Brown: Our country is better than Trump’s ‘racist, divisive’ words

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said in the wake of a mass shooting early Sunday that claimed the lives of nine people in Dayton, Ohio that the U.S. is better than President Trump’s “racist” and “divisive” language.

“Our country is better than this our country is better than this divisive racist talk by the president of the United States,” Brown said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” {mosads}

Brown told CNN’s Jake Tapper he has no information related to or reason to believe the attack is related to Saturday’s shooting in El Paso, Texas. Twenty people were killed there when a gunman opened fire in a Walmart.

The shooter in El Paso allegedly wrote a white nationalist manifesto. 

Other Democrats called Trump a white nationalist and said his language is in part responsible for the attacks. 

Brown on Sunday did not go that far, but said, “I know white supremacists feel empowered by this president.” 

“I do know we’ve had two proceeding presidents who dealt with [shootings] and tried to heal… and this president doesn’t,” Brown said

He noted how former President Obama tried to comfort the nation in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, and how former President George W. Bush spoke at a mosque following the 9/11 attacks to tell Americans Muslim are not to blame. 

“I would hope President Trump would…stop the racist, divisive talk,” Brown said.

He also said hopes Republicans in Congress don’t just offer thoughts and prayers but stand up to the gun lobby and help pass background check legislation.