MSNBC’s Katy Tur erupts on Republicans with rant about their use of thinly-veiled racist dog whistle

MSNBC's Katy Tur on Monday was shocked and appalled, but not surprised by Mississippi Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith's "public hanging" comment, demonstrating that Republicans have relied on racist appeals for years.

"A 'public hanging'. In Mississippi that's usually called a lynching," said Tur, noting the South's "brutal history" of racism. "The senator's comments aren't the only example of a Republican candidate blowing the dog whistle in this election cycle."

"That's not even a real phrase!" Tur exclaimed as she called out Republican Ron DeSantis, widely expected to be Florida's next governor, who told voters not to "monkey this up" by voting for Democrat Andrew Gillum. Gillum is African American.

"The president had his own choice words for Andrew Gillum earlier this month, calling the mayor of Tallahassee a thief," she said. "How about last week when he called journalist April Ryan nasty and a loser?"

The list went on, including the president's description of former aide Omarosa as "a low life and a dog", his ongoing feud with "low IQ person" Maxine Waters, and his reference to African countries as "shithole countries".

"This is to say nothing of the president's introduction to the political stage: birtherism," Tur added. "When that is the example set at the top, it's not difficult to see why the president's fellow Republicans might be unconcerned with the optics of their words."

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