During a press conference yesterday in which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Democrats would be drafting impeachment charges against Donald Trump, she was asked by a right-wing reporter if she hated the president.
Her response — clear, concise, and stinging — made the news cycle the rest of the day: “As a Catholic, I resent your using the word ‘hate’ in a sentence that addresses me. I don’t hate anyone.” She added, “I pray for the President all the time.”
There’s a separate conversation to be had about how being a Catholic doesn’t mean you can’t hate people — What were the Crusades? The Inquisition? Has anyone asked LGBTQ people about this? — but we’ll wait on that since Trump’s response was even more remarkable.
Nancy Pelosi just had a nervous fit. She hates that we will soon have 182 great new judges and sooo much more. Stock Market and employment records. She says she “prays for the President.” I don’t believe her, not even close. Help the homeless in your district Nancy. USMCA?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2019
It’s galling that Trump attacked Pelosi about homelessness when his administration just changed work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which means an estimated 700,000 families will now lose access to food stamps. It’s not surprising, though. It’s just a reflection of Trump’s cruelty which is rewarded by Republicans who have no ethical backbone.
As for the prayer remark, it’s telling how Trump claims he doesn’t believe her. We’re routinely told by conservative Christians that Trump’s heart is in the right place as a Christian even if his actions and words don’t always show it. But the second a powerful Democrat mentions praying, she’s quickly deemed a liar. As if Trump’s the best judge of other people’s faith.
At another time, evangelical Christians might have lashed out against someone for questioning someone else’s faith. But they worship Trump, and that means never questioning anything he does.