WEBVTT INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING.TODAY, SHE CALLED HIM OUT.PRESIDENT TRUMP: FROM GEORGEWASHINGTON, PLEASE, DON'T TAKEHIS STATUE DOWN. JAYNE: IN A RAMBLING,CAMPAIGN-STYLE SPEECH IN PHOENIXLAST NIGHT, THE PRESIDENTSLAMMED POLITICAL LEADERS WHO'VETAKEN DOWN CONFEDERATEMONUMENTS.PRESIDENT TRUMP: THEY'RE TRYINGTO TAKE AWAY OUR CULTURE.THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY OURHISTORY.AND OUR WEAK LEADERS, THEY DO ITOVERNIGHT.THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR150 YEARS, FOR 100 YEARSYOU GO BACK TO A UNIVERSITY, ANDIT'S GONEWEAK, WEAK PEOPLE.JAYNE: IN MARYLAND OVER THE LASTWEEK, THE REPUBLICAN COUNTYEXECUTIVE HAD A CONFEDERATEMONUMENT REMOVED IN ELLICOTTCITY.REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR LARRY HOGANSUPPORTED THE REMOVAL OF THEROGER TANEY STATUE IN ANNAPOLIS,AND DEMOCRATIC MAYOR CATHERIPUGH ORDERED THE REMOVAL OF FOURMONUMENTS IN BALTIMORE.SHE RESPONDED TODAY TO THEPRESIDENT'S CRITICISM.MAYOR PUGH: I AM PRAYING FORHIM.I'M PRAYING FOR HIM, BECAUSE HENEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT LOVE ISTHE ANSWER, AND NOTDISRESPECTING ANYONE.I WOULD HOPE, AS HE REVIEWS HISREMARKS, THAT HE UNDERSTANDSTHAT IS NOT THE WAY TO WIN, THATWINNING MEANS BRINGING PEOPLETOGETHER.THAT'S MY INTENT AS MAYOR OFTHIS CITY.JAYNE: PUGH HAS BEEN WIDELYPRAISED FOR HER DECISION TO TAKEDOWN THE CITY'S MONUMENTS.A TASK FORCE IS NOW DECIDINGWHETHER THEY WILL GO TO ACEMETERY OR MUSEUM.SHE AGAIN DEFENDED HER DECISIONAS ONE TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETSHE NOTED WHAT HAPPENED OUTSIDETRUMP'S SPEECH IN PHOENIMAYOR PUGH: HE WAS AT A RALLY INARIZONA.WE DIDN'T HAVE RIOTS INBALTIMORE.HE HAD RIOTS JUST IN SPEAKINJAYNE: THAT TASK FORCE IS ALSOGOING TO DECIDE WHAT TO PUT ONTHE BASE OF THIS MONUMENT THATHAS BEEN REMOVED.THIS WAS THE STONEWALLJACKSON-ROBERT E. LEE MONUMENT.THE SCULPTURE IS GONE, INSTORAGE NOW, BUT THERE WILL BESOME KIND OF INSCRIPTION ON THEBASE OF THE MONUMENT TO SAY WHATWAS HERE, WHY IT WAS HERE, ANDWHY IT IS NO LONGER HERE AREATHAT IS A MAYOR'S PLAN.
Mayor Pugh responds to Trump's criticisms of Confederate statue removals
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Updated: 6:14 PM EDT Aug 23, 2017
Despite their party differences, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was initially somewhat supportive of President Donald Trump, hopeful he'd follow through on promises of infrastructure spending.Pugh was downright fiery in lashing out Wednesday. She fired back at the president, defending her decision to take down Confederate monuments in the middle of the night.In a 70-minute campaign-style speech in Phoenix Tuesday night, the president attacked the media, his critics and the removal of Confederate monuments. Trump said politicians who have made similar decisions are weak."They're trying to take away our culture. They are trying to take away our history," Trump said. "And our weak leaders, they do it overnight. These things have been there for 150 years, for 100 years. You go back to a university, and it's gone -- weak, weak people."In Maryland, over the last week, Republican Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman had a Confederate monument removed in Ellicott City. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan supported the removal of the Roger Taney statue in Annapolis and Pugh ordered the removal of four monuments in Baltimore.Pugh responded Wednesday to the president's criticism."I am praying for him. I'm praying for him because he needs to understand that love is the answer and not disrespecting anyone," Pugh said. "I would hope as he reviews his remarks, that he understands that is not the way to win, that winning means bringing people together. That's my intent as mayor of this city."Pugh has been widely praised for her decision to take down the city's monuments. She again defended her decision as one to protect public safety. She noted what happened outside Trump's speech in Phoenix."He was at a rally in Arizona. We didn't have riots in Baltimore. He had riots just in speaking," Pugh said.A task force is now deciding whether they will go to a cemetery or museum. The task force is also figuring out what to do at the site of the four monuments that have been removed in Baltimore. Each likely will have a marker explaining what was there and why it was removed.
BALTIMORE — Despite their party differences, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was initially somewhat supportive of President Donald Trump, hopeful he'd follow through on promises of infrastructure spending.
Pugh was downright fiery in lashing out Wednesday. She fired back at the president, defending her decision to take down Confederate monuments in the middle of the night.
In a 70-minute campaign-style speech in Phoenix Tuesday night, the president attacked the media, his critics and the removal of Confederate monuments. Trump said politicians who have made similar decisions are weak.
"They're trying to take away our culture. They are trying to take away our history," Trump said. "And our weak leaders, they do it overnight. These things have been there for 150 years, for 100 years. You go back to a university, and it's gone -- weak, weak people."
In Maryland, over the last week, Republican Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman had a Confederate monument removed in Ellicott City. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan supported the removal of the Roger Taney statue in Annapolis and Pugh ordered the removal of four monuments in Baltimore.
Pugh responded Wednesday to the president's criticism.
"I am praying for him. I'm praying for him because he needs to understand that love is the answer and not disrespecting anyone," Pugh said. "I would hope as he reviews his remarks, that he understands that is not the way to win, that winning means bringing people together. That's my intent as mayor of this city."
Pugh has been widely praised for her decision to take down the city's monuments. She again defended her decision as one to protect public safety. She noted what happened outside Trump's speech in Phoenix.
"He was at a rally in Arizona. We didn't have riots in Baltimore. He had riots just in speaking," Pugh said.
A task force is now deciding whether they will go to a cemetery or museum. The task force is also figuring out what to do at the site of the four monuments that have been removed in Baltimore. Each likely will have a marker explaining what was there and why it was removed.
