'It was a shocking thing to say': Republicans aren't even trying to defend Trump's Buffalo tweet

On Tuesday, Politico reported that many high-ranking Republicans aren't even bothering to try to defend President Donald Trump's tweet attacking the 75-year-old Buffalo protester pushed to the ground by police. Instead, they are either offering condemnation or refusing comment altogether.

"If there was ever a tweet from President Donald Trump that Senate Republicans didn’t want to touch, it’s this one," reported Marianne Levine and Burgess Everett. "For four years, Senate Republicans have endured a regular gantlet of reporters’ questions about Trump tweets, ranging from attacks on their own colleagues to telling a handful of congresswomen of color to 'go back' to the countries they came from. Trump’s tweet Tuesday morning attacking a 75-year old protester in Buffalo — who was shoved by the police and bled from his head after falling — stunned some in a caucus that’s grown used to the president’s active Twitter feed."

"Many GOP senators declined Tuesday to respond to Trump’s tweet suggesting Martin Gugino, the Buffalo protester, 'could be an ANTIFA provocateur,'" continued the report. "The president added, without evidence, that Gugino may have been trying to 'set up' the police officers who hurt him. The tweet did not come up at the Republicans' weekly lunch, according to an attendee."

"Oh lord, ugh," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) when shown the tweet by reporters. "Why would you fan the flames? That’s all I’m going to say."

“I saw the tweet,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). “It was a shocking thing to say and I won’t dignify it with any further comment.”

Even Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-SD) couldn't come to Trump's aid on the issue. “It’s a serious accusation, which should only be made with facts and evidence. And I haven't seen any,” he said. “Most of us up here would rather not be political commentators on the president’s tweets. That’s a daily exercise that is something you all have to cover ... Saw the tweet. Saw the video. It’s a serious accusation.”