Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) abandoned a threat late Tuesday to block President Joe Biden’s so-called non-diverse nominees from getting confirmed with unanimous Democratic support, a move that comes after she received diversity “assurances” from the White House.
&#8220;Senator Duckworth appreciates the Biden Administration&#8217;s assurances that it will do much more to elevate [Asian American and Pacific Islander] voices and perspectives at the highest levels of government, including appointing an AAPI senior White House official to represent the community, secure the confirmation of AAPI appointments and advance policy proposals that are relevant and important to the community,&#8221; said Ben Garmissa, Duckworth&#8217;s communications director, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tammy-duckworth-joe-biden-asian-american-minority-representation/">reports</a> CBS News.
&#8220;Accordingly, she will not stand in the way of President Biden&#8217;s qualified nominees — which will include more AAPI leaders,&#8221; the senator’s communications director added.
The reversal comes after Duckworth and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) revealed they planned to withhold support for the Biden administration’s nominees going forward, citing a lack of Americans of Asian descent in pre-eminent positions at the White House. The threat had the potential to stall the Biden administration&#8217;s nomination process, given that the Senate is currently evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
“I’ve been talking to them for months and they’re still not aggressive, so I’m not going to be voting for any nominee from the White House other than diversity nominees,” Duckworth told reporters, before she spoke with the White House and changed her stance, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-cabinets-kamala-harris-tammy-duckworth-f3f2c205442b5a515f860158b4ee8a87">reports</a> The Associated Press. “I’ll be a no on everyone until they figure this out.”
The Illinois senator also called it “incredibly insulting” when, she alleges, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O’Malley Dillon brought up Vice President Kamala Harris — who is partly of Indian descent — to address her diversity concerns, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/23/tammy-duckworth-biden-cabinet-477676">according</a> to Politico. &#8220;Multiple times I’ve heard that. And that is not something you would say to the Black caucus: ‘Well, you have Kamala, we’re not going to put any more African Americans in the Cabinet because you have Kamala.’ Why would you say it to AAPI?” <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/03/24/what-the-duckworth-aapi-episode-revealed-492220">remarked</a> Duckworth.
Hirono backed down after speaking with the White House, saying she would vote to &#8220;confirm the historic and highly qualified nominees President Biden has appointed to serve in his administration.” The Biden administration has also said it will hire an Asian American Pacific Islander liaison.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Based on the private conversation we had, I will continue voting to confirm the historic and highly qualified nominees President Biden has appointed to serve in his administration.
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) <a href="https://twitter.com/maziehirono/status/1374560562231795713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
“The President has made it clear that his Administration will reflect the diversity of the country. That has always been, and remains our goal,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/24/white-house-to-add-aapi-liaison-after-democrats-threaten-to-block-bidens-nominees.html">reports</a> CNBC. “The White House will add a senior level Asian American Pacific Islander liaison, who will ensure the community’s voice is further represented and heard.”

Senate Armed Services Committee Holds Nominating Hearing

Dem Senator Tammy Duckworth Drops Threat To Block Biden Nominees Over Diversity Concerns

