Former White House adviser Steve Bannon blamed former President George W. Bush for destructive presidency and depicted him as a bumbling and inept. Earlier this week Bush denounced bigotry in Trump-era American politics and warned that the rise of “nativism”, isolationism and conspiracy theories have clouded the nation’s true identity. At a California Republican Party convention, Bannon said that Bush had embarrassed himself and didn’t know what he was talking about.
“There has not been a more destructive presidency than George Bush’s,” Bannon said and added that Bush had no idea whether he was coming or going, just like it was when he used to be president.
During the speech, Bannon echoed his call for an open revolt against establishment Republicans and assessed that the permanent political class is one of the great dangers for the country. While he was speaking, group of protesters were gathered outside the hotel, chanting and waving signs and one of them even displayed a Nazi swastika, but there were no arrests and they were kept behind steel barricades.
Bannon also said that the coalition that sent Trump to the White House, including conservatives, Libertarians, populists, economic nationalists, evangelicals, could hold power for decades if they stay unified.
“If you have the wisdom, the strength, the tenacity, to hold that coalition together, we will govern for 50 to 75 years,” Bannon said.
Jack Pitney, a political scientist who teaches at Claremont McKenna College, said Bannon’s politics would hurt the Republican Party, including among affluent, well-educated voters who play a big part in country elections.
“Inviting him was a moral and political blunder,” Pitney said.
Many Republicans didn’t want to see Bannon at the event. Former state Assembly Republican leader Chad Mayes wrote on Twitter that he was shocked by the decision to have the conservative firebrand headline the event.
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