Politics

‘As Popular As A Root Canal’: MSNBC Reporter Says GOP Ready To ‘Wish’ Trump Away, Be ‘Loyal Opposition’ To Biden

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Brandon Gillespie Media Reporter
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MSNBC correspondent Garrett Haake said Tuesday that Republican senators “re-litigating” the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and blaming former President Donald Trump for their occurrence, would be “as popular as a root canal.”

Haake appeared on an “MSNBC Live” panel alongside Anna Palmer and Chuck Rosenberg, and was asked by host Katy Tur if he thought Republican senators remember what happened on Jan. 6, how dangerous it was, and if they just don’t “want to go there any longer.”

“Oh, they remember. But the prospect of going back and re-litigating it and casting blame on the president of their party who got 74 million votes is as popular as a root canal,” Haake responded. (RELATED: MSNBC Reporter: Republicans Can’t Get Over ‘Bad Breakup’ With ‘Toxic Ex’ Trump)

Trump maintains a high approval rating within the Republican party, which stood at 81% as of Jan. 27. Many Republican lawmakers have hesitated to go further than saying Trump contributed to the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6., in what some say is out of fear of retribution from Trump and his supporters within the party.

Trump’s impeachment trial is scheduled to begin the week of Feb. 8, with the expectation that he will be acquitted following a Jan. 26 vote on a motion by Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.

“Former President Trump right now is doing exactly what Republican senators want from him, which is to go quietly away and play golf in Florida. He’s not tweeting, he’s not on cable news taking pot shots at them, and he’s not stirring up any crowds to come back to the Capitol,” Haake continued. “And I think as long as that remains the case, many of these Republican senators, with the possible exception of some of his closest allies, will be perfectly happy to wish him away and focus on being the loyal opposition to a Biden administration. They don’t want to go back to January 6 at all.”

Palmer then pointed out that she saw very little incentive on either side for there to be an extended trial, saying that Democrats want to move on to President Joe Biden’s actual agenda and clearing his nominations.

“Garrett, I have had four root canals, and, no, I wasn’t looking forward to them, but not getting the root canals would’ve been a whole heck of a lot worse. I’ll just say that,” Tur concluded.