McConnell takes weak stand on Moore scandal

In response to the bombshell report about Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore’s sexual abuse, Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell called the news deeply troubling.

Also deeply troubling is McConnell’s failure to immediately demand that Moore withdraw from the Senate race.

This deeply troubling cliché — repeated by a cascade of key Republicans — is a variation of their “thoughts and prayers” jargon to avoid banning assault guns. Most Republicans lack the integrity to insist Moore leave the race. And why were they not deeply troubled about unfit Moore and unfit Donald Trump long-ago? These same Republicans sold their souls and became Trump protectors.

House Speaker Paul Ryan last week bragged again about their lapdog obedience to Trump. Republican officeholders are in steep denial about the meaning of their party’s landslide defeat in last Tuesday’s election. For Republicans, the 2018 Democratic landslide promises to be deeply troubling.

This story was originally published November 12, 2017 at 2:14 PM with the headline "McConnell takes weak stand on Moore scandal."