The fist-pumping seditionist disgrace from Missouri, Sen. Josh "Haw Haw" Hawley still needs to answer for his role in the January 6 Trumpist coup that nearly ended democracy. His ugly, demagogic opportunism leads him to stand with thugs and autocrats wherever they appear, including with the Russian thugs menacing Ukraine. Joining fellow white supremacist seditionist Tucker "Mothertucker" Carlson's camp, Hawley has taken up Russia's talking points in arguing NATO should back away from confronting the Kremlin. He sent a sniveling letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to underline his Kremlin kowtow:
"In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Hawley essentially argued that the United States should declare it will not support Ukraine's efforts to join NATO -- a key Russian objective, among others. He said bringing Ukraine into the alliance would likely harm US interests and maintained that 'now is exactly the right time' to make that clear.
Hawley maintains that he supports Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity and says the United States should deliver assistance to Ukraine. But he insists that Washington should make clear Ukraine will never join NATO, as Putin demands. His letter, despite the nuance, essentially places him in one of the two main branches of today's Republican Party -- the Donald Trump-Tucker Carlson branch, which preaches a kind of isolationism, strongly advocating against US involvement abroad. Meanwhile, many traditional and moderate conservatives continue to support a robust defense of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression." (our emphasis)
(We'd add that Trump-Carlson-Hawley branch opposes intervention when it involves a democracy, not a friendly dictatorship). White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki for one was having none of Hawley's Putin-boosterism, stating at a press briefing:
"If you are digesting Russian misinformation and parroting Russian talking points, you are not aligned with longstanding bipartisan American values, which is to stand up for the sovereignty of countries like Ukraine, but others.
Their right to choose their own alliances, and also to stand against, very clearly, the efforts, or attempts or potential attempts by any country to invade and take territory of another country. That applies to Sen. Hawley, but it also applies to others who may be parroting the talking points of Russian propagandist leaders." (our emphasis)
Finally, there was this coup de grâce delivered by Missouri's largest and most distinguished paper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
"There once was a time when Hawley had presidential aspirations, but a badly timed fist-pump on Jan. 6, 2021, along with his appeasing advocacy of Russian supremacy just about closes the lid on his presidential dreams. We thought Hawley should’ve resigned his Senate seat for his role in the Capitol insurrection, but the idea that the United States should kneel down to Russia over Ukraine underscores how grossly unfit Hawley is to continue in office." (our emphasis)
That sums it up perfectly.
(photo: Sedition-supporting Hawley's infamous fist pump to rioters January 6. Nextar Media)
