Khizr Khan, whose son was killed in the line of duty in Iraq in 2004, gave a speech last night at the DNC that has moved the country. Tonight Mr. Khan and his wife appeared on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, giving their first interview. Last night, Mr. Khan asked Donald Trump: "Donald Trump, you are asking Americans to trust you with their future. Let me ask you: have you even read the U.S. Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy."
Tonight at the beginning of the interview, Mr. Khan confessed to Lawrence O'Donnell that last night what he said was only half of what he wanted to say. Then he shared the rest, which he addressed to the Republican leaders in Congress. I’ve been wondering for days when Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan were finally going to say, “Enough is enough” and stand up for their country. Evidently, Mr. Khan has been wondering the same thing. Here is what he wants to ask McConnell and Ryan:
The other half is addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. What a patriot, decent human being; what a leader he is. And then Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House, leading the majority in the United States House of Representatives. What a patriot, decent human being he is.
But isn't it time to repudiate Trump; what he has said? What he has threatened to do? This is moral imperative for both leaders. To say to him that "Enough." You are about to sink the ship of the patriot Republicans. Republicans are as patriotic as Democrats are. They're half of the goodness of this beautiful country. Half of this political process that rest of the world watches enviously; learns from it.
They have disagreed with his practices; his threats to minorities ... disrespect to the legal system; legal institutions. I want to ask them, "if your candidate," and I wish this would get to their ears, and I will continue to ask this question. "If your candidate wins and he governs the way he has campaigned, my country, this country will have constitutional crisis that never before in the history of this country."
And my conscious compels me under these difficult circumstances. Very raw emotions. I am a very composed person. I don't become that emotional in public discourse, but there is so much at stake, and I appeal to both of these leaders. "This is the time. There comes a time in the history of a nation where a an ethical, moral stand has to be taken regardless of the political cost."
The only reason they are not repudiating this, his behavior. His threat to our democracy, our decency, our foundation is just because of political consequences.
The entire interview should be watched. What a fine example of American patriots Mr. and Mrs. Khan are.
Will Mr. Khan’s question reach the ears of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan? Will they behave as the patriotic, decent human beings Mr. Khan believes them to be and put their country before their party and repudiate their party’s candidate for president?
