Here Are The Excuses Trump Allies Cooked Up For His John Dingell Insult

Donald Trump s allies pulled out all the stops on Thursday as they produced an assortment of excuses for the presidents tasteless insult toward the late Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.).

Speaking on Wednesday at a rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, the newly impeached president joked that the deceased Democratic lawmaker might be looking up at everyone, implying that he could be in hell. Dingell, who died in February this year, was the longest-serving member of Congress.

At the time of the remark, Trump was complaining that Dingells widow, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), had voted to impeach him even though hed provided A+ treatment when her husband died and she had thanked him profusely.

Dingell responded to the comment a short time after, saying that Trumps words brought me down in a way you can never imagine as she prepares for her first holiday season without the man I love.

Mr. President, lets set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. Im preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.

Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) December 19, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Rep. Debbie Dingell","author_url":"https://twitter.com/RepDebDingell","cache_age":86400,"description":"Mr. President, lets set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. Im preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder. Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) December 19, 2019\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Rep. 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Mr. President, lets set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. Im preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.
Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) December 19, 2019

The presidents comment drew bipartisan condemnation, including from Michigan Republicans Fred Upton and Paul Mitchell, both of whom voted against impeachment on Wednesday.

Ive always looked up to John Dingell - my good friend and a great Michigan legend. There was no need to dis him in a crass political way. Most unfortunate and an apology is due, Upton tweeted .

To use his name in such a dishonorable manner at last nights rally is unacceptable from anyone, let alone the President of the United States, Mitchell wrote .

On Thursday, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham responded to the outrage on ABC News by claiming the president was just riffing.

When asked if Trump would apologize, Grisham said, I havent spoken to the president about that, but I would say that I am very, very sorry for her loss. She reiterated that the president had done everything he could to honor John Dingell.

He has been under attack ... I think that the president is a counter-puncher; it was a very, very supportive and wild crowd, and he was just riffing on some of the things that have been happening the past few days, Grisham said.

After Pres. Trump suggested late long-serving Rep. John Dingell was in hell, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham defended the president as a \"counter-puncher\" who's \"under attack.\" https://t.co/qP54i5ZiB5 pic.twitter.com/SILBBMnbsO

ABC News (@ABC) December 19, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"ABC News","author_url":"https://twitter.com/ABC","cache_age":86400,"description":"After Pres. Trump suggested late long-serving Rep. 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After Pres. Trump suggested late long-serving Rep. John Dingell was in hell, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham defended the president as a "counter-puncher" who's "under attack." https://t.co/qP54i5ZiB5 pic.twitter.com/SILBBMnbsO
ABC News (@ABC) December 19, 2019

White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley complained to Fox News that people were just focusing on negative things the president says.

Gidley said Trump has great respect for both Dingells and had expressed his condolences for John Dingells death, but that no matter what the president says, people are going to parse it apart and focus on the most negative.

WH spox Hogan Gidley responds to Trump joking about John Dingell being in hell by trying to make *Trump* the victim: \"No matter what the president says...people are going to parse it apart, try & tear it apart & focus on the most negative aspects of it...he's been under assault\" pic.twitter.com/gV3uEllRkS

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Aaron Rupar","author_url":"https://twitter.com/atrupar","cache_age":86400,"description":"WH spox Hogan Gidley responds to Trump joking about John Dingell being in hell by trying to make *Trump* the victim: \"No matter what the president says...people are going to parse it apart, try & tear it apart & focus on the most negative aspects of it...he's been under assault\" pic.twitter.com/gV3uEllRkS Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_hide_thread":{"label":"Hide previous Tweet in conversation thread","value":true}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1207751417949122560/pu/img/C0QwkziW-Ivg-BU-.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"Aaron Rupar on 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WH spox Hogan Gidley responds to Trump joking about John Dingell being in hell by trying to make *Trump* the victim: "No matter what the president says...people are going to parse it apart, try & tear it apart & focus on the most negative aspects of it...he's been under assault" pic.twitter.com/gV3uEllRkS
Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2019

When Fox News analyst Juan Williams said on The Five Thursday that he didnt like Trumps comment, co-host Greg Gutfeld defended it as a joke, adding that the president doesnt discriminate when it comes to whom he insults.

Trump doesnt see live, dead, black, white, male, female. He insults everybody, Gutfeld said.

Fox's Juan Williams: \"When he talks about John Dingell going to hell, I just I dont like it.\"

Greg Gutfeld: \"You haven't heard that joke before?\"

Juan: \"It's not a joke when you're talking about a dead man!\"

Greg: \"Trump doesnt see live, dead, black, white, male, female.\" pic.twitter.com/5ZTXNQQr9k

Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 19, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Justin Baragona","author_url":"https://twitter.com/justinbaragona","cache_age":86400,"description":"Fox's Juan Williams: \"When he talks about John Dingell going to hell, I just I dont like it.\"Greg Gutfeld: \"You haven't heard that joke before?\"Juan: \"It's not a joke when you're talking about a dead man!\"Greg: \"Trump doesnt see live, dead, black, white, male, female.\" pic.twitter.com/5ZTXNQQr9k Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 19, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1207787173627531265/pu/img/0e_64gjXS_WHFbRf.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"Justin Baragona on 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Fox's Juan Williams: "When he talks about John Dingell going to hell, I just I dont like it."

Greg Gutfeld: "You haven't heard that joke before?"

Juan: "It's not a joke when you're talking about a dead man!"

Greg: "Trump doesnt see live, dead, black, white, male, female." pic.twitter.com/5ZTXNQQr9k
Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 19, 2019

Ex-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the president on Fox News as a fighter.

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Hes never going to take a punch and not punch back, she said. If anybody else was in his position, I think they would be curled up in a ball on the floor in their office most days.

\"The president's a fighter\": Sarah Sanders and a Fox News anchor defend Trump's behavior after he said Rep. John Dingell is in hell https://t.co/ls4gPweUGh

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"The president's a fighter": Sarah Sanders and a Fox News anchor defend Trump's behavior after he said Rep. John Dingell is in hell https://t.co/ls4gPweUGh
Media Matters (@mmfa) December 19, 2019

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