Diversity

Joe Biden

Tammy Duckworth

Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth (IL) was slammed on Tuesday for remarks about President Joe Biden&#8217;s nominees that were widely panned as racist and bigoted.
&#8220;I am a no vote on the floor, on all non diversity nominees,&#8221; Duckworth said. &#8220;You know, I will vote for racial minorities and I will vote for LGBTQ. But anybody else I&#8217;m not voting for.&#8221;
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/03/23/sen-tammy-duckworth-vows-to-stall-biden-nominees-over-lack-of-asians/">reported</a>:
<blockquote>Duckworth said she made her decision after White House deputy chief of staff Jennifer O’Malley Dillon made an “incredibly insulting” remark Monday evening after Biden spoke on a webcast with Senate Democrats.
Dillon, Biden’s 2020 campaign manager, allegedly suggested to Duckworth that Asian-Americans should be content with Vice President Kamala Harris’ role. Harris is biracial; her mother was born in India and her father is black and from Jamaica.</blockquote>
“To be told that, ‘Well, you have Kamala Harris, we’re very proud of her, you don’t need anybody else’ is insulting… last night, that was the trigger for me,” Duckworth said. “But multiple times I’ve heard that. And that’s not something you would say to the black caucus, ‘Well, you have Kamala, we’re not going to put any more African-Americans in the cabinet because you have Kamala.&#8217;”
Patrice Lee Onwuka, director of Independent Women&#8217;s Forum, responded to Duckworth&#8217;s remarks by writing: &#8220;This is disgusting. I am a black woman and I don’t believe that senators should approve or deny cabinet nominees based on their skin color. That is not progress but racism.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is disgusting. I am a black woman and I don’t believe that senators should approve or deny cabinet nominees based on their skin color. That👏🏾 is 👏🏾 not 👏🏾 progress👏🏾 but 👏🏾 racism.
&mdash; Patrice Lee Onwuka 🇫🇰🇺🇸 (@PatricePinkFile) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatricePinkFile/status/1374468867754364934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) responded by writing: &#8220;Remember when &#8216;I won’t support someone because of their skin color&#8217; used to be racist?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A) From the pool. Dem IL Sen Duckworth on effort to get more diverse nominees: &quot;I am a no vote on the floor, on all non diversity nominees. You know, I will vote for racial minorities and I will vote for LGBTQ. But anybody else I&#39;m not voting for.&quot;
&mdash; Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadPergram/status/1374457734280605698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Seattle-based conservative radio host Jason Rantz wrote: &#8220;When you&#8217;re a Democrat, you&#8217;re encouraged to tokenize people and shout your racism and bigotry.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
When you&#39;re a Democrat, you&#39;re encouraged to tokenize people and shout your racism and bigotry. <a href="https://t.co/N3SQ39kbLK">https://t.co/N3SQ39kbLK</a>
&mdash; (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1374486359830720522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Duckworth is a vile disgusting bigot, a disgrace to the country, and a blathering moron on top of it. But at least she&#8217;s honest about it,&#8221; Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh wrote. &#8220;She should be removed from the senate for her professed racism. Also because she&#8217;s an incompetent goon.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
She should be removed from the senate for her professed racism. Also because she&#39;s an incompetent goon.
&mdash; Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1374459553769689104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ben Shapiro, host of &#8220;The Ben Shapiro Show&#8221; and Daily Wire Editor Emeritus, responded to Duckworth&#8217;s remarks by tweeting: &#8220;This is called racism.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is called racism <a href="https://t.co/VTCC57cFun">https://t.co/VTCC57cFun</a>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1374461234779541505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sen. Tom Cotton responded to Duckworth&#8217;s controversial remarks by writing: &#8220;It&#8217;s disappointing but not surprising that the Democrats&#8217; obsession with identity politics has come to this: U.S. Senators openly acknowledge voting for or against nominees based solely on their race.&#8221;
&#8220;Imagine the scandal—and rightly so!—if a Republican senator announced he would only vote for nominees of certain races,&#8221; Cotton said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve gone pretty far down the road from judging people by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We&#39;ve gone pretty far down the road from judging people by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCottonAR/status/1374516519527321600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former CIA officer Bryan Dean Wright, who announced he was leaving the Democratic Party in February, responded to Duckworth&#8217;s remarks by writing: &#8220;Sen. Duckworth is a whisker away from demanding the whites drink at a separate fountain.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sen. Duckworth is a whisker away from demanding the whites drink at a separate fountain. <a href="https://t.co/WeWUWnt02r">https://t.co/WeWUWnt02r</a>
&mdash; BDW (@BryanDeanWright) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanDeanWright/status/1374519076035338241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;

Senators Schumer, Kaine And Duckworth Address Media At The Capitol

Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth: I Will Only Vote For Biden Nominees Who Are ‘Racial Minorities,’ ‘LGBTQ’

Racism

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) fired back at Tucker Carlson on Thursday after the Fox News host called her &#8220;a coward&#8221; earlier this week, and claimed neither Carlson nor President Donald Trump &#8220;know what patriotism is.&#8221;
In an op-ed for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/opinion/tammy-duckworth-tucker-carlson.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times</a>, Duckworth explained her recent call for &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/duckworth-rips-mount-rushmore-wants-national-dialogue-about-removing-washington-statues-heres-what-she-said-running-for-senate-five-years-ago" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a national dialogue</a>&#8221; regarding whether statues of President George Washington should <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thomas-jefferson-descendant-calls-for-harriet-tubman-to-replace-flawed-founder-in-jefferson-memorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">come down</a>. In a Sunday interview with CNN host Dana Bash, Duckworth attacked Trump for his Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore, during which, she claimed, the president &#8220;spent all his time talking about dead traitors.&#8221; She went on to criticize Mount Rushmore itself for &#8220;standing on ground that was stolen from Native Americans who had actually been given that land during a treaty.&#8221;
Her position drew <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-tucker-carlson-unloads-on-moron-senator-tammy-duckworth-for-being-too-afraid-to-defend-her-own-statements" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sharp criticism</a> from Carlson on Tuesday, who said, &#8220;Only someone who hates the country would suggest ripping down monuments to its founder.&#8221; Carlson claimed he had extended an invitation for Duckworth to appear on his program to defend her position, but that the senator&#8217;s office demanded he publicly apologize to her before she would oblige. &#8220;Duckworth is too afraid to defend her own statements on a cable TV show,&#8221; Carlson said. &#8220;What a coward.&#8221;
Duckworth wrote in her op-ed, &#8220;Mr. Carlson disingenuously claimed that because I expressed an openness to &#8216;a national dialogue&#8217; about our founders’ complex legacies, people like me &#8216;actually hate America.&#8217; One night later, he claimed that I called George Washington a traitor even though I had unambiguously answered no when asked whether anyone could justify saying that he was.&#8221;
&#8220;Setting aside the fact that the right wing’s right to lie about me is one of the rights I fought to defend,&#8221; Duckworth clarified, &#8220;let me be clear: I don’t want George Washington’s statue to be pulled down any more than I want the Purple Heart that he established to be ripped off my chest. I never said that I did.&#8221;
Duckworth went on to emphasize the importance of &#8220;every American’s freedom to have his or her own opinion about Washington’s flawed history,&#8221; adding, &#8220;What some on the other side don’t seem to understand is that we can honor our founders while acknowledging their serious faults, including the undeniable fact that many of them enslaved Black Americans.&#8221;
Duckworth then pivoted to allege that Carlson&#8217;s attacks on her political views, which she claimed were &#8220;egged on by President Trump,&#8221; were actually intended as racist distractions from what she described as the president&#8217;s failures. &#8220;Their goal isn’t to make — or keep — America great. It’s to keep Mr. Trump in power, whatever the cost,&#8221; she wrote, adding:
<blockquote>They should know, though, that attacks from self-serving, insecure men who can’t tell the difference between true patriotism and hateful nationalism will never diminish my love for this country — or my willingness to sacrifice for it so they don’t have to. These titanium legs don’t buckle.</blockquote>
Duckworth concluded her op-ed by stressing the importance of questioning those in power. &#8220;Anyone claiming to stand up for &#8216;patriotic&#8217; values should recognize that, because, without it, the country these impostor patriots claim to love so much would not exist,&#8221; she added.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-marine-and-double-amputee-has-a-message-for-dem-senator-who-slammed-tucker-carlson" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Former Marine And Double Amputee Has A Message For Dem Senator Who Slammed Tucker Carlson</a>

