done—” McDaniel said, before Brennan cut in to point out CPAC’s online ad featuring Romney.
After McDaniel claimed that had not seen the ad, she continued to dodge the question by arguing that CPAC is “the grassroots part of our party and they’re upset.”
“They’re upset when people aren’t supporting the President and supporting our party,” McDaniel said. “And they think if you’re not supporting him, you’re helping a Democrat get elected. That’s a very common belief among the grassroots of our party.”
McDaniel then sang Trump’s praises.
“But I will say, this President has stood for life. He stood for rule of law judges. He stood for tax cuts. He stood for deregulation, energy independence. These are Republican ideals,” McDaniel said. “And he has made the RNC significantly stronger by supporting our party. And we will be stronger after him because of the investment he’s put in data and digital and the things to make us strong beyond his presidency.”
Brennan concluded the interview by telling McDaniel, “I understand you don’t want to comment on your comfort and your uncle and the comments about him.”
Watch McDaniel’s remarks below:
Ronna McDaniel dodges when asked to react to CPAC disinviting her uncle Mitt Romney pic.twitter.com/y7u37iXYxw
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 2, 2020
