Reporter Forced to Explain Racism to Exasperated Tommy Tuberville

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) again doubled down on his past comments about white nationalists and racism in a series of confusing remarks to reporters on Tuesday in which he seemed to make similar—but also contradictory—points. In a Monday interview on CNN, Tuberville rehashed his belief in white nationalists being “American” and said that calling white nationalists racists was a matter of “opinion.” When pressed by reporters the next day to explain those comments, he emphasized he’s “totally against racism.” “If Democrats want to say that white nationalists are racist, I’m totally against that, too,” he elaborated. He proceeded to go back and forth with a reporter over the definition of a white nationalist, interrupting her to say “well, that’s your definition” and “my definition is racism bad.” Tuberville appeared to get exasperated and repeatedly demanded “next question” before the reporter asked, “Do you believe white nationalists are racist?” “Yes, if that’s what a racist is, yes,” he responded.