Tammy Tucker

‘Impostor Patriots’: Tammy Duckworth Slams Tucker Carlson And Trump As ‘Self-Serving, Insecure Men’

Donald Trump

New York Times

Tucker Carlson

Fox News host Tucker Carlson slammed Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) on Tuesday night over comments she made about President Donald Trump&#8217;s speech at Mount Rushmore, as well as for her failure to come on his show to defend her claims.
Carlson criticized Duckworth after she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/potential-biden-vp-pick-tammy-duckworth-signals-openness-to-tearing-down-statues-of-founding-fathers">suggested</a> over the weekend that she was open to tearing down statues of some of the Founding Fathers, including President George Washington. Duckworth responded to criticisms from Carlson by writing on Twitter, &#8220;Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Does <a href="https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TuckerCarlson</a> want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?
&mdash; Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth/status/1280313123887603712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Carlson responded to Duckworth in a fiery segment for allegedly refusing to come on his show to defend her own statements unless he apologized (transcript via Fox News; video below):
<blockquote>Carlson: So last night we played you long clips from the president’s recent address at Mount Rushmore. It may have been the best speech Donald Trump has ever given. It was succinct and clear, and it was true, and for all of those reasons the Democratic Party and its many minions absolutely hated it. They denounced the speech, and this may not come as a complete surprise to you, as “racist!”
Now, that’s a slur long divorced from any actual meaning, but we should tell you that as a factual matter, it’s a lie. There was nothing even conceivably racist about Trump’s speech, go watch it for yourself. There was not a racist word or idea in the whole thing. The only time Trump even brought up the Civil War was to praise Abraham Lincoln, who, thank God, won it. He never mentioned the Confederacy or anyone in the Confederacy. Instead, Trump praised unabashed American heroes like George Washington, Clara Barton, the Wright brothers, Jackie Robinson.
Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois watched Trump&#8217;s speech, or claimed she did. Her summary of it? “He spent all of his time talking about dead traitors.” George Washington, Clara Barton, Jackie Robinson, they are all, according to Tammy Duckworth, dead traitors. Pretty shocking.
In case you think we are being unfair here, in the same interview, Senator Duckworth was asked if we should tear down statutes to George Washington. &#8216;Sure,&#8217; she responded, &#8216;let’s talk about it.&#8217; That tape we played for you last night and we noted how grotesque it was. Only someone who hates the country would suggest ripping down monuments to its founder. Apparently Tammy Duckworth saw what we said. She didn’t disagree with it exactly, instead she questioned our right to criticize her at all since she was once injured while serving in the Illinois Army National Guard. That’s what passes for an argument in modern identity politics. They don’t address the points that you make, they question your right to make them at all.
The irony of course is that George Washington himself, the &#8220;dead traitor&#8221; Tammy Duckworth has such contempt for, also served in the military. Washington spend most of his adult life under arms. He fought in two wars. At one point in the winter of 1777, Washington lost almost a quarter of his entire army to cold and malnutrition. So George Washington paid his dues. He was, as we might say today, a combat veteran. And by the way, Washington also created the country we live in. George Washington was a genuinely great man, but to morons like Tammy Duckworth, Washington is just some old white guy who needs to be erased. &#8220;Let’s tear down his statues, rename our capital city Sharpton or Mandela and let the revolution continue.&#8221;
But hold on, not so fast. Changes that profound deserve a debate. Not some fake national conversation with screamed commands at you and you get to obey, but a vigorous reasoned exchange between adults. We wanted to have an exchange like that with Tammy Duckworth tonight. So we called her office and we invited on the show. Her flack informed us that before even considering our request we must first issue a public apology for criticizing Tammy Duckworth. In other words, &#8216;I will not debate you until first you admit you’re completely wrong.&#8217; Keep in mind, Tammy Duckworth is not a child, at least not technically, she’s a sitting United States senator who is often described as a hero.
Yet Duckworth is too afraid to defend her own statements on a cable TV show. What a coward. Tammy Duckworth is also a fraud. Five years ago while she was a member of Congress, whistleblowers from a VA hospital in Illinois approached Duckworth to report the widespread mistreatment of sick veterans. Remember that story? The whistleblowers met with Tammy Duckworth three times. She refused to help them. According to a cardiologist who attended those meetings, Duckworth dismissed the systemic cruelty inflicted on dying veterans by saying that “that’s just how it is” at the VA. The whistleblowers were horrified by her response. Ultimately, in frustration they took their story to the media and it became a national scandal. This is the person lecturing the rest of us about her moral authority as a veteran. Spare us.
Tammy Duckworth is a callous hack who ignored the callous suffering of actual veterans when it actually mattered. She has no moral authority, she’s just a politician like the rest of them. She works for us, this is a democracy, she has an obligation to explain herself and answer our question. And our first question would be, &#8216;How can you lead a country you despise?&#8217; It’s not something we would ask only to Tammy Duckworth by the way. Hating America is a major theme in the Democratic Party right now, it’s everywhere. Turn on the TV. &#8230;</blockquote>
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We have every right to fight to preserve our nation, heritage and culture. When vandals like Tammy Duckworth and Ilhan Omar tell us that we’re not allowed to question their patriotism, as they scream about how horrible this country is, we have every right to laugh in their faces. <a href="https://t.co/0xjVtUaG3P">pic.twitter.com/0xjVtUaG3P</a>
&mdash; Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) <a href="https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1280663377338130440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tammy Duckworth Tucker Carlson

