McConnell breaks with RNC over its censure of 2 House Republicans

McConnell breaks with RNC over its censure¹ of 2 House Republicans

Transcript²

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is criticizing the Republican National Committee for censuring⁴ two House Republicans who serve on the panel investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell broke with the National Republican Party yesterday over its censure of two House Republicans. The RNC formally condemned⁵ Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for their participation⁶ in the House investigation⁷ of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. NPR's Deirdre Walsh is following this and joins us now. Good morning, Deirdre.

DEIRDRE WALSH, BYLINE⁸: Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: What exactly did McConnell say?

WALSH: Well, the top Senate Republican criticized the RNC. He specifically took issue with the way this RNC resolution described the attack on the Capitol. That resolution said the House panel was engaging in persecution⁹ of, quote, "ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate¹⁰ political discourse¹¹." But McConnell said what happened on January 6 was, quote, "a violent insurrection." And he said the election was legitimately¹² certified¹³. McConnell also said the party's job traditionally is to support its members. Here's more of what McConnell said yesterday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MITCH MCCONNELL: The issue is whether or not the RNC should be sort of singling out members of our party who may have different views from the majority. That's not the job of the RNC.

WALSH: McConnell did say he continues to back RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel.

MARTIN: How are other Republicans on Capitol Hill responding to this?

WALSH: There's definitely been a split. You know, other senior Republicans in the Senate said the censure resolution was a distraction¹⁴ and a mistake. At a time when President Biden's approval ratings are down, they want to be focused on his performance. McConnell has repeatedly said for months the upcoming midterm elections should be a referendum on President Biden's record on the economy. But others support what the RNC did and say voters in their state just oppose Kinzinger and Cheney's decision to be part of this investigation. The resolution also backed a primary challenge to Liz Cheney. Adam Kinzinger is not running for reelection. Here's Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley. He didn't personally weigh in on the resolution, but he said it matched voter sentiment.

JOSH HAWLEY: Listen, whatever you think about the RNC vote, it reflects the view of most Republican voters. So I can just tell you my state, it's not helpful to have a bunch of D.C. Republicans commenting on what the RNC and, frankly¹⁵, probably most Missouri Republicans support - super unhelpful.

WALSH: Hawley's point just underscores how much of the party, really the vast majority of the party's base, continues to support former President Trump¹⁶ and oppose any outspoken¹⁷ critics like Cheney or Kinzinger.

MARTIN: So what does all this say, in particular, the remarks by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell about where the Republican Party is right now?

WALSH: There just continues to be divisions about the way forward and who should be leading the party. Utah Republican Mitt³ Romney, his niece is actually Ronna McDaniel, the party chair. He called the move unfortunate and just said the description of the attack was just wrong. But a lot of rank-and-file Republicans I talked to on Capitol Hill yesterday were basically fine with it. They didn't really want to get into the details, but they say that, you know, Liz Cheney should be accountable to her voters. And the woman who took her place in House leadership, Elise Stefanik, defended the RNC's move to censure her.

MARTIN: NPR's Deirdre Walsh. Thanks, Deirdre.

WALSH: Thanks, Rachel.

1 censure   

v./n.责备；非难；责难

参考例句：

• You must not censure him until you know the whole story.在弄清全部事实真相前不要谴责他。
• His dishonest behaviour came under severe censure.他的不诚实行为受到了严厉指责。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

4 censuring   

v.指责，非难，谴责( censure的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I would wish not to be hasty in censuring anyone. 我总希望不要轻易责难一个人。 来自辞典例句
• She once said she didn't want to open a debate censuring the Government. 有一次她甚至提出不愿意在辩论时首先发言抨击政府的政策。 来自辞典例句

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

10 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

11 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

12 legitimately   

ad.合法地；正当地，合理地

参考例句：

• The radio is legitimately owned by the company. 该电台为这家公司所合法拥有。
• She looked for nothing save what might come legitimately and without the appearance of special favour. 她要的并不是男人们的额外恩赐，而是合法正当地得到的工作。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

13 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

14 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

15 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

16 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

17 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。