Donald Trump Will Likely Hate His New RNC Co-Chair’s Verbal Blunder On Fox News
One of the two new co-chairs of the Republican National Committee made a statement on Fox News Friday that will likely piss off former President Donald Trump.
The gaffe wasn’t made by Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, but by her seemingly more experienced co-chair, Michael Whatley.
It happened when Whatley attempted to reiterate the GOP’s latest ploy to voters ― asking them if they are better off now than four years ago.
Considering that the world was overtaken by the pandemic in 2020 ― and Trump was in office ― it might not be the best talking point for Republicans.
Still, Whatley tried to make that point on Friday but ended up making the opposite point:
“At the end of the day, this comes down to a very simple contrast between President Trump and President Biden. Were you better off four years ago than you are today? The answer for this entire country is no.”
RNC Chair Whatley: At the end of the day, this comes down to a very simple contrast between President Trump and President Biden. Were you better off four years ago than you are today? The answer for this entire country is no pic.twitter.com/efCY23KfrB
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 15, 2024
Whatley pointed out that things are better under Biden a second time, saying, “We are better,” but managed to clean things up by adding, “We will be better off under President Trump than we will under President Biden. ”
The “Are you better off?” question has been used by Republicans since Ronald Reagan said it in a 1980 presidential debate with Jimmy Carter.
The question was effective in 1980 thanks to high inflation and high gas prices, among other things, but not so much today, considering 2020 was, among other things, the deadliest year in U.S. history.
That isn’t stopping Republicans from dutifully dragging out the tired old talking point in hopes it will stick somewhere, anywhere.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) tried to make the same point earlier this month and was brutally mocked by people with better memories.
Naturally, Whatley’s remarks attracted lots of social media snark from people who remember the dystopian horrors from four years ago all too well.
4 years ago a national emergency was declared and America dipped into a Trump Slump. https://t.co/sazmD0BXx0
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) March 15, 2024
The new stooge at the RNC would like to remind ppl of trump’s disastrous covid response. https://t.co/012WEPo1IBpic.twitter.com/9r9k8KPQy7
— Tina #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 (@trcfwtt) March 15, 2024
Hey @ChairmanWhatley, do you know that Facebook memories are a thing? Facebook literally told me (unprompted) this morning that 4 years ago today I was bartering for toilet paper…today I can just go buy it. https://t.co/CbQSiv0DKApic.twitter.com/0yUiuzEClv
— Kimbers (@over30swiftie) March 15, 2024
I wholeheartedly agree with the new chair of the RNC. We are very much better off under President Biden than we were four years ago and that’s true for everyone in this country. https://t.co/LGeswXext4
— Brett Meiselas (@BMeiselas) March 15, 2024
I am better off today than I was 4 years ago.
And one reason is, I no longer have an absolutely corrupt tyrant as the president of my country. https://t.co/i9EmUI3APQ— 💙 Jillian Hurley (@JillianMHurley) March 15, 2024
Did anyone catch the slip here? The Biden team should make this an ad. LOL.
— Rubberband Girl (@Rbrbndgrl) March 15, 2024
The head of the RNC just said we are better off under Biden than Trump. https://t.co/iJBvJot15s
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) March 15, 2024
four years ago today 👇 https://t.co/Bbyhiqw68Z
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 15, 2024