Ryan’s Selective Outrage at Bigotry — Only When Convenient

By: Meredith Kelly

Last week, on Tuesday, Paul Ryan was asked about Donald Trump’s refusal to disavow the KKK the weekend before. His apparent outrage got significant attention:

“When I see something that runs counter to who we are as a party and as a country I will speak up. So today I want to be very clear about something, if a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican party, there can be no evasion and no games. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. This party does not prey on people’s prejudices. We appeal to their highest ideals. This is the party of Lincoln. We believe all people are created equal in the eyes of god and our government.” [Vox, 3/2/2016]

Yet not even two days later, Ryan attended the ultra-right wing Conservative Political Action Conference, where he participated in a panel discussion on the “Family Prosperity Index.” Also on the panel with Ryan: Dennis Prager, a right wing radio host who likened the Koran to “Mein Kampf.” Prager has also said that equality is “a European value, not an American value.” The American Holocaust Museum adopted a resolution condemning Prager and his bigotry. But Paul Ryan was more than happy to share the CPAC stage with Prager, whose bigotry is well documented, last Thursday, barely 48 hours after holding forth on the need to “reject any group or cause built on bigotry.”

Last week, Ryan loudly criticized Trump. He then proceeded to refuse to hold members of his own caucus to the same standard, and then himself shared the stage with Dennis Prager. Actions speak louder than words.