In the wake of revelations from 18 taped interviews between investigative journalist Bob Woodward and President Donald Trump, the GOP members of Congress who adamantly support the POTUS are being asked for their thoughts. One such major Trump fan is Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy.
CNN's Pamela Brown interviewed Kennedy on Wednesday.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA): These gotcha books don't really interest me that much.
CNN's Pamela Brown: He's on the record. He's on the record.
Kennedy: These gotcha books don't really interest me that much.
Brown: He did 18 interviews with Bob Woodward ... He's recorded. pic.twitter.com/GGuAZkw4KO
— The Recount (@therecount) September 9, 2020
Brown asked:
"Senator, President Trump told Bob Woodward the first week of February that he knew the [pandemic] could be spread through the air and that it was more deadly than the flu, but two weeks later he said at a rally that [the pandemic] was the Democrats' new hoax."
"Is that acceptable to you? Is that misleading the public?"
Kennedy responded:
"All I can do is share with you my point of view, Pamela. These gotcha books don't really interest me that much—"
Brown interjected:
"He's on the record."
Kennedy again said:
"These gotcha books don't really interest me that much. There will be a new one out tomorrow."
Brown responded:
"But this is different. He did eighteen interviews with Bob Woodward."
Kennedy acknowledged Brown was "right" before she elaborated further.
"He's recorded. You hear his voice. And you're seeing that and you're contrasting that with what he says to the public."
"Wouldn't that be something of interest to you as a United States Senator?"
Kennedy would not be taken off script however.
"Let me answer you again. These gotcha books don't really interest me. There will be a new one out tomorrow."
The Senator did add he felt the White House always took the pandemic seriously so Brown tried again.
"But the bottom line is [the POTUS] told Bob Woodward privately that this was a deadly virus and that it was airborne."
"Didn't the public, didn't the citizens in your home state of Louisiana deserve to know that as well so that they could change their behavior appropriately to protect themselves?"
Kennedy then tried to deflect by blaming Washington.
"Well, No. 1, Pamela, I'm not going to repeat what I just said. But all I can tell you is what my personal experience has been."
"No. 2, let me say a word about this infatuation in Washington with who said what to whom. I learned pretty quickly up here—"
Brown cut off Kennedy's deflection again.
"No, Senator, I'm sorry. I'm not going to let you do this."
"I understand there is so much politics right now, we're two months away from an election. But this is life and death."
"You had 5,000 people that have died in Louisiana from [the pandemic]. Republicans are reluctant, as you are now, to ever criticize this President."
"But as a human being, how can you be okay with this?"
Brown was not alone in wanting a straight answer from a member of the GOP.
Pamela Brown: We have Donald Trump on tape privately saying COVID is deadly in February while publicly calling it a hoax.
Senator Kennedy: Well, I'm just a simple country Senator who doesn't put much stock in them fancy chapter books with their long words & city talk.
— Drew Gibson (@SuppressThis) September 9, 2020
Gonna defend white supremacy and privilege to the death
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) September 10, 2020
these gosh darn gotcha books that use people's very own words to show that they are lying and incompetent
— Casey Dolan (@thecaseydolan) September 9, 2020
@SenJohnKennedy is a castrated coward. "Gotcha books" & "if you let me finish" is all he could say and @PamelaBrownCNN rightly shut him down.
— VoteBlue2020 🌊🌊🌊 (@CaptCereal) September 9, 2020
This is how cult members would react to such a scandal.
— Supersky (@Supersk62991308) September 9, 2020
Trump shoots someone on 5th Ave.
It is recorded.
John Kennedy :These gotcha videos don't really interest me that much.
— BigJP (@Ih8hockey) September 9, 2020
Others took exception with Kennedy himself.
@SenJohnKennedy you should definitely read this book . And recall your oath.
— Jane De Angeli (@bookwormwmb) September 10, 2020
Senator Kennedy, GOTCHA! pic.twitter.com/BYHALormZ2
— Leasha Knight (@LeashaKnight) September 9, 2020
The sad part about this, Kennedy was one of the people on faux news talking about Pres Obama not being presidential because he wore a tan suit. Our country is in distress and im not sure if we can overcome the madness.
— TWright (@TWright84845361) September 9, 2020
To the people of Louisiana: If you reelect @SenJohnKennedy after he has said he's not interested in the fact that @realDonaldTrump lies led to the deaths of tens-of-thousands of people, then you deserve what you get: A Craven Miscreant.
— richard j. brenner #Resist! (@rjb14) September 9, 2020
Kennedy found a more accommodating audience for his "these gotcha books" response when he repeated it on Fox News.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) is doubling down on his "gotcha books" glitch this morning. pic.twitter.com/d8RaILnpV0
— The Recount (@therecount) September 10, 2020
Sen Kennedy is not interested in gotcha books, presidents extorting allies, presidents allowing 190,000 Americans to die or whistleblowers, but he is interested in taking trips to Moscow on the 4th of July.
— Joe (@DempseyTwo) September 10, 2020
"They've got to tear somebody down.."
Yeah, we know someone who does that hourly during rage tweeting.. might want to try and use some other excuse that doesn't point the finger back at you guys...
— Meh. (@thealmightymeh) September 10, 2020
To be fair, @SenJohnKennedy didn't care about “gotcha under oath testimony" either.
— Abigail Doull (@abigail_doull) September 10, 2020
Kennedy was elected in 2016 after several unsuccessful senatorial campaigns. His term will end in January 2023.
