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Newt Gingrich rebukes Trump while Sen. Isakson stays quiet, Sen. Perdue rallies support

Perdue-Trump

Give Donald Trump credit for one thing: he’s really giving Georgia voters a clear look at the true values of the GOP and our state’s elected leaders.

Trump suggested last week that federal judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana in 1953, cannot fairly manage a Trump University fraud case because he is “Mexican.” Trump has declined to back down from his gross and insulting comments and, instead, has turned up the rhetoric. He now says a Muslim judge wouldn’t be a fair judge either.

A number of high-profile national Republicans have denounced the comments, including Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, John Kasich, and others.

Surprisingly, even Georgia’s own Newt Gingrich disavowed the comments.

“This is one of the worst mistakes Trump has made, and I think it’s inexcusable,” said Gingrich. “If a liberal were to attack Justice Clarence Thomas on the grounds that he’s black, we would all go crazy.”

It’s important to note that Gingrich is an avowed Trump apologist and — until this rebuke — had been discussed as a potential running mate for Trump. That opportunity may be gone now that Gingrich has admitted Trump isn’t perfect.

But perhaps less surprising is the feckless response from Georgia’s statewide elected leaders, who happen to be all Republicans.

Sen. Johnny Isakson is running for election this year and he can’t bring himself to even say Trump’s name. Instead of providing silent cover for Trump’s racist views, Sen. Isakson should call him out and call this behavior what it is: racism pure and simple.

As bad or worse, Sen. David Perdue is a hat-wearing Trump supporter. He’s fully embraced Trump and all of the vile language that passes for presidential politics today.

Both men should be ashamed of themselves. It’s time for Sens. Isakson and Perdue to acknowledge that Trump has gone too far.

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