WATCH: Tucker Carlson Unloads On ‘Moron’ Senator Tammy Duckworth For Being ‘Too Afraid To Defend Her Own Statements’

American History

Fox News commentator Johnny Jones admonished Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Monday for her strong reaction to criticism from Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Duckworth (D-IL), a disabled war veteran with prosthetic legs, challenged Carlson to “walk a mile in my legs” after the popular cable news host questioned Duckworth&#8217;s and other Democratic leaders&#8217; patriotism for their soft stances on statues of traditional American heroes. Jones, also a veteran with prosthetic legs, chided Duckworth for using her disability to answer the criticism.
“A tragic injury from military service doesn’t exempt you from criticism for the choices you make and rhetoric you speak In a political career you sought out. You can be more (or less) than your injury, trust me!” Jones responded to Duckworth on Twitter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A tragic injury from military service doesn’t exempt you from criticism for the choices you make and rhetoric you speak In a political career you sought out. 
You can be more (or less) than your injury, trust me! 🇺🇸
-a credible source <a href="https://t.co/PFRb98NqTO">https://t.co/PFRb98NqTO</a>
&mdash; Johnny (Joey) Jones (@Johnny_Joey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Johnny_Joey/status/1280322634459291648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?” Duckworth tweeted after Carlson had played a clip of her endorsing a “national dialogue” over what place monuments to figures such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should have in American society.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s campaign is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/duckworth-emerging-as-a-contender-to-be-bidens-running-mate/2020/07/05/285fed3e-be60-11ea-bdaf-a129f921026f_story.html">considering</a> tapping Duckworth to be the Democratic candidate’s vice president. Carlson had noted the senator’s prominent place in the veepstakes contest and bluntly criticized her and Democratic Party leaders for questioning the Founding Fathers’ place in American history.
“You’re not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military. Most people just ignore her, but when Duckworth does speak in public, you’re reminded of what a deeply silly and unimpressive person she is,” Carlson said during one of his monologues on Monday.
After noting her comments on two of the United States Found Fathers, Carlson continued: “It’s long been considered out-of-bounds to question a person’s patriotism … But in the face of all of this, the conclusion can’t be avoided: these people actually hate America.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Tucker: Can the left lead a country they hate?" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/64GgCVqRLzU?start=697&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&nbsp;
Duckworth piloted a Blackhawk helicopter for the Illinois National Guard in the Iraq War. She lost both of her legs and earned a Purple Heart when, on November 12, 2004, Iraqi insurgents shot her helicopter with an RPG. The blast did not destroy the vehicle, but it forced doctors to amputate Duckworth’s right leg just below the hip and her left leg below the knee.
Jones is a fellow combat veteran and double amputee. In August 2010, he was <a href="https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-eod-joey-jones">working</a> as a bomb technician in the Afghan town of Safar clearing the area of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. On his sixth day working that particular job and after clearing out dozens of mines, he stepped on an IED that took off both of his legs above the knees. One of the two men he was working with, Cpl. Daniel Greer, eventually died from injuries sustained during the blast. The other, Staff Sgt. Eric Chir, suffered wounds from shrapnel all over his body.

