Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy said Wednesday that he views all of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates as being socialist, expressing skepticism about the so-called moderates who are running.
“I’m not buying this storyline of progressives versus moderates. I would remind you the lesser of two socialists is still a socialist,” Kennedy told “America’s Newsroom," responding to some of the contentious moments at Tuesday night's debate.
“What I heard last night, even from the so-called less liberal candidates, and I'm not impugning their integrity, but ... I heard a job-killing, soul-crushing, socialist agenda. The only thing missing was the Cuban national anthem,” he said.
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Kennedy said he's not hearing new ideas from the party ahead of the 2020 clash with President Trump.
“Same old stuff: Socialism, illegal immigration, abortion, socialized medicine are moral goods. Free enterprise, border security, the sanctity of life, your on-the-job health insurance; those are all moral bads," he said.
“At the rate, my Democratic friends are going, the American people are going to have a very stark choice beyond this election. It’s going to be growth versus redistribution. It’s going to do you believe in more freedom or more free stuff.”
Trump’s campaign claimed victory on Tuesday after the debate, claiming the leading 2020 candidates were pushing a “socialist message.”
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Trump’s campaign published a statement: “Same radical Democrats, Same big government socialist message. Same winner of tonight’s debate: President Donald Trump.”
“My Democratic friends want to pay for that free stuff out of your bank account,” Kennedy concluded.
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg scoffed Wednesday at Republicans who continually call Democrats "socialists."
"If we are crazy socialists, then they’re saying the American people are a bunch of crazy socialists. It’s time to put those labels to bed, talk about what we’re actually going to do for the American people and when we do, it turns out voters are with us. Which is exactly why the president needs us to be talking about his latest outrage, rather than about the impact we’re going to have on your life when we get elected," he said.