USA Today pleads with GOP to help censure Trump for refusing to denounce neo-Nazis

One of the most widely circulated newspapers in America has a new editorial demanding Republicans censure President Donald Trump.

Wednesday's USA Today directs Republicans to "put your votes where your tweets are."

"Expressing disapproval in 140 characters or fewer is insufficient when the president angrily asserts that there were some 'very fine people' among the bigots waving Confederate battle flags and swastika banners," USA Today explained.

The newspaper claimed "more formal condemnation is necessary" than the tweets GOP leaders have offered to-date.

"This is a moment of reckoning for members of the Party of Lincoln: Do they want to stand up for American values, or do they want to keep enabling a president whose understanding of right and wrong has slipped dangerously off the rails?" USA Today wondered. "If congressional Republicans choose the former — and history will be watching — they should join together with Democrats to censure Trump."

The newspaper couldn't understand why Trump failed so spectacularly in his Trump Tower press conference.

"Maybe amid declining approval ratings, he's desperate to cling to even this extreme part of his political base, regardless of the bile they spew. Maybe his narcissism prevents him from criticizing those who admire him," USA Today suggested. "Or maybe, in petulant 'you're not the boss of me' fashion, he was acting out against aides trying to tell him what to do."

"Regardless of motive, what matters is that other elected officials uphold American values," USA Today concluded. "The political chasm between Democrats and Republicans may be wider than ever. But when it comes to ideologies of hate and racism, the nation's leaders need to speak forcefully with one voice."

Numerous Republican elected officials have tweeted criticism, as the newspaper noted. Yet not one congressional Republican has moved to censure President Trump.

USA Today asked the Republican National Committee for an opposing view on presidential censure, but the RNC didn't respond. Instead, the newspaper instead reprinted leaked White House talking points claiming Trump was "entirely correct" and "has been a voice for calm and unity" since the Charlottesville, VA terrorism.

Below is a sampling of some of the tweets posted by Republican leaders: