RACINE – In a town hall televised nationally on CNN, House Speaker Paul Ryan for the first time criticized President Donald Trump directly for his comments last week about the Charlottesville violence, saying Trump “messed up” and “needed to do better.”
“It was equivocating and that was wrong,” Ryan said of the president’s widely panned remarks suggesting equivalence between white supremacists and those protesting against them.
At the same time, Ryan sharply pushed back against the suggestion that Trump should be censured for his comments.
“It is very, very important that we not make this a partisan food fight. It is very important that we unify in condemning this kind of … hatred. To make this us against them, Republicans against Democrats, pro-Trump (vs.) anti-Trump, that is a big mistake for our country, and that will demean the value of this very important issue,” said Ryan in response to a question about censure from Rabbi Dena Feingold, sister of former Democratic Senator Russ Feingold, who grew up in Ryan’s hometown of Janesville. (Feingold’s parents were friends with Ryan’s parents).
Ryan praised Trump’s initial response to Charlottesville last Monday and his comments against bigotry earlier in the evening during the president’s speech on Afghanistan strategy.
But he said Trump’s comments at a news conference last Tuesday were “much more morally ambiguous and much more confusing. I do think he could have done better.”
Asked by moderator Jake Tapper if Trump has done enough now on the issue, Ryan said, “I don’t think any of us have done enough.”
Ryan said, “Every single one of us needs to unify and stand up against this repulsive, repugnant, vile bigotry.”
Pelosi on violent Antifa members: Lock them up

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says the “violent” members of Antifa — those members of the anti-fascist group who allegedly attacked conservative demonstrators over the weekend in Berkeley, Calif. — should be arrested and prosecuted.
“Our democracy has no room for inciting violence or endangering the public, no matter the ideology of those who commit such acts,” Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. “The violent actions of people calling themselves Antifa in Berkeley this weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation.”
Paul Ryan is a useless traitor and I am still
In shock that Trump did not read that
shallow SOB!
If you run to a CNN camera to trash your party leader once a week you need to find another line of work.
Paul Ryan is worthless!
I have called, written and faxed letters to this man:
SHUT THE @#$% UP!
I was getting ready to write another one today before I came to No Smoke Blown – I will let the GOP know too.
Good man Jim. He got in front of the cameras over the Dreamer Act. Trashed Trump again.
New CBS poll shows Ryan tied with Pelosi @ 9% favorable.