Nancy Pelosi attacked the Republican party in a vicious address as she branded them “domestic enemies” and claimed they are not following the US constitution. But the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives has received a huge backlash online for her comments. Speaking to MSNBC, Speaker Pelosi said: “We take an oath to protect and defend the constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
“Sadly the domestic enemies to our voting system and aren’t honouring our constitution are right at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with their allies in the Congress of the United States.”
House Republican Whip Steve Scalise was furious.
Writing on Twitter, he said: “Disgusting: Nancy Pelosi just called Republicans ‘domestic enemies’.
“I was shot because of this kind of unhinged rhetoric. Where’s the media outrage?”
Meanwhile, US voters were also angry.
One wrote: “Pelosi is a disgrace. At her age, she should know better, but these days rhetoric trumps common sense and a common respect for others.”
Another added: “Wow this is a major escalation of Nancy Pelosi’s unhinged rhetoric. She’s now labelling Republicans as ‘domestic enemies’ and ‘enemies of the state’.”
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A third wrote: “Republicans want to work together to finish the fight against coronavirus. Republicans want to work together to ensure a safe and secure election. Democrats seem to have a different approach.”
It comes as President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans opened their national convention on Monday by painting a dire portrait of America if Democrat Joe Biden wins the White House in November, arguing he will usher in an era of radical socialism and chaos.
Trump set the tone early in the day when he addressed delegates in Charlotte, North Carolina, after formally securing their nomination for another term, and claimed without evidence that Democrats were trying to steal the election.
Republicans had vowed to offer an inspiring, positive message in contrast to what they characterized as a dark and gloomy Democratic convention last week.
But the first night’s prime-time program featured speakers who peppered their remarks with ominous predictions if Democrats win power.
Democrats drew their own dismal picture of what four more years under Trump would look like at their convention last week.
Like its Democratic counterpart, the Republican convention was largely virtual. Most speakers addressed a quiet auditorium in Washington, DC, bowing to the reality of the pandemic despite Trump’s having pushed for a big event in front of thousands of raucous admirers.
Trump has focused on a “law and order” response to widespread protests following the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis, and he has pushed schools and businesses to reopen despite the pandemic.
Both messages represent the campaign’s effort to win back suburban voters, especially women, who have abandoned the Republican Party in droves during the Trump era.