How can it be racism, says Rudy Giuliani. Obamas mom was white.
I do not believe and I know this is a horrible thing to say but I do not believe that the president loves America, former New York Mayor Rudy Giulianisaid on Wednesday night at a private dinner in New York intended to boostWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), a 2016 presidential contender. He doesnt love you. And he doesnt love me. He wasnt brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.
A day after Politico reported that statement, Democrats criticized Giulianifor questioning the presidents patriotism. Some said Giulianis rhetoric was racist, that it implied the presidents background made him different from other Americans. So on Thursday, the former mayor spoke to national media to explain his remarks.
ToFox News: First of all, Im not questioning his patriotism. Hes a patriot, Im sure.What Im saying is, in his rhetoric I very rarely hear the things that I used to hear Ronald Reagan say, the things that I used to hear Bill Clinton say about how much he loves America. I do hear him criticize America much more often than other American presidents. And when its not in the context of an overwhelming number of statements about the exceptionalism of America, it sounds like hes more of a critic than he is a supporter.
ToBloomberg Politics: What I mean is he doesnt express it. I shouldnt say that the president does or does not love anything. I dont know, Im not a psychiatrist, and he doesnt have one and he doesnt need one.
To the New York Times: Im happy for him to give a speech where he talks about whats good about America and doesnt include all the criticism. Some people thought it was racist I thought that was a joke, since he was brought up by a white mother, a white grandfather, went to white schools, and most of this he learned from white people. This isnt racism. This is socialism or possibly anti-colonialism.
To CNN:Theres a real attempt to make it a racial criticism. It has nothing to do with race he was brought up, by the way, by a white mother and white grandparents.
[Report: Rudy Giuliani tells private dinner I do not believe that the president loves America]
By the end of the day, his voice rasping, he was grilled by Fox News Megyn Kelly, who took him to task for his incendiary comment about Obama not loving America and asked if he wanted to apologize.
Not at all, Giuliani said. I want to repeat it.
So what about the candidate unwittingly a bystander in the drama? Though Walker first declined to comment, telling CNBCs Squawk Box Giuliani could speak for himself, he wanted it known: Walker loves America.
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How can it be racism, says Rudy Giuliani. Obamas mom was white.