Former Marine And Double Amputee Has A Message For Dem Senator Who Slammed Tucker Carlson

On Sunday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), one of the women being discussed as a potential running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, signaled that she was open to the idea of taking down monuments to the Founding Fathers.
&#8220;[T]here are leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who were slave owners, and some people are demanding that their monuments come down, too,&#8221; CNN’s Dana Bash said to the senator. &#8220;So, in your view, where does it end? Should statues, for example, of George Washington come down?&#8221;
&#8220;Well, let me just say that we should start off by having a national dialogue on it at some point,&#8221; Duckworth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/potential-biden-vp-pick-tammy-duckworth-signals-openness-to-tearing-down-statues-of-founding-fathers">replied</a>.
Bash pressed again about moves by some people to remove statues of President George Washington. Duckworth again was not opposed to the idea, answering, “I think we should listen to everybody. I think we should listen to the argument there.&#8221;
Then, referring to President Trump&#8217;s speech over the weekend, Duckworth ripped Mount Rushmore, saying, &#8220;But remember that the president at Mount Rushmore was standing on ground that was stolen from Native Americans who had actually been given that land during a treaty.&#8221;
While Duckworth seems to be open to ridding the nation of statues of the man who is largely regarded as one of the two greatest presidents in American history (Abraham Lincoln being the other), and in the mood to rip Mount Rushmore, she appeared to hold a far different view in July 2015, three months after she announced she would challenge incumbent U.S. GOP Senator Mark Kirk for his seat.
On the afternoon of July 4, 2015,  Duckworth posted a picture of herself <a href="https://twitter.com/TammyforIL/status/617379521453498368">decked out in clothing adorned with the American flag</a> as she tweeted a sentiment quite different from her comments after President Trump visited Mount Rushmore, &#8220;All dressd up as historic figures. I just coverd myself in Stars&amp;Stripes. Next year I’m going as Mt. Rushmore. #Murica.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
All dressd up as historic figures.I just coverd myself in Stars&amp;Stripes.Next year I’m going as Mt.Rushmore! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Murica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Murica</a> <a href="http://t.co/81LENocKij">http://t.co/81LENocKij</a>
&mdash; Tammy Duckworth (@TammyforIL) <a href="https://twitter.com/TammyforIL/status/617379521453498368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On June 3, Duckworth released a video in which she raged against President Trump, saying:
<blockquote>Last night I watched as President Trump having gassed peaceful protesters, just so he could do this photo-op, then he went on to tear gas priests who were helping protesters in Lafayette Park. And then he went on to remove a member of the clergy and a layman from the church patio so he could have his photo-op. And as he was walking there, he was followed behind him (sic) by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in military fatigues and the Secretary of Defense walking along like lap dogs behind a draft-dodging wannabe tin-pot dictator. And I was appalled by this Commander-in-Chief was flying Black Hawk helicopters above Americans exercising their First Amendment rights.</blockquote>
She addressed Trump directly, fulminating, &#8220;How dare you politicize our military? Our military is the most diverse institution in this country. Our military is one of the final places where Americans have nothing but greatest respect. How dare you pervert the honor of our military by threatening to use them against their fellow Americans.&#8221;
She concluded, &#8220;I’m sickened to the core by this man.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Our military is one of the most diverse institutions in this country. And for Donald Trump to pervert it, politicize it and use it against fellow Americans exercising their constitutional rights sickens me to the core. <a href="https://t.co/sEpvdzLRvy">pic.twitter.com/sEpvdzLRvy</a>
&mdash; Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth/status/1268215772708552706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Senate Lawmakers Speak To The Media After Their Weekly Policy Luncheons

Duckworth Rips Mount Rushmore, Wants ‘National Dialogue’ About Removing Washington Statues. Here’s What She Said Running For Senate Five Years Ago.

