The White House apologized to former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Wednesday after the Democratic National Committee brutally dismissed his failed presidential campaign.
Hutchinson’s decision to exit the race — after getting just 191 votes Monday from Iowa Republican caucus-goers — was greeted by a snide jab from DNC press secretary Sarafina Chitika, who said Tuesday, “This news comes as a shock to those of us who could’ve sworn he had already dropped out.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at her regular briefing Wednesday that White House chief of staff Jeff Zients called Hutchinson, whose candidacy centered on criticizing GOP frontrunner and former President Donald Trump, to apologize on Biden’s behalf.
“This is something that we definitely want to address. President Biden has deep respect for Gov. Hutchinson and admires the race that he ran,” said Jean-Pierre.
“The president knows him to be a man of principle who cares about our country and has a strong record of public service,” she added.
“This morning, the chief of staff here, Jeff Zients, called the governor to convey this and apologized for the statement that did not — that did not — represent the president’s views.”
Zients “called the governor to apologize on behalf of the president and [the statement] did not reflect his views,” Jean-Pierre emphasized.
Trump, who easily won the Iowa Republican contest on Monday, routinely mocked Hutchinson as irrelevant by incorrectly referring to him by the female first name “Ada.”
The 73-year-old left office last year after two four-year terms.
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Steven Nelson
