Inslee says window into Trump’s soul is a ‘dark place’

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has criticized gubernatorial candidate Bill Bryant for not denouncing Donald Trump’s hateful rhetoric. KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson spoke asked Inslee why he feels Bryant needs to make any statement, what differentiates Trump’s controversies from Hillary Clinton’s, and Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant’s efforts to derail the Clinton campaign.

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Dori Monson: I know you’re supporting Hillary Clinton and that Sawant is trying to get delegates across the nation to go against her. Are Sawant’s efforts misguided?

Inslee Inslee: Not just unwise, but unproductive. We are going to be a united party in November. I was on my way to the airport on the way home, and I just drove by the Jewish American History Museum. And up on the side, there is a big panel that’s a quote from George Washington that I think is appropriate. He said: “To bigotry no sanction; to persecution no assistance.” And I believe Democrats are not going to give assistance to a man who has mocked people with disabilities, who have said people can’t serve in public office because their heritage was Mexican. This has never happened in our country; nobody has even suggested it before — to bar people from our country just based on their faith. I do not believe Democrats are going to give assistance to that type of approach. In fact, I was thinking, Dori, since you’re a basketball coach — if this guy applied to be a coach in the Shoreline area, you would not hire him because you would not want your kids being instructed by that type of behavior.

Dori: I feel Democrats have a tough time making that case against Trump with the WikiLeaks email dump from last weekend. We saw staffers exchanging things like, “Love you, no homo,” and making fun of an African person’s name. I think it happens everywhere and now the Democrats have been exposed that they do the exact same thing with high-ranking staffers.

Inslee: I would not be voting for those people for president, either. I do think there is a unique leadership status of the President of the United States.

Dori: I haven’t decided who I will vote for, but have told my listeners for weeks that my inclination is Libertarian Gary Johnson. But I’m a never-Hillary guy. I hate the politics of relativism and I hate defending Trump by going after Hillary, but everything you just said about Trump is how I feel about her. That the FBI ran down the litany of how she lied to the American people. I do feel like people will be choosing the lesser of two evils. I put Clinton below Trump in so many of the categories you just talked about.

Inslee: I think you then get to the issues of how are we going to create a vision of economic growth in our state. I do believe that Clinton’s vision is much more compelling than the total lack of any real plan from the opposition.

Dori: You have been critical of your opponent Bill Bryant for not denouncing Trump. Why do you keep bringing that up?

Inslee: I think everyone with a voice should speak against bigotry and unacceptable behavior by any presidential candidate of any party. This is why Republicans Dan Evans, Slade Gordon and Rob McKenna and I share the view that he is unacceptable in major ways, and my opponent has refused to step up to the plate because, frankly, he’s putting his party above the country’s values… I think it’s a failure of leadership and a failure to make a decision. Look, if you want to be governor, you ought to at least know who you’re voting for as president.

Dori: I could come up with a list of 10,000 despicable human beings that you’ve never spoken publicly about.

Inslee: Well, when they run for president Dori you can be darn sure I will be speaking against them, I’ll tell you that.”

Dori: There are lots of things about Trump but there are 67 percent of Americans who don’t find Hillary likable.

Inslee: The reason some have spoken out against Trump is they recognize the clear and present danger that a person of Trump’s character, or lack thereof, presents to our democracy in fundamental ways. This has never happened before, ever, where you’ve had major figures speak out, and I think it’s a legitimate recognition of the threat this individual poses. And I think in that circumstance, it’s not asking too much for a person who runs for governor of the state of Washington to stand up and call out this person, even if they’re the same party.

Dori: A current poll shows 47 percent of people would vote for 47 for Trump and 40 percent for Clinton. If that’s the standard for Bill Bryant, do you think there is there is a moral failure in Americans today?

Inslee: No, there is only one person who is running for governor in the state of Washington, which is the highest political office and the greatest honor in the state of Washington, and I believe that when you aspire to that high honor and that high office, you do have an obligation to stand up and call out things that are basically assaults on the American character.

Dori: So if anything negative about Hillary comes out, you will denounce her?

Inslee: I will be critical of decisions she makes that I don’t agree with. Look, there are things she’s done I don’t agree with, I’m sure. And I will express criticism of that.

Dori: Wait, have you expressed any criticism?

Inslee: You bet. I think she made a significant mistake voting for the Iraq war authorization. It was a big mistake. She has now recognized it and I have been very, very clear about that since day 1. And I spoke out against that even though the majority of Democrats voted for it. But I spoke against it. I was against the repeal of the Glass-Steagall bank regulation, and I was right. And the majority of Democrats went ahead and removed the Glass-Steagall protection.

Dori: But those are issues, you don’t attack her character.

Inslee: If I saw Hillary Clinton mocking a man in a wheelchair or a person with physical disability, if I ever saw her do that — or thought it would even enter her mind to do that — I would be on your show in the next hour being openly critical. But this is not a woman who would ever do that. Ever. And the guy who is the Republican nominee did that in a heartbeat. It’s a window into his soul. It’s a dark place and America should not go there.

Taken the Dori Monson Show on KIRO Radio. Edited for clarity.

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