MSNBC's Sharpton Slams 'Tea Party-Fueled Madness' Running 'This Country Into the Ground'
On Friday's PoliticsNation, MSNBC host Al Sharpton complained that the "Tea Party-fueled madness" of the GOP threatening to shut down the government would "take away health care from millions of people."
He went on to charge that Speaker John Boehner possesses "genuine political cowardice" because he is allowing the Tea Party to "run this country into the ground."
Sharpton began the show:
Tonight's lead, Republicans leap into the abyss. And they're trying to take the country down with them. Americans have had enough. And so has the President. Today President Obama ripped House Republicans for their reckless vote to shut down the government. If the health care law isn't defunded, they've threatened to shut it down.
After a few clips of President Obama which ended with him asserting that an unidentified Republican Senator had called shutting down the government "the dumbest idea I've ever heard," the MSNBC host continued:
Yes. It's a dumb idea and a sick one. More Tea Party-fueled madness that would take away health care from millions of people. So congratulations, House Republicans. You just voted to take away coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
Sharpton mocked Speaker Boehner as he concluded: "And a special shout out to you, Speaker Boehner. It takes genuine political cowardice to let the Tea Party run this country into the ground."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, September 20, PoliticsNation on MSNBC:
AL SHARPTON: Tonight's lead, Republicans leap into the abyss. And they're trying to take the country down with them. Americans have had enough. And so has the President. Today President Obama ripped House Republicans for their reckless vote to shut down the government. If the health care law isn't defunded, they've threatened to shut it down.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA CLIP #1: They're not focused on you. They're focused on politics. They're focused on trying to mess with me. They're not focused on you. They're not focused on you.
OBAMA CLIP #2: I mean, I don't mind them disagreeing with me. They don't like the Affordable Care Act, they'd rather have people not have health insurance, you know. I'm happy to have that debate with them. But you don't have to threaten to blow the whole thing up just because you don't get your way.
OBAMA CLIP #3: One Republican Senator called shutting down the government over the Affordable Care Act, the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I agree with him.
SHARPTON: Yes. It's a dumb idea and a sick one. More Tea Party-fueled madness that would take away health care from millions of people. So congratulations, House Republicans. You just voted to take away coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
(CLIP OF SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER WALKING TO A PODIUM)
SHARPTON: Congratulations. You just voted to make seniors pay millions more for prescription drugs.
(CLIP OF BOEHNER STANDING BEHIND A PODIUM)
SHARPTON: And a special shout out to you, Speaker Boehner. It takes genuine political cowardice to let the Tea Party run this country into the ground.
JOHN BOEHNER, HOUSE SPEAKER: Thank you.
SHARPTON: Republicans are playing a dangerous, demented game threatening to shut down the government and maybe even send the nation into default in the name of killing health care law that will save lives. The bill that Republicans passed today has no chance of passing the Senate. None. Zero. But time is running out. The government shuts down in ten days. This isn't a game. It's people's lives.
