Democrats "cannot be civil" to Republicans in