Former conservative radio talk show host Charlie Sykes over the weekend said he thinks former President Barack Obama would have gotten unfavorable reaction from conservative talk radio hosts had he made positive comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Their hair would've been on fire," Sykes told Mediaite columnist John Ziegler on Ziegler's podcast.
"I'm just fascinated by the way, John, to hear the eloquent ways that Rush Limbaugh is going to rationalize that tomorrow."
President Donald Trump told Bill O'Reilly that he respected Putin and defended him when O'Reilly called him a killer.
"There are a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?" he said during an interview that aired on Fox News during the Super Bowl pregame show.
"He's a leader of his country and I say it's better to get along with Russia than not, and if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, a major fight — that's a good thing. Will I get along with them? I have no idea," Trump said.
Some Republicans criticized Trump for his remarks, including Sens. Marco Rubio and Mitch McConnell and Reps. Liz Cheney and Steve King.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee defended Trump, saying he acted statesman-like when asked about Putin.
"So many critics of Donald Trump have said he's unfiltered and he's gonna get us into all kinds of disputes with foreign governments because he's too blunt," Huckabee said on "America's Newsroom" Monday.
"So Donald Trump is acting more statesman-like in saying, 'Look I'm not gonna call another foreign leader a murderer or a thug on international television' because that kinda makes it hard to work with him. So he doesn't do it and instead of the press saying, 'Yes he's acting more presidential now rather than just firing off,' now he gets in trouble for that," Huckabee said.
"Whatever Donald Trump says as president, somebody is not gonna like it, but a lot of American people do," he added.
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