NewsNation’s Leland Vittert blasts House GOP 'bullies' on rhetoric toward transgender member

NewsNation host Leland Vittert admonished a handful of Republican members of Congress over a spate of rhetoric coming from the party toward a transgender member of the House.

"Republicans risk turning their No. 1 political issue into a political liability," Vittert said on his prime-time program this week.

Vittert argued the GOP is going from "the moral high ground, which is no boys in girls sports" to "schoolyard bullying."

The host called out Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) for an incident earlier this week during a hearing in which Self referred to Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first openly transgender member of Congress, as "Mr. McBride."

Vittert also defended McBride from attacks she has faced on social media from other Republicans, like Reps. Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Mary Miller (Ill.).

All of those representatives are members of what Vittert called "the Republican mean girls caucus."

"It's mean, it's petty, but beyond that, it is politically really stupid. Forget being beneath the office. It's beneath human decency," the host said.

Vittert noted he has advocated on his program for issues like "no boys and girls sports, no boys in girls bathrooms." "Absolute parental rights in schools," he added, calling those positions "common sense."

"If you're not harming anybody else, you be you, and we will respect your right to do it. If Republicans aren't going to be nice, perhaps they can at least be smart," he said. "Republican stance on no boys and girls sports, huge winner, but they will turn it into a huge loser with cruelty. Here's another great thing about America: America doesn't like a bully, and it usually ends poorly for the bully.”

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