On Thursday night, the tense division within the Republican Party manifested itself on Twitter in the form of a testy exchange between ardent Trump supporter Fox News Host Sean Hannity and foreign affairs columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Bret Stephens, a #NeverTrump conservative.
Stephens set off Hannity by referring to him as “Fox News’ dumbest anchor” and linking to a Yahoo story about the Fox host scolding GOP higher-ups like Speaker Paul Ryan, Senator John McCain and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for their lack of support for Trump.
Hannity went after Stephens, most notably by informing the WSJ columnist that he will hold “a**holes” like him “accountable” if Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton wins the election.
Here’s how the exchange went down:
“Fox News’ dumbest anchor had a message for y’all,” wrote Stephens, linking to the Yahoo story.
Hannity reacted with a litany of criticisms directed at Stephens and so-called establishment Republican types, who have reputations for being soft on Obama and his polices.
“Wsj genius. Where were u when Boehner punted on the power of the purse a added nearly 5 trillion in new debt?” asked Hannity.
Hannity posed another rhetorical question for Stephens: “Where were you dumbass when in 2014 R’s said the would stop Obama’s illegal and unconstitutional exec amnesty?”
The Fox personality then castigated Stephens as an “arrogant, elitist, enabler” who helped to create Trump.
National Review editor Charles C. W. Cooke interjected to mock Hannity’s string of insults: “This is what is traditionally called ‘projection.’”
“If Hillary wins I will hold a**holes like you accountable,” wrote Hannity. “You will be responsible for her Supreme ct selections.”
The only reply back from Stephens was a diss reference to “A Fish Called Wanda.”
“Why does [Sean Hannity] remind me of Otto from ‘A Fish Called Wanda’?”
“This is what is traditionally called ‘projection.'”
National Review editor Charles C. W. Cooke, dissing Sean Hannity
Unfortunately, this is just a small sample of the division currently presiding within the Republican Party. Some Trump supporters are blaming #NeverTrumpers for a prospective devastating Hillary Clinton White House by their refusal to fall in line behind Trump, who is an undeniably poor candidate but will, according to Trump supporters, stop the bleeding from horrific Obama Administration polices, elect conservative judges and protect our borders. At the same time, some #NeverTrumpers are blaming Trump supporters for their blind enabling of Trump, which has helped him to become the nominee and may potentially stain the Republican Party, or worse, topple any real conservative movement by turning the party brand into full-blown Trumpism.
No mater where you fall on the pro/never-Trump spectrum, it is glaringly obvious that the party has major healing to do after the election, win or lose.
The video below is Hannity’s tirade against GOP figures from his Wednesday show, which promoted the Yahoo write-up.