Donald Trump likely avoided disavowing former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke this weekend during a CNN interview because he doesn’t want to alienate potential voters, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh theorized Monday.
“Maybe he’s worried that [Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.] are gaining on him, and he doesn’t want to tick off anybody that might vote for him,” the radio host said.
Trump disavowed Duke in a press conference last week after the former KKK chief said that voting against the casino tycoon would be “treason to your heritage.”
However, when asked Sunday morning by CNN’s Jake Tapper whether he disavowed the former grand wizard, Trump dodged the question three times, and even said he had never heard of Duke.
Trump maintains now that he had a bad earpiece when his interview with Tapper was taped, and claims that he merely misunderstood the CNN anchor’s questions about Duke. However, Limbaugh suggested Monday that there’s likely another reason for why the GOP candidate avoided answering the question.
“Let me throw a theory out there to you. The Sunday shows have, amazingly still, their own separate and distinct stature. What is said on a Sunday show is treated differently and may be different in terms of its weight than what is said in a little sound bite that’s part of the nightly news, for example, or part of a guest appearance on a cable news show during the evening. A Sunday show, that’s stature, by reputation. A Sunday show is serious, no fooling around. It’s like ‘for the record,’ what you say on the Sunday show,” he said.
Limbaugh continued, “And it could well be that Trump thinks of it that way and just didn’t want the quote, did not want any sound bite from the Sunday show one way or the other because maybe Trump’s nervous. Maybe he’s nervous after that debate. Maybe he’s worried. The polls don’t indicate it.”
Duke clarified Monday that he hasn’t fully endorsed Trump, and explained in an interview with NBC News that he worries that the presidential candidate is too friendly with “the Jews.”
“The fact is, I don’t agree with Donald Trump on Israel and other issues involving the Jews,” Duke said this week. “That’s why he doesn’t have my full endorsement.”
“The Republicans, including Trump, are all running on issues I have supported all along like limiting immigration,” he added. “The party bosses don’t want to admit that. And now they’re desperate to stop Donald Trump.”
