Profiles In GOP Cowardice: Your Sunday Shows!

We watch so you never have to.

This weekend, the Sunday shows hosted a wide variety of Republicans all trying to get their China/Russia talking points in. But after Mike Pence took a brave stance against Donald Trump's insurrectionists trying to murder him, Republicans were forced to answer questions about that.

It did not go well.

CBS's 'Face The Nation'

GOP senator and part-time Twitter youth pastor Marco Rubio was all excited to act like a tough little guy. But host Margaret Brennan decided to begin with what Pence said and all that false bravado turned into stammering Cirque du Soleil-style political contortions.

BRENNAN: Senator, we invited you to come on the show to talk about China. I want to get there, but I have to start here. Do you agree with Mike Pence?

RUBIO: Well, if President Trump runs for re-election, I believe he would defeat Joe Biden, and I don't want Kamala Harris to have the power as vice president to overturn that election, and I don't -- that's the same thing that I concluded back in January of 2021.

BRENNAN: So Donald Trump was wrong?

RUBIO: Well, as I said, I just don't think a vice president has that power because if the vice president has that power, Donald Trump would defeat Joe Biden in four years or two years, and then Kamala Harris can decide not -- to overturn the election. I don't want to wind up there.

BRENNAN: Right. So "yes."

Well that was awkward.

ABC's 'This Week'

Another Republican who caught a case of the stammers was Rep. Mike McCaul. When Martha Raddatz asked McCaul about the RNC's censure statement against Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, which included MANY KISSES for the insurrectionists, McCaul gave a master class in cowardice as he tried twice to split the difference between being a Trump stooge and being a "sensible" Republican. (Hint: There is no difference.)

more GOP cowardice from Rep. Mike McCaulpic.twitter.com/xVr4CjnwEN

— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1644164847 

RADDATZ: Let -- let's -- I just want to ask you this again, do you stand by the RNC's actions and statements?

MCCAUL: As I understand it, they're referring to the peaceful protesters ... . I do not agree with that statement if it's -- if it's applying to those who committed criminal offenses and violence to overtake our shrine of democracy.

RADDATZ: Should [Kinzinger and Cheney] have been censured?

MCCAUL: You know, that's -- that was a -- I'm not a member of the RNC. I wasn't privy to the resolution. You know, again, from a message --

RADDATZ: You defended Liz Cheney before.

MCCAUL: I can tell you, from a messaging standpoint, the Republicans need to unify, as [Chris] Christie talked about, about what -- what are we going to do for the country to get the majority back in Congress, to get the White House back in 2024. It's not helpful when they see us divided as a party rather than unified. And we have so much to be unified against when it comes to [Joe] Biden's failed policies.

Well that was awkward.

CNN's 'State Of The Union'

We conclude with GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin. They appeared together to preach about bipartisanship while congratulating themselves for the Infrastructure bill like it was the second coming of the New Deal. Then the pair spoke about how Electoral Count Act reform will "absolutely pass" through the power of "reaching across the aisle." How do these two "mavericks" do it, folks?

After touting their "Goldilocks" approach to legislation, Manchin endorsed Murkowski for re-election.

"I'm endorsing my dear friend Lisa Murkowski. Alaska could only be so lucky to have her continue to serve them," says Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's bid for reelection. #CNNSOTUpic.twitter.com/k9dI6XNwci

— State of the Union (@State of the Union) 1644160702 

Why?

MANCHIN: It’s hypocritical to basically work with a person day in and day out and then, when they’re in cycle, you’re supposed to be against them because they have an R or D by their name. [...] Alaska could only be so lucky to have her continue to serve them,

Why help your party accomplish the goals you swear you want, when you can just uphold your "friends" who would shiv you in an instant?

But maybe Manchin and Murkowski are just really that close.

Manchin wraps up the interview by accidentally referring to Lisa Murkowski as "Susan"pic.twitter.com/tHcKZ3GOnW

— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1644158090 

Well that was awkward.

Have a week.

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