Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez is not backing down from controversial comments he made last week that President Donald Trump and Republicans “don’t give a s*** about people.”
Appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Tuesday, Perez said he has no regrets about the remark that has drawn fire from the Republican National Committeee and conservative critics.
“I don't,” Perez said. “What I have regrets about are all the people who are scared to death as a result of the first 60 days of chaos and carnage in this administration. That the children who got dropped off at school and literally saw their father, you know, half a block away getting arrested by ICE. You know, the person with the disability who relies on Meals on Wheels so that they can stay in their home. The 24 million people who are relying on health care.”
Perez called Trump's budget and health care plan "heartless," saying each would hurt millions of Americans.
“So you know I've got a lot of passion," added Perez, who was elected to lead the Democratic Party in late February.
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Last week, while speaking to the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, Perez said the GOP plan to repeal Obamacare should be called, ‘“I Don't Care,' because they don't give a s*** about people.”
The comments quickly became fodder for conservative blogs and Fox News. Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, called Perez’ comments “dangerous” and said, "Perez should apologize and Democrats should denounce the rhetoric."
But with Democratic base seemingly supportive of Perez’ confrontational tone, the DNC chairman has not backed down one inch.
“Sorry not sorry,” Perez tweeted Monday night, liking to a Washington Post article arguing that Democrats feel justified cranking up the rhetorical heat on Trump after they tried and failed to beat him by, as Michelle Obama said, going high when he went low.
Afterall, Democrats reason, Trump’s entire campaign was a series of over-the-top and sometimes expletive-laden attacks on political opponents.
Perez even repeated part of his comment — that “Trump did not win this election,” referring to the president's loss in the popular vote — at another event after conservative started making hay of his earlier remark.
Perez, who is prides himself on being a political fighter, often says the real leaders of the Democratic Party are the millions of people who have taken to the streets to protest Trump.
The new DNC chairman is trying to make those people trust the Democratic Party as a worthy outlet for their activism. Picking fights with Trump — and sticking to his guns when facing blowback — will likely only help in that cause, no matter what others say.