4th of July

George Washington

Mount Rushmore

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a potential running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, signaled on Sunday that she was open to tearing down statues of some of America&#8217;s founding fathers.
&#8220;Senator, I know that you support change in the name of military bases named after Confederate leaders,&#8221; CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash said. &#8220;But there are leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who were slave owners, and some people are demanding that their monuments come down, too. So, in your view, where does it end? Should statues, for example, of George Washington come down?&#8221;
&#8220;Well, let me just say that we should start off by having a national dialogue on it at some point,&#8221; Duckworth responded.
Duckworth continued by attacking President Donald Trump, saying that Trump has &#8220;spent all his time talking about dead traitors.&#8221;
&#8220;So, that might be true, but George Washington, I don&#8217;t think anybody would call him a traitor,&#8221; Bash responded. &#8220;And there are moves by some to remove statues of him. Is that a good idea?&#8221;
&#8220;I think we should listen to everybody,&#8221; Duckworth responded. &#8220;I think we should listen to the argument there.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth says she’s open to tearing down statues of George Washington. <a href="https://t.co/ifL8rbxUau">pic.twitter.com/ifL8rbxUau</a>
&mdash; Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArthurSchwartz/status/1279781525219946498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED VIA <a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2007/05/sotu.01.html">CNN</a>:
<blockquote>CNN HOST DANA BASH: Tammy Duckworth is blocking more than 1,000 military promotions to try to protect impeachment witness Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, and that as the senator is picking up buzz as a potential running mate for Vice President Joe Biden.
One column this week calling her &#8212; quote &#8212; &#8220;the anti-Trump, the anti-ugliness he revels in and the cynicism he stokes.&#8221;
So, joining me now is Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, a former Army lieutenant colonel who served as a helicopter pilot in Iraq.
Senator, thank you so much for joining me.
President Trump gave a speech at Mount Rushmore Friday night. He talked about the importance of preserving historical monuments. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Senator, I know that you support change in the name of military bases named after Confederate leaders.
But there are leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who were slave owners, and some people are demanding that their monuments come down, too. So, in your view, where does it end? Should statues, for example, of George Washington come down?
SEN. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL): Well, let me just say that we should start off by having a national dialogue on it at some point.
But, right now, we&#8217;re in the middle of a global pandemic. And our &#8212; one of our ally &#8212; one of our &#8212; countries that are opposed to us, Russia, has put a bounty on American troops&#8217; head.
What really struck me about this speech that the president gave at Mount Rushmore was that he spent more time worried about honoring dead Confederates than he did talking about the lives of our American &#8212; 130,000 Americans who lost their lives to COVID-19, or by warning Russia off of the bounty they&#8217;re putting on Americans&#8217; heads.
I mean, his priorities are all wrong here. He should be talking about what we&#8217;re going to do to overcome this pandemic. What are we going to do to push Russia back? And, instead, he had no time for that. He spent all his time talking about dead traitors.
BASH: So, that might be &#8212; be true, but George Washington, I don&#8217;t think anybody would call him a traitor. And there are&#8230;
DUCKWORTH: No.
BASH: &#8230; moves by some to remove statues of him. Is that a good idea?
DUCKWORTH: I think we should listen to everybody. I think we should listen to the argument there.
But remember that the president at Mount Rushmore was standing on ground that was stolen from Native Americans who had actually been given that land during a treaty.
And, again, let&#8217;s talk about the greater context of where we are in our country right now. We should be talking about the fact that COVID- 19 is experiencing a resurgence, and both this president and the man he put in charge of the pandemic response team, the vice president, have both failed miserably at their jobs.
I&#8217;m more worried about the 130,000 who have lost their lives recently and the thousands and thousands more Americans who are currently sick than I am about the &#8212; our historical past.
We need to talk about what we&#8217;re doing now to bring this country off of the brink of chaos that it&#8217;s in.
BASH: So, I&#8217;m going to ask about that, for sure, in a minute.
I want to ask also about the fact that you announced that you would block Senate confirmations of over 1,000 military officers until the Defense Department confirms that Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who is a key impeachment witness &#8212; he was &#8212; against President Trump, to make sure that he gets his promotion.
Have you heard from the Defense Department?
DUCKWORTH: I have not heard from the Defense Department.
Let me just make it clear. If Lieutenant Colonel Vindman is on that list, he made his way on it through his own job performance. And you can&#8217;t get on the promotion list unless you were recommended to be on it by your rater, your intermediate rater and your senior rater. So, three superior officers have to agree to put you on the promotion list.
And all I&#8217;m saying is, I will not support the promotion of anybody to the rank of colonel or general unless the Defense Department certify to me that, if he is on the list, they won&#8217;t take him off.
The reports that I heard was that he was on the list, but that the White House had directed the secretary of defense to take his name off, a list that he earned his way onto himself.
And I&#8217;m not blocking the promotions of anybody below the rank of lieutenant colonel, so just colonels and generals.
BASH: So, let&#8217;s talk about the coronavirus and the way that leaders are or are not responding.
We spoke around Mother&#8217;s Day about the difficulties of being a mother while also working from home. And there was a recent &#8220;New York Times&#8221; op-ed entitled &#8220;The COVID-19 Economy: You Can Have a Kid or a Job. You Can&#8217;t Have Both.&#8221;
And the author wrote the following, wrote: &#8220;Why isn&#8217;t anyone talking about this? We &#8212; why are we not hearing a primal scream so deafening that no plodding policy can be implemented without addressing the people buried by it?&#8221;
You&#8217;re the first senator to give birth in office. You have two small children. How are you and other leaders dealing with this? And are you doing enough to address this problem?
DUCKWORTH: Well, child care is part of the Democrats&#8217; proposal for the next COVID-19 relief bill. So, it is part of what our platform is.
And I will tell you, I&#8217;m living this on a firsthand basis. I just found out from my daughter&#8217;s public school that we have a choice come fall of her either being full-time homeschooling. And how do I do that and be a full-time united state senator?
And the other choice is that two days a week in school and three days a week at home. I can figure out how to make things work. But what about the single mom who&#8217;s got to go and work at McDonald&#8217;s or the grocery store? How are they going to put this together?
This is very much something that I&#8217;m talking with the Democratic leadership on. And it is part of the Democratic position that we should have child care for all Americans. BASH: Senator, hundreds of female black leaders across the country signed a letter urging Joe Biden to pick a black woman as his running mate.
And here&#8217;s what they wrote. They wrote &#8212; quote &#8212; &#8220;It is a fact that the road to the White House is powered by black women, and black women are the key to a Democratic victory in 2020.&#8221;
So, what do you think? Should he pick a black woman as his running mate?
DUCKWORTH: Well, I do think black women are a key to the victory for Democrats. Look at how Doug Jones was elected and will be reelected to the United States Senate.
Listen, the Biden campaign have their own process that they&#8217;re going through. And I&#8217;m sure Vice President Biden will pick the right person to be next to him as he digs this country out of the mess that Donald Trump has put us in.
Remember that we need a leader who&#8217;s going to bind us back together, someone whose resilience &#8212; who has empathy, who has seen so many of the ups and downs through his own life and can connect with the American people.
And Joe Biden is that person. And I believe so strongly that we need to get him into the White House.
BASH: So&#8230;
DUCKWORTH: I will do whatever I need to do. I will do whatever I need to do to support him.
And it&#8217;s one team, one fight. And I &#8212; if that means I have to go sweep floors in a VA hospital, and that&#8217;s the best thing I can do to help him win, then that&#8217;s what I will do.
BASH: So, real quick, you do not think that his running mate has to be an African-American woman?
DUCKWORTH: I think that Joe Biden needs to make his own mind and will make his own mind.
I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s on any of us to dictate to him. He knows best who he needs as a vice president who can help him connect with the American people, who can help him overcome the crises that we&#8217;re &#8212; that we&#8217;re operating under right now, everything from rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure we can face off the next pandemic, making sure our economy gets turned around, and making sure we push back our folks like the Russians, who are putting bounties on Americans&#8217; heads.
BASH: Senator&#8230;
DUCKWORTH: There&#8217;s a lot of problems that Donald Trump is leading and Joe Biden is going to have to clean up.
And he will pick the right person to help him do that.
BASH: Senator, thank you so much.
Thank you for your service. We really appreciate it, again, especially on this holiday weekend.
DUCKWORTH: Thank you.
BASH: Thank you, Senator.</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Impeachment

