The Republican National Committee is ardently defending President Trump against unified condemnation from Democrats over a Twitter thread the president posted Sunday attacking four freshman Congresswomen of color that was widely lambasted as racist, xenophobic, and nativist.
"I think it's really inappropriate," Liz Harrington, a spokesperson for the RNC, told Cheddar Tuesday regarding the calls that the President is a racist. "This is a debate that has nothing to do with race, it has nothing to do with gender, it has nothing to do with religion, it has everything to do with ideas."
President Trump also pushed back Tuesday morning, writing in a tweet "I don't have a Racist bone in my body!"
The GOP leadership is largely behind the president. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters, clearly, "the president is not a racist." At a separate press conference, when asked if he thought Trump was racist, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said "No."
"I believe this is about ideology," McCarthy told reporters. "It's about socialism versus freedom."
Harrington rebuked the anger coming from the Democrats, denouncing them as "socialists" who trash the country.
"I think it's very inappropriate to categorize the President's tweets as racist, it has nothing to do with that, it has everything to do with what we want our country to be, and we want to keep it America," she added.
Only a handful of Republican members of Congress have condemned Trump for his tweets, which came as the 2020 election approaches and the president appears to be increasingly willing to push boundaries in an effort to mobilize his loyal base.
The RNC spokesperson was quick to pounce on the ideological differences between Trump and the 2020 Democratic front-runners, saying this is a great time for "contrast."
"It's a perfect opportunity to show the contrast because we've seen over the past two and a half years, the president has delivered for this economy, we've restored freedom and prosperity." Harrington claimed.
"It is the entire democratic 2020 field calling for open borders, calling for socialized medicine, calling to get rid of the electoral college, pack the Supreme Court, very radical ideas that are antithetical to our founding," Harrington added. "So we're gonna keep showing that contrast."
Russia has defaulted on some of its foreign debt as a tidal wave of western sanctions threatens its economy. The credit ratings agency S&P has placed Russia under "selective default" after it tried to pay its latest obligations in rubles. Russia now has a 30-day grace period to resolve the issue, but Moscow is threatening to take legal action. George Seay, Annandale Capital's CEO, joined Cheddar to break down what this means, and how Russia defaulting on its debt might impact the global economy.
China's zero-covid policy may pose a wide-ranging threat to the local, and overseas economy. Analysts voicing concern on the strict lockdown in Shanghai as businesses and ports remain shuttered, potentially threatening the global supply chain. Shehzad H. Qazi, Managing Director, China Beige Book International joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The consumer price index in March rose by 8.5% from a year ago, the fastest annual gain since December 1981 and one-tenth of a percentage point above the estimate. The rise in prices is driven by strong consumer demand, supply-chain disruptions and skyrocketing energy costs related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Heather Boushey, Council of Economic Advisers Member for President Biden, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to give her reaction to the latest inflation numbers.
As China faces backlash from its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. is strengthening its relationship with India. India is expected to become one of the top three economic powers in the world over the next 10 to 15 years, bolstered by technological advances and the manufacturing sector. Samir Kapadia, CEO and Principal of The Vogel Group, joined Cheddar to discuss the state of India's economy, and how it can only grow from here.
With the midterms just a few months away, record-setting inflation is weighing on the minds of voters. According to a recent CNN poll, a majority of voters said the state of the economy will play a key role in how they cast their ballot, and 55% said the same of inflation. Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Economic Policy Reporter for Insider, joined Cheddar to discuss how inflation could shape the 2022 midterms, and ultimately determine the balance of power in Congress.
The Brooklyn subway attack is the latest in a string of high-profile crimes that have plagued New York City. The surge in crime comes as cities across the country are trying to recover from the pandemic and bring life back to a sense of normal. Joseph Giacalone, professor at John Jay College and retired NYPD sergeant, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to explain what's behind the rise in crime, and what can be done about it.
After failing to take control of northern and western Ukraine, Russia is shifting its focus to the east. As both sides continue to pour reinforcements into the region, officials are expecting more conventional combat involving tanks, artillery, and aircraft that could shape the war's biggest battles yet. Doug Collins, a former Georgia congressman, joined Cheddar to discuss the change in Russia's tactics.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Apr 14, 2022, with the U.S. sending $800M to Ukraine, updates on the subway shooting in Brooklyn, Gov. Abbott putting a pause on his southern border truck inspections, migrants being bused from Texas to Washington, DC, the travel mask mandate extending until May 3, and more.
This March 19, 2018, file photo shows the Yelp app on an iPad in Baltimore. Yelp reports financial results Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. The online review service will cover the travel expenses of employees who have to travel out of state for abortions, joining the ranks of major employers trying to help workers affected by restrictions being placed on the procedure in Texas and other states. The benefit announced Tuesday, April 12, 2022 covers Yelp's entire workforce of 4,000 employees, but seems most likely to have its biggest immediate impact on its 200 workers in Texas, which has passed a law banning abortions within the state after six weeks of pregnancy. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
