Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart in Kyiv on August 23, 2022. © Dimitar Dilkoff, AFP
The Republican reaction to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's speech before a joint meeting of Congress reveals "real cracks" in the party, according to MSNBC's Claire McCaskill.
Some GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), did not attend the speech, while Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and others did not stand up to applaud, although many Republicans expressed support for additional aid to Ukraine.
"I think behind the scenes there are discussions," McCaskill told "Morning Joe." "I think everyone is very aware that it is very important for the public-facing Ukrainian effort to be without chinks, without any kind of crease that would indicate an unwillingness to prosecute this war to its fullest. There's obviously discussions going on quietly and in private about what is the end game, but I would remind you, America has a history of funding things for a very long time where no end game is part of the equation."
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"Look at Afghanistan, look at the years we were putting money into Afghanistan and providing them with things they knew were not sustainable long-term," she continued. "Unlike Ukraine where there is a real chance of a flourishing democracy and a leader in Europe post this war if we can get them to the other side without Putin prevailing in any way. I think one of the most interesting things about the politics of this is how the Republican Party has changed. In my time in Congress, there would be no question that the Republican Party would be monolithic in its support for Ukraine, and you see real cracks in the Republican Party right now, more so than in the Democratic Party."
"I mean, my successor, [Sen.] Josh Hawley, and Marjorie Taylor Greene didn't even show up for Zelensky's speech," McCaskill added, "and many of the Republicans refused to applaud, so that's the other crack that's coming. That's how are they going to navigate this funding with a real schism in the Republican Party."
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