Potential Biden VP Pick Tammy Duckworth Signals Openness To Tearing Down Statues Of Founding Fathers

2020 Election

Joe Biden&#8217;s team is reportedly considering Illinois Senator and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth as a potential running mate after a handful of other candidates met with resistance from potential Democratic voters.
Left-leaning commentators have been pushing for Biden to consider Duckworth for some time &#8212; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/27/opinion/sunday/tammy-duckworth-biden-2020.html">The New York Times</a> has featured at least two op-eds calling for Biden to select Duckworth in just the last several days &#8212; but Biden&#8217;s team has been set on selecting an African-American female running mate for the former vice president, concerned that racial tensions, which have risen dramatically since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
Each offered running mate, though, has met with resistance. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) seems to have difficult enticing voters from across the aisle, Florida Rep. Val Demings is a former police officer and police chief who presided over a department rife with ethical concerns, and other candidates simply don&#8217;t have name recognition.
Duckworth, however, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/joe-biden-vp-search-sen-tammy-duckworth-is-a-safe-choice.html">Democratic strategists contend</a>, &#8220;has a military background and an inspiring path into politics, both of which could be assets to Biden’s campaign. She is a Purple Heart recipient who overcame a grievous combat wound – she lost both of her legs in Iraq when her helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade – to become the first-ever Thai American woman elected to Congress.&#8221;
She&#8217;s also a front-and-center Member of Congress who has led Democrat efforts on police reform and fought for the right to bring her newborn children with her to work on the floor of the Senate.
There are drawbacks, notably that Duckworth is from Illinois, a state where a Biden victory is all but assured.
“I think if you’re looking for a woman to relate to family issues, to relate to the inequities that have sent people of all demographics into the street demanding change, she’s responsive,” Democratic strategist Mark Halperin told CNBC, “but I think you will find other candidates who are more of a leader in that regard.”
Biden&#8217;s search for a running mate, <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/bidens-running-mate-search-is-getting-outsized-attention-and-could-even-shake-the-stock-market-heres-how-2020-06-10">The Wall Street Journal&#8217;s MarketWatch reports</a>, has received &#8220;outsized&#8221; attention given that Biden has had difficulty commanding attention on a national stage. Coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions have, thus far, prevented the former vice president from holding public rallies (though his opponent, President Donald Trump, has returned to in-person appearances), and cable news spots have ended badly for Biden, who appears to have difficulty on camera.
His age has also &#8220;prompted questions about whether he would serve two terms as president.&#8221;
Biden does remain comfortably in the lead in most national polls and narrowly edges out Trump in most battleground states &#8212; a phenomenon the Trump White House says it is now taking seriously, despite previous comments from the president dismissing his sagging poll numbers.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Dems Eye Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth For Possible Biden VP Slot

