Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Friday continued to dance around controversial comments made by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Asked whether he agreed with Giuliani's contention that President Barack Obama doesn't love America, a remark made at a private dinner for Walker in New York, the governor said, "I don't really know what his opinions are on that one way or another."
“I assume most people in this country love America," he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an interview in Washington, D.C. "And to me I don’t think it’s worth getting into the battle over whether he does or he doesn’t. He can handle that himself. I know I do."
"And I know there are great people in this country who love this country and who ... feel this country’s exceptional and it doesn’t necessarily align by party," he added. "I think there are Republicans and Democrats and plenty of people in between. I’ve never asked the president so I don’t really know what his opinions are on that one way or another.”
Walker also punted on the matter earlier this week when he told CNBC, "I'm in New York. I'm used to people saying things that are aggressive."
Walker's response stands in sharp contrast to some of his potential rivals for the GOP presidential nomination. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said earlier this week that he had "no doubt" that Obama loves America, "but I just think his policies are bad for our nation." Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul took a similar approach. The prospective White House hopeful told a CNN affiliate on Friday that while he disagreed with Obama's policies, he felt that it was a "mistake to question people's motives."
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is also contemplating jumping into the presidential race, said that he doesn't "question [the president's] patriotism or love for our country."
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