Trump’s Praise of Putin is Treasonous Behavior, Says Top U.S. Political Scientist Lawless
Trump’s Praise of Putin is Treasonous Behavior, Says Top U.S. Political Scientist Lawless
“What has become very clear is that the typical negotiating tactics that NATO [and] the U.S. are accustomed to dealing with and implementing just don’t work with Vladimir Putin,” said Lawless.
Lawless spoke to the sanctions announced by President Joe Biden this week — and most recently Boris Johnson unveiling the UK’s largest-ever sanctions against Russia.
“It’s very difficult to see how [Russia] can make ends meet if pretty much the entire world is sanctioning them,” said Lawless. “If that’s not enough, I think the next stop becomes a real decision about the extent to which you’re going to commit troops. NATO forces are ready to go but that’s not going to be enough.”
“At the end of the day, you cannot let a dictator take Democratic countries,” said Lawless.
Lawless also discussed former President Donald Trump’s praise of Putin’s actions.
“The United States Congress and our political leaders have to make it very clear to the American people that the kinds of things that Donald Trump is saying, the ways in which he’s sort of praising Putin or suggesting what he’s doing is smart, is treasonous behavior and this is not what a democracy stands for. This is not what anybody in this country should believe is an appropriate way to seize power," she said.
Rhode Island Political Power Shift
On Thursday, Sarah Morgenthau announced her candidacy in the race to fill retiring U.S. Congressman Jim Langevin’s seat.
“I think there are a few different dimensions where her entrance can affect the state of the field,” said Lawless. “The first has to do with the fact that she has a ton of money and is willing to spend it. That means that the advantage that Seth Magaziner has is not as substantial in the money race anymore.”
“It also means the idea that you might be able to run this campaign on a million dollars or on a relative shoestring budget — because it’s such a crowded field — is not going to be the case anymore because there’s going to be multiple candidates who are multi-millionaires,” said Lawless.
“The second thing that changes here is that Joy Fox is not the only woman in the race, which means that trying to capitalize on the importance of electing a woman or chipping away at women’s underrepresentation or securing endorsements from women’s organizations becomes far more complicated for both of them," she added.