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) lied about the ventilator situation in the United States on Friday night to launch a political attack on President Donald Trump.
Duckworth made the false statement in response to Trump attacking New York Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday when Trump tweeted: &#8220;Cuomo ridiculously wanted &#8217;40 thousand Ventilators&#8217;. We gave him a small fraction of that number, and it was plenty. State should have had them in stockpile!&#8221;
Duckworth responded, &#8220;As he watches Americans die by the thousands, Trump remains incapable of showing empathy or leadership. He *could* have saved lives by sending more ventilators, but he didn’t. That’s true regardless of who Donald &#8216;I don’t take responsibility at all&#8217; Trump tries to blame.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
As he watches Americans die by the thousands, Trump remains incapable of showing empathy or leadership. He *could* have saved lives by sending more ventilators, but he didn’t. That’s true regardless of who Donald “I don’t take responsibility at all” Trump tries to blame. <a href="https://t.co/W9KGDXZk4d">https://t.co/W9KGDXZk4d</a>
&mdash; Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth/status/1251278401962467328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
During a White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefing this week, Adam Boehler, a former HHS official who is now CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and has been tapped to help with the coronavirus response, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-press-briefing/">said</a>, &#8220;There’s been no American that has needed a ventilator that has not received one.&#8221;
Duckworth provided no evidence to substantiate her false claim as even Governor Cuomo has acknowledged that no one has died due to a lack of ventilators.
&#8220;Have we saved everyone? No,&#8221; Cuomo said during a press conference this week. &#8220;But have we lost anyone because we didn’t have a bed, or we didn’t have a ventilator, or we didn’t have health care staff? No. People we lost are the people we couldn&#8217;t save.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrat Governor of New York: &quot;Have we saved everyone? No. But have we lost anyone because we didn’t have a bed, or we didn’t have a ventilator, or we didn’t have health care staff? No. People we lost are the people we couldn&#39;t save.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/eONgDhWFGi">pic.twitter.com/eONgDhWFGi</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1250054767629553669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
National Review <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/04/coronavirus-crisis-ventilator-shortages-have-not-come-to-pass/">highlighted</a> the progression of Cuomo&#8217;s claims surrounding his state&#8217;s need for ventilators:
<blockquote>In the state that (as of today) has one-third of the country’s confirmed COVID-19 cases, New York governor Andrew Cuomo sounded the alarm for ventilators repeatedly. On March 27, he acknowledged “I don’t have a crystal ball” but said his state desperately needed 30,000 ventilators, maybe 40,000, but had only 12,000. When President Trump noted that Cuomo’s state had thousands of unused ventilators it hadn’t even placed yet, Cuomo admitted this was true but said he still needed more: “Yes, they’re in a stockpile because that’s where they’re supposed to be because we don’t need them yet. We need them for the apex,” Cuomo said at the time. On April 2, Cuomo predicted the state would run out of ventilators in six days “at the current burn rate.” But on April 6, Cuomo noted, “We’re ok, and we have some in reserve.”
Now New York appears to have passed the apex. Deaths, a lagging indicator, crested at 799 on April 9 and hit 606 on April 16, the lowest figure since April 6. Hospitalizations are also declining, and on April 16 also hit their lowest level since April 6. Cuomo today has so many ventilators he is giving them away: On April 15, he said he was sending 100 of them to Michigan and 50 to Maryland. On April 16, he announced he was sending 100 to New Jersey.</blockquote>
Late last month, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said that there was no evidence that there were any shortages of ventilators around the U.S.
&#8220;We were reassured after meeting with colleagues in New York there are still ICU beds remaining and there’s still significant, over a thousand or 2,000 ventilators that have not been used yet,&#8221; Birx <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dr-deborah-birx-shreds-media-for-salacious-claims-we-dont-have-evidence-of-that">said</a> on March 26. &#8220;Please, for the reassurance of people around the world, to wake up this morning and look at people talking about creating DNR situations, do not resuscitate situations for patients, there is no situation in the United States right now that warrants that kind of discussion.&#8221;
&#8220;You could be thinking about it in a hospital, certainly many hospitals talk about it this on a daily basis,&#8221; Birx continued. &#8220;But to say that to the American people, to make the implication, that when they need a hospital bed it’s not going be there or when they need that ventilator it won’t be there, we don’t have evidence of that right now.&#8221;

Menu