‘A Mistake Made’: Tuberville Blames GOP Leadership For Not Vetting Misleading Claim In Katie Britt’s Speech

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke to CNN’s Manu Raju about his fellow  Republican Alabama Senator, Katie Britt, and the factual error uncovered in her response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.

Raju asked Tuberville about Britt “attacking Biden over his border policies by citing something that happened in the Bush administration and in Mexico.”

“Yeah, well, that obviously didn’t go over too well,” Tuberville replied, adding:

I would think that our leadership would have vetted that a little bit more because I would imagine they helped her with that. You know, and that’s again, that’s a mistake made. But it was a good point of emphasis of what really goes on from the border. And I think that’s what she was trying to get over more than anything.

Britt cited a story of a migrant woman she had met, who told her about her horrific experience being a victim of sex trafficking. While Britt put the story in the context of President Biden and the current flow of migrants over the southern border, it was later revealed that the woman’s story took place years before and in Mexico, not the U.S.

“I think she should first take into account what really happens before telling a story of that magnitude,” Karla Jacinto Romero told CNN last Sunday about being included in Britt’s speech. “Someone using my story and distorting it for political purposes is not fair at all.”

Raju followed up, “Tuberville, a former football coach, shared his thoughts on Britt’s tone. What do you think about her delivery?”

“I thought it was good, you know. You know, she. She really expressed heart, and she’s that type. You know, she gets emotional. It’s not like that wasn’t something that was just brought up. I mean, it was she’s really emotional about being a mom and her kids,” the senator replied, brushing aside the widespread criticism of Britt’s uneven and overwrought delivery.

“And then delivering it from the kitchen?” Raju pressed.

“I mean, would I’d have done it, would I have done it from a football field? You know, who knows? You know, you just got to make the decision you think it’s the best for you. And she obviously was up there because she was a mom,” Tuberville replied.

Watch the clip above via CNN.