Just as you can count on the sun to rise tomorrow, you can expect U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen to make an inappropriate statement. Now, he has ratcheted it up by saying he wants President Donald Trump to tell U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn to jump off a bridge, The Huffington Post reported.
Cohen (D-TN-09) made the remark last month to a group of pastors at a prayer breakfast meant to increase Democratic turnout for the Aug. 2 elections. The breakfast was held at Broadway Baptist Church in Memphis and was hosted by Democrat Phil Bredesen’s campaign for the U.S. Senate.
One political analyst recalled how this mirrored an infamous moment in Democratic Party history.
Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said,“The Democrats actually voted against and booed God at their Convention in 2012, so it isn’t really surprising that we would get these comments from Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen at Democrat Phil Bredesen’s so-called prayer breakfast. Bredesen’s silence about Cohen’s words speaks volumes about Bredesen’s character—or lack thereof.”
Blackburn (R-TN-07) is running as the GOP’s U.S. Senate candidate against former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen.
“The big orange president …. He’s going to come down here and he is going to endorse Marsha Blackburn, because Marsha Blackburn, if he says, ‘Jump off the Harahan Bridge,’ she’ll jump off the Harahan Bridge,” he said in the audio obtained by The Huffington Post.
The Harahan Bridge is a railroad and pedestrian bridge over the Mississippi River in Memphis connecting Arkansas and Tennessee.
“I wish he’d say that,” Cohen said.
The remark was met with laughter.
You can listen to the audio of Cohen’s comments here:
Condemnation of remarks
Not everyone thought the remark was funny.
Gill said,“Phil Bredesen is trying to fool Tennessee voters into believing that he’s some bipartisan, moderate who will end the hyper-partisanship in Washington. How can he ‘end it’ when he won’t even condemn or silence the vile, despicable and hateful comments of his friends, donors and endorsers? Birds of a feather flock together, and Phil Bredesen’s partisan posse is showing his true colors.”
Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden released this statement condemning Cohen’s violent rhetoric:
“At a time when our country is combatting a mental health crisis, it’s shocking and, frankly, sickening to hear a Democratic congressman actively wishing for a Republican congressman’s suicide. The fact that these shameful and violent remarks came at a prayer breakfast make them that much more disappointing.
“Congressman Blackburn is a mother and grandmother, who has always sought to do what is best for the Tennesseans she represents. This is not just politics as usual. This is violent, hateful rhetoric that should be condemned in no uncertain terms. Tennessee Democrats have shown a disturbing pattern of hatred towards those they disagree with. Tennesseans expect more from their elected officials, and they deserve better.”
Pattern of behavior
This is far from Cohen’s first inappropriate statement this summer.
Just late last month he told Wolf Blitzer he believes that special counsel Robert Mueller will probably indict Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner and then the president will pardon both.
He made the remark on CNN in response to Rudy Giuliani saying he is not sure so-called “collusion” with Russia is a crime. Cohen said it is “entirely possible” both men would be indicted and President Trump would “go totally off his rocker … not that he’s on it now” and issue pardons.
Cohen appeared on MSNBC’s “Live With Alex Witt” last month to react to the latest, if unusual, developments with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen (no relation) and Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing ‘Trump-Russia Collusion’ investigation.
Witt asked if the fact that Cohen has been exposed as “wiretapping” his clients impairs his believability on the stand.”
Cohen said, “I think that Michael Cohen, Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump have about the same amount of credibility. They all use, at best, situational ethics – but probably more likely they just lie constantly, and they’re all three pathological liars.” (emphasis added)
Last month he also told PJ Media that “survival” is the greatest challenge for Jewish and African-American communities in the Trump Administration era.
Lest we forget, also last month, Cohen stunned many when he went on his infamous lovefest of disgraced FBI agent Peter Strozk during a Congressional hearing:
“If I could give you a purple heart, I would,” Rep. Steve Cohen said, calling the hearing an “attack” on Strzok.
Cohen criticized the hearing as a distraction from Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and a way to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
“It’s astonishing to me that you would be put on trial as you have today,” Cohen said, praising Strzok’s work in security.
