CNN host and former Obama adviser David Axelrod on Friday questioned whether freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Harbi TlaibBiden and the new Congress must protect Americans from utility shutoffs Overnight Energy: EPA rule exempts many polluting industries from future air regulations | Ex-Michigan governor to be charged over Flint water crisis: report | Officials ousted from White House after papers casting doubt on climate science Ex-Michigan governor to be charged over Flint water crisis: report MORE's (D-Mich.) comment to "impeach the motherf---er" about President Trump
Donald TrumpClinton, Bush, Obama reflect on peaceful transition of power on Biden's Inauguration Day Arizona Republican's brothers say he is 'at least partially to blame' for Capitol violence Biden reverses Trump's freeze on .4 billion in funds MORE are "helpful."
In a tweet sharing The Hill's story on the comments, Axelrod asked his 1.12 million followers if the language was "helpful."
"Come on! I get the anger but is this helpful?" Axelrod asked about the comments made at a MoveOn.org event in Washington, D.C., on Thursday night.
Come on! I get the anger but is this helpful? https://t.co/Qb6tigEJUe
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) January 4, 2019
Axelrod, who hosts "The Axe Files," then answered his own question in a subsequent tweet, saying, "No it's not."
No it’s not.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) January 4, 2019
Axelrod's tweet received some pushback by his followers.
Honestly, David, you should be doing everything you can to normalize the notion of impeachment. This President is so far over the lines of legal behavior in so many directions, your restricting yourself to language policing is far less helpful.
— Skott Klebe (@skottk) January 4, 2019
It’s just locker room talk!
— Mr. Walmsley (@MrBWalmsley) January 4, 2019
I bet if a man said it, it wouldn’t matter but because she is a woman she shouldn’t curse. #sorrynotsorry
— VeraGen (@Strugachik) January 4, 2019
A video of Tlaib making the controversial comments went viral on Thursday night, hours after she was sworn in to Congress.
“People love you and you win,” Tlaib said on the video in which she does not name the president specifically. “And when your son looks at you and says ‘Momma, look you won. Bullies don’t win.’ And I said, ‘baby, they don’t.’ ”
“Because we’re going to go in there and impeach the motherf---er,” Tlaib said to the crowd that erupted in cheers.
the crowd goes NUTS the moment Rep. Rashida Tlaib says: “We’re gonna go in there and we’re gonna impeach the motherfucker.”
— J.D. Durkin (@jiveDurkey) January 4, 2019
via @LevineJonathan
pic.twitter.com/DSZXRbNHrk
Reactions to the comments varied across Washington on Friday.
Newly minted Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiGOP operative installed as NSA top lawyer placed on administrative leave: reports Budowsky: Democracy won, Trump lost, President Biden inaugurated Biden taps career civil servants to acting posts at State, USAID, UN MORE (D-Calif.) responded to them in a town hall that will air on MSNBC on Friday, stating she's "not in the censorship business."
