Kinzinger: I’m Not Courageous, I’m Just Surrounded by Cowards

KINZINGER: “I mean, this is the thing, is every president in the history of our country has at least had a basic commitment to saying the truth sometimes, right? Or at least saying, ‘I want, when I get out of here, to leave a country stronger than I came in.’ Donald Trump came in and basically has said, ‘It’s all about me.’ The only thing that matters to him is his ego, what that means for him, not for the country. So, yes, he takes probably the lion’s share of the blame. But look, people like Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump was persona non grata that in the Republican Party after January 6th for three weeks. Then Kevin McCarthy goes to Mar-a-Lago and it was like the ambulance pulls up with those little paddles that get your heart started again, and he resurrected him politically. So he bears a lot of blame as well.”
KIMMEL: “Are there other Republicans who are not speaking out, who feel this way?”
KINZINGER: “Oh, there’s so many of them. And that’s the thing, is like, people will tell me sometimes, ‘Adam, you’re courageous.’ And I appreciate it. I’m not courageous, though, I’m surrounded by cowards.
(Cheering and Applause)
So, you know, it’s just reality. I mean, how hard is it to tell the truth? But — so I think you’ll see more from Liz Cheney soon. And I haven’t talked to her about it, I have no idea, but I would expect that — you know, she’s just so committed to this stuff. But there are so many people I talk to that are sitting around like, ‘I just can’t speak out.’”
KIMMEL: “They’re scared?”
KINZINGER: “Yeah, they’re scared. I had somebody tell me — actually, a number of people tell me — this was when I was still in — ‘Adam, I appreciate what you’re doing. I can’t say that because I’d lose in my district, but I appreciate you doing it.’ It’s like, I’m going to lose in my district by doing it! Join the club, brother!”