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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Republicans should push president to lead

The horrific events in Charlottesville,Virginia, cry out for a leader who can heal, not divide. But at his fiery Tuesday press conference, President Donald Trump actually gave cover to white nationalists by placing them on the same moral ground as the opposition.

Before the nation’s attention is diverted to debates about statues or law and order, let’s be clear: The national furor stems from the bigoted beliefs of those in attendance at the “Unite the Right” event. The chants of “blood and soil” and “Jews will not replace us” last Friday night on the University of Virginia campus had nothing to do with Gen. Robert E. Lee, whose statue was the purported reason for the gathering.

White nationalists were pleased with the president’s comments on Tuesday, but nobody else should be.

Idaho state Rep. Heather Scott is pushing back against the criticism of white nationalists by trying to change the meaning of the term. On her Facebook page she posted:

“The way the media set this up, the mention of white nationalist, which is no more than a Caucasian who (sic) for the Constitution and making American great again, and confusing it with (sic) term ‘white supremacist,’ which is extreme racism. Therefore, if one is ‘guilty’ of being white, one is clearly racist.”

This is nonsense.

From Merriam-Webster, “white nationalist” is “one of a group of militant whites who espouse white supremacy and advocate enforced racial segregation.” And that dictionary defines “white supremacist” as “a person who believes that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races.”

In a Spokesman-Review article, academics who study white nationalism pointed out that Scott is wrong. So if she’s calling herself a white nationalist or defending them, she better consider the ramifications and consequences.

Most Republican leaders had no trouble identifying the racism in Charlottesville and denouncing it. Members of the Idaho and Washington delegations have done so. However, the president – wittingly or not – has tossed a lifeline to those who want to change the terms of the debate or change the subject.

The next step for Republican leaders is to urge the president to become a national leader, not a factional one. At present, they appear to be clinging to the hope that he will finally settle down and advance their legislative agenda. But top business leaders who support that agenda, which includes tax and regulatory reform, have departed the president’s advisory council because of his lack of moral leadership and his inattention to governing.

Next week, the president plans to travel to Phoenix to hold forth at a campaign-style rally. The timing is terrible, and that city’s mayor has asked the president to cancel the event for fear of what it could incite.

Trump should call it off. But if he doesn’t, Republican leaders should call him out.

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