INSIDE SOURCES

Inside Sources: Joe Walsh on why he’s running against Trump

Sep 11, 2019, 5:43 PM | Updated: Apr 13, 2020, 2:30 pm

President Donald Trump speaks during a Made in America showcase on the South Lawn of the White Hous...

President Donald Trump speaks during a Made in America showcase on the South Lawn of the White House on July 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois said he’s sorry he voted for President Donald Trump. Now, he says, he’s ready to do something about it.

Guest co-hosts Amy Donaldson of the Deseret News and Utah Republican Rep. Steve Handy spoke Wednesday to Walsh on KSL’s “Inside Sources” about his primary challenge against Trump.

Walsh’s announced his campaign for president Aug. 25 during an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” calling Trump an “unfit con man.”

Former Republican Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who was the 2016 Libertarian vice presidential nominee, and former Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., have also said they will mount a primary challenge against Trump.

“It’s not an easy thing to say, but I say it: Trump is unfit to be president,” Walsh said. “I think we have a horrible human being in the White House. And, my God, America, we ought to do better than this.

“It’s the 18th anniversary of 9/11, and the president of the United States wakes up and he goes on a tweetstorm,” he said, “tweeting about himself, about fake news and how the polls and the media are unfair to him.

“I’m just tired of him,” said Walsh. “I think most Americans are. I actually think most Republicans are.”

Walsh was a Trump supporter during the 2016 campaign, so Donaldson asked him, “What was the tipping point?”

“I was never an enthusiastic supporter. He actually blocked me on Twitter during the 2016 campaign,” Walsh said.

“Look, I voted for him, not because I loved or liked him. He wasn’t Hillary [Clinton].

“I just figured he’s a blowhard, he’s a goof. Maybe he’ll appoint a couple good people and a couple good things will happen.

“Virtually, every time he opens his mouth, he tells a lie. Now I don’t care what your politics are, but no one should allow that,” he said.

Wash said the final straw was the meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 16, 2018, in Helsinki, Finland, when Trump sided with Putin over his own intelligence committee on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“That was an incredible act of disloyalty,” Walsh said.

“At what point did you think a presidential run was the answer?” Donaldson asked.

“That’s a good question,” he said, laughing. “I’ve never run for president before. This is a pain in the butt.”

“I thought you were getting out of politics?” she asked.

“I’ve been waiting all year for a Republican to step up,” Walsh said. “This is not about any issue. This is about Trump, who he is as a human being.

“I’ve been waiting for a Republican all year . . . to say he’s unfit. I wrote an op-ed in the New York Times about a month and a half ago, pleading with my Republican Party: Somebody stand up and say this. Nobody did, so I did at the end of  August.”

Handy, a state Republican lawmaker, and Donaldson asked if there is discontent in the party, why don’t more Republicans don’t stand up to the president?

“Mitt Romney walks a fine line [when it comes to criticizing the president],” Handy said.

“I love Mitt Romney, but sometimes I want to whack him upside the head,” Walsh responded. “He does speak out now and then, but I wish he’d speak out more.”

Romney is “sickened” by Trump administration’s dishonesty:

Walsh claimed virtually every Republican in the House and Senate agrees privately with what he says publicly about the president.

“They know he’s unfit. They know he lies. They know he’s incapable of thinking about anybody but himself,” he said

They are afraid of a Trump tweet, Walsh said, and they’re afraid of a primary challenge and losing their office.

Walsh said Republican lawmakers all think that Trump will lose in 2020.

“Because then they think that they can be rid of him,” he said, “and that the Grand Old Party can come back.

“I think if the Republican Party doesn’t stand up now against this guy and say this is not who we are, we are better than this, I fear the Republican Party may never rebound from what Trump has done,” Walsh said.

Donaldson said the Republican Party of her childhood strove for small government and fiscal restraint. What, she asked, will it take to bring the GOP back to its roots or does it need to?

“I’m very pessimistic about the future. The Republican Party was really weak before Trump, which is why a jerk like Trump could get elected. By the time I went to Congress in 2010,” Walsh said, “I was concerned about limited government and the debt, but the Republican Party in 2010 didn’t care about limited government and the debt. My only hope is that this guy in the White House is so bad and he’s so not who we are that it will cause some sort of really grand reaction  —  a rebound — that we’re almost shocked into getting back to our original roots. That’s my hope and that’s what I going to try to do with my campaign.”

Walsh says his campaign plans to come to Utah but he doesn’t know when, but he would like to hang out in the studio with Donaldson and Handy, the co-hosts of Tuesday’s show.

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-sources-with-boyd-matheson/a-conversation-with-republican-presidential-candid

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

Inside Sources

President Camille Johnson, General Relief Society President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter...

Mark Jones

Finding relief from life’s challenges with President Camille Johnson

General Relief Society President Camille Johnson spoke to KSL about her Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ministry in Africa.

11 months ago

University of Utah impact scholar Tim Shriver, right, meets with members of Students for Dignity, i...

Mark Jones

U of U commencement speaker: Take a chance on yourself

Keynote speaker at the University of Utah commencement ceremony Tim Shriver told graduates to take a chance. He also urged them to ignore the noise and tune in to the best of themselves.

11 months ago

Next Thursday, Gov. Spenser Cox will deliver the 2023 State of the State Address to the Utah Legis...

Mark Jones

Bridging divides: Getting things done the Utah way

When it comes to getting things accomplished, the Beehive State is starting to be recognized for its ability for bridging divides.

11 months ago

biden judge trump border...

Mark Jones

Troops heading to southern border ahead of expiration of Title 42

The Pentagon announced Tuesday 1,500 troops will be going to the southern border to help with the increase of illegal immigrant crossings into the country once Title 42 expires.

11 months ago

A person receives a vaccine. Appointments for the updated covid booster are now available....

Mark Jones

Lessons learned from the pandemic, expert weighs in

James Lawler, a member of the Covid Crisis Group, joined Inside Sources Monday to discuss the lessons learned as a nation from the pandemic.

11 months ago

The military identified 11 additional cases of traumatic brain injury following a series of rocket ...

Mark Jones

Expert says Pentagon needs better method of classifying documents

Ryan Vogel, an associate professor at Utah Valley University, joined Inside Sources on Tuesday to discuss how the Pentagon can better classify its documents.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

close up of rose marvel saliva blooms in purple...

Shannon Cavalero

Drought Tolerant Perennials for Utah

The best drought tolerant plants for Utah can handle high elevations, alkaline soils, excessive exposure to wind, and use of secondary water.

Group of cheerful team members high fiving each other...

Visit Bear Lake

How To Plan a Business Retreat in Bear Lake This Spring

Are you wondering how to plan a business retreat this spring? Read our sample itinerary to plan a team getaway to Bear Lake.

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...

BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.

Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a New Winter Activity? Try Skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.

Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...

Intermountain Health

Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer – and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.

Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.

Inside Sources: Joe Walsh on why he’s running against Trump