Cook: Tom Cotton Promotes ‘Despicable’ Endorsement

“Despicable” is a strong word to use in American politics. There is no room for grey or subtlety when that word is employed. This week, Tom Cotton promoted the endorsement of a former Republican Congressman who can best be described as “despicable” as he questioned the loyalty of an American hero.

I’m referring to former Republican Congressman Allen West, whose endorsement Cotton is proudly promoting.

Earlier this week, Allen West questioned the loyalty and patriotism of an Iraqi War veteran who lost both her legs fighting in that conflict. (Which a Republican President bumbled us into I might add.) It’s despicable to question anyone’s loyalty or patriotism, let alone that of a wounded warrior.

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth served as a helicopter pilot during the Iraqi conflict and was shot down by a RPG, subsequently losing both her legs. In short, she’s an American hero. Duckworth was elected to Congress in 2012, the same year West was defeated for re-election.

On a radio program this week, West criticized Duckworth for her appointment to the committee that is reviewing the 2012 Benghazi matter, which frankly is just a publicity stunt created by the GOP to drum up headlines.

Here is what West said of Duckworth, questioning whether her loyalty was to her country and the truth or to the Democratic Party:

“I just don’t know where her [Duckworth] loyalties lie. You know, for her to have been a veteran, a wounded warrior for the United States Army, she should know that this is not the right thing … And hopefully, you know, she will remember the oath of office that she took as an Army officer and not the allegiance I guess she believes she has to the liberal progressives of the Democrat Party.”

Despicable.

How dare West question the loyalty of a warrior who has given so much to her country. What’s almost as despicable is Tom Cotton’s embrace of this right-wing extremist.

Allen West was in Northwest Arkansas earlier this week and the former Congressman appeared in a video endorsing Cotton who then had it placed on his Senate campaign website.

Funny enough, Duckworth’s Republican opponent touted his own Allen West endorsement on Facebook, but pulled down the endorsement flier just as West’s attack on Duckworth circulated. But not before the Huffington Post got a screenshot of it.

Yet Tom Cotton considers it an “honor” to have West’s endorsement.

West, also an Iraqi war veteran, avoided a court martial for his role in the beating of an Iraqi detainee.

West has a history of extremist rhetoric, which contributed to his defeat after just one term in office.  Click here for the top 15 craziest things West has previously said.

Allen West, like Tom Cotton, is an extremist, sadly out-of-touch with the mainstream. Which explains why West is now a former Congressman and why Tom Cotton is behind in the polls – they’re both just too extreme.

Finally, here’s a photo Cotton put on his Facebook page yesterday. Two out-of-touch extremists in one photo.