Kellyanne Conway faces blowback over KKK leader 'confession': 'What a weird thing to say'

The former adviser to Donald Trump appeared Monday night on Fox News, where she demanded that Democrats disavow Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, who reportedly sent sexually explicit messages to other women while married and has faced blowback for a Nazi tattoo he got while serving in the military, and she compared him to former Ku Klux Klan leader and Republican legislator David Duke.

"They're not uncomfortable enough," Conway told host Sean Hannity. "Remember, everybody who's a Republican anywhere had to disclaim David Duke, even if we never met him, had a meal with him, agreed with anything he said. I want every single Democrat who's running as a United States Senate candidate this year to step away from this guy, to tell him to get off the ticket."

"This guy needs to go and take care of his family," she added. "They've been married for two short years and he's bored already. Please don't stop with the Nazi tattoo, please cover it all up. I'm so tired of seeing your naked body and hearing about your family drama."

Trump faced criticism during his first presidential campaign for sidestepping calls to disavow an endorsement from Duke, who had served in the Louisiana state legislature and ran GOP campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate, and Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) has long been dogged by his links to an organization once led by Duke.

Conway's comments kicked up fresh controversy over the disreputable fringe figure.

"Are they mad they had to disown David Duke now?" wondered former GOP congressman Adam Kinzinger.

"Fun fact: David Duke was a former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan," pointed out former GOP candidate Robert Jon Anderson.

"Ken Paxton? Randy Fine? Andy Ogles?" suggested Democratic strategist Leslie Marshall, referring to three politically toxic Republicans.

"Years later, a confession: Trump disclaimed Klansman because 'they made us,'" noted journalist John Harwood.

"Girl, if they had to MAKE you disclaim David Duke," marveled journalist Jay Bookman.

"Not even in the same galaxy," opined popular X user Mz. Cabibi. "What a weird thing to say."