Tommy Tuberville, who famously coached the Auburn Tigers college football team before being elected to the U.S. Senate, created rancor when he refused to characterize White nationalists as “racists.”
Tuberville, a Republican, was questioned about White nationalists espousing their racist views while serving in the U.S. military. Initially, Tuberville adamantly refused to say the two terms are synonymous, CNN reports.
“Well, that’s some people’s opinion,” he answered.
When queried about his personal opinions of White nationalists, he quipped “My opinion of a White nationalist, if someone wants to call them White nationalist, to me is an American.”
The news network added that Tuberville doubled down on his stance when he was asked once more by a local Alabama radio station host, saying “I call them Americans.”
Tuberville’s ambiguous answer incited a bipartisan backlash on Capitol Hill, starting with Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York.
“Last night, given another chance to clear the air, he suggested that, no, White nationalists aren’t inherently racist. That yes, White nationalism is American. And that the definition of White nationalism is a matter of opinion,” Schumer said. “It’s hard to believe that the senator from Alabama has to be corrected again. The senator from Alabama is wrong, wrong, wrong. The definition of White nationalism is not a matter of opinion.”
Even Republican leaders slammed Tuberville. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called White nationalism “unacceptable” and added: “White supremacy is simply unacceptable in the military and in the whole country.”
When CNN queried Republican whip Sen. John Thune, he quickly stated that White nationalism has no place in the Republican Party or the military. He was perplexed as to why Tuberville could not denounce it.
“I am not sure exactly what he was trying to say there,” Thune remarked. “I mean I would just say that there is no place for White nationalism in our party, and I think that is kind of full stop,” Thune said.
When the station asked about White nationalism in the military, Thune added: “There’s no place for it there either.”
Finally, after capitulating to peer pressure in the state and national legislatures, Tuberville amended his answer.
“If people think a White nationalist is a racist, I agree with that,” Tuberville said.
