5 Reactions: Mike Huckabee Called 'Racist' for Immigrant Gang Photo, Joke About Nancy Pelosi
1. Mike Huckabee
After receiving a flood of criticism from liberal and some conservative sources, including being asked to explain why exactly he believes Pelosi supports MS-13, Huckabee tweeted in his defense:
"Here you go! You want to defend gangs who rape, murder, and mutilate little children too? Repeat--a criminal gang is NOT a race! Doesn't matter if these goons were lily-white Brits!"
Huckabee then linked to a C-Span video from May at a press conference, where Pelosi condemned President Donald Trump alluding to certain immigrants as "animals." The White House has maintained that Trump was only calling violent members of the immigrant gang MS-13 as animals, not all immigrants. However, Democrats have sought to attribute his remarks to all undocumented immigrants.
"When the president of the United States says about undocumented immigrants, 'These aren't people, these are animals,' you have to wonder, does he not believe in the spark of divinity, the dignity and worth of every person?'" Pelosi asked at the time.
Huckabee also defended himself against accusations, such as from The Washington Post's Karen Tumulty, that he was being racist.
"Absurd! To see race in everything IS racist. Nothing about race but about a vile violent criminal gang. Please understand that," the former governor wrote.
He further added that "MS-13 is not a race but an illegal gang who rapes, murders, and mutilates children as sport. Nancy Pelosi defended them because she said @realDonaldTrump insulted them. Are you defending them too? Wasn't aware that criminal was a 'race.'"
Tumulty wrote about Huckabee's response in a Sunday Washington Post op-ed.
"So apparently, that has become Huckabee's go-to line: You are either with him or with a murderous gang," she wrote.
"This is something I never would have imagined when I first met Huckabee. He has come a long way. I hope he finds his way back."
