Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander said he hopes President Donald Trump “puts the country first” and congratulate President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory. He said that any lingering doubts about the results of the election should be put to rest “after Monday,” when the Electoral College will be casting its votes. “The states have counted, certified their votes,” the Tennessee senator said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “The courts have resolved the disputes. It looks very much like the electors will vote for Joe Biden. And when they do, I hope that he puts the country first—mean, the president—that he takes pride in his considerable accomplishments, that he congratulates the president-elect and he helps him get off to a good start, especially in the middle of this pandemic. We need to not lose one day in the transition in getting the vaccine out to everybody who needs it.”
Alexander is retiring after three terms and that seems to give him a bit more freedom than other Republicans to speak his mind. He has been one of the few Republicans to openly say that it looks like Biden won the election and on Sunday said that the peaceful transition of power is one of the most important aspects of a democracy. “I think the most important thing for our country, as George Washington said when it was founded, is not the first election, but the second election, the orderly transfer of power. I think anything that detracts from that is not good for our democracy,” he said. “And people can make their own judgment about whether the president’s acting appropriately or not.”
Alexander also criticized the numerous lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies trying to overturn the result of the election. Even though Trump has a right to file legal cases, that doesn’t mean “his lawyers have a right to go to court with specious lawsuits with no evidence.”
Speaking on CNN, former Vice President Al Gore also called on Republicans who continue to stand behind the president to think of what’s good for the country as a whole. “I would encourage those who are still supporting the lost cause of President Trump’s reelection to put the country first,” he said. It seems clear “they are frightened” that Trump “will tweet them into political oblivion” if they dare to contradict him. “But, you know, there are things that are more important than bowing to the fear of a demagogue,” he said. “One of those things that is more important is the United States of America and our Constitution and the continuation of the American experiment.”
"news" - Google News
December 14, 2020 at 02:41AM
https://ift.tt/2WdiyjK
GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander: Trump Must “Put the Country First” and Congratulate Biden - Slate Magazine
"news" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2DACPId
https://ift.tt/2Wh3f9n
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander: Trump Must “Put the Country First” and Congratulate Biden - Slate Magazine"
Post a Comment