Republican Candidate Refuses to Answer Question Immediately After Saying He Will Answer Tough Questions: ‘We’re Not Here to Talk About Abortion’

Michael LucianoJul 11th, 2024, 6:51 pm
 
Bernie Moreno

Frank Thorp/X

Ohio U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno said he is willing to answer “tough questions” before a reporter immediately put that pledge to the test.

The Republican is challenging Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, whose Capitol office Moreno visited on Thursday. Democrats face a tough Senate map in November’s elections, as they are defending seats in several purple and red states, such as Ohio. They have a narrow 51-49 majority, and almost certainly would need Brown to win to have any chance of retaining control of the upper chamber.

Speaking outside Brown’s office, Moreno groused that the senator won’t answer questions.

“I can tell you this,” he told reporters on hand in a video posted by Frank Thorp of NBC News. “If I’m here, I will talk to you at any point in time – even take tough questions. Senator Brown won’t do that. And again, I should tell you some things again.”

Moreno then pivoted to President Joe Biden, who has largely avoided unscripted appearances and had a disastrous debate performance two weeks ago.

“Didn’t we see that with Biden?” he continued. “They kept him in a cocoon. They kept in the basement, refused to take questions.”

After saying that senators should “tell people where they stand,” a reporter asked him a question.

“You said earlier this week that you support some restrictions on abortions after 15 weeks,” he said. “Do you think that that contradicts with the party’s new platform?”

“Look, we’re not here to talk about abortion,” Moreno replied. “My position is crystal, crystal clear. Has not changed on abortion. You’re gonna see the Democrats pull out everything they’ve got to try to change the subject. Let me just restate this again. You have somebody at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue that is incapable, does not have the mental acumen to complete his duties. We’ve never been in this situation as a country in modern American history. And it was covered up by the Democrats like Sherrod Brown.”

Polls show Brown running anywhere between five and eight points ahead of Moreno.

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Michael Luciano - Senior Editor

Mike is a Mediaite senior editor who covers the news in primetime.