Walker called out for ‘silence’ on Giuliani

The Washington Post editorial board sharply criticized Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Saturday for his “silence” on former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s controversial comments that President Obama does not love America.

{mosads}Giuliani’s comments that Obama “wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up, and I was brought up” came at a dinner attended by Walker, a likely 2016 presidential candidate, in New York City this week.

“The mayor can speak for himself,” he said on CNBC the next morning. “I’m not going to comment on what the president thinks or not. He can speak for himself as well.”

The Post called Walker out for not rebuking the comments in Saturday’s lead editorial, which noted that Walker already said he would “punt” on a question about evolution earlier this month. 

“Mr. Walker likes to present himself as a man of courage, based on his record in Wisconsin, but maybe facing down public-sector unions doesn’t tell you all that much about the bravery of a Republican governor,” the Post wrote. “On two occasions in recent days, he has proved himself incapable of saying basic truths that might offend some of his potential voters: First, that evolution is real, and second, that an honorable politician criticizes his opponent’s policies, not his patriotism.”

The Post meanwhile praised Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a potential rival to Walker, for saying, “I believe the president loves America.”

A spokeswoman for Jeb Bush has likewise said that he “doesn’t question President Obama’s motives.”

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), though, has backed Giuliani, also drawing a response from the Post. 

“It was particularly pathetic to see Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), another would-be president, scrambling to steal some of the spotlight of Mr. Walker’s cowardice by issuing a statement titled, ‘Gov. Jindal Refuses to Condemn Mayor Giuliani,'” the Post wrote. “The only response to that can be, who cares?”