Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who’s mulling a 2020 presidential run, said at a campaign event that when Republicans “go low,” that Democrats should “kick them,” according to The Hill.
Holder was in Georgia campaigning for gubernatorial candidate Stacey Adams (D) on Wednesday when he made the comments that were captured on video, adding that Democrats should be “tough,” “dedicated” and “committed.”
“Michelle [Obama] always says that you know, ‘When they go low, we go high.’ No. When they go low, we kick them. That’s what this new Democratic Party is about,” he said. “We’re proud as hell to be Democrats. We’re going to fight for the ideals of the Democratic Party.”
He added that Republicans want to “keep themselves in power” and are using their power “for all the wrong things.”
“They’ve tried to racial gerrymander, they’ve tried to partisan gerrymander,” he said. “They want to cater to the special interests…We’re in this to win…And the reality is if we don’t win, people who are less committed, less idealistic, less imbued with the values that make this nation really great, will run this country.”
Holder’s comments came a day after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that “you cannot be civil with” Republicans because they want “to destroy what you stand for, what you care about.”
President Donald Trump blasted Holder’s comments on Fox & Friends on Thursday, calling his remarks “dangerous.”
“He better be careful what he’s wishing for, that I can tell you. That’s a disgusting statement for him to make. For him to make a statement like that is a very dangerous statement,” said Trump. “You know, they talk about us. We are exactly the opposite. My rallies are really calm and well run and packed with people. We don’t have problems at my rallies…They [leftists] used to send in paid protestors.”
President @realDonaldTrump reacts to Eric Holder’s advice on dealing with Republicans – “when they go low, we kick them” pic.twitter.com/Limg4tjHHN
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) October 11, 2018
The former first lady was on the Today Show on Thursday and rejected Holder’s amended version of her comments, which she said at the Democratic National convention in 2016.
“Fear is not a proper motivator,” said Obama. “Hope wins out.”
“Fear it’s not a proper motivator. Hope wins out.” @MichelleObama on her motto, “When they go low, we go high.” #DayOfTheGirlTODAY pic.twitter.com/XyKW1w4AM8
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 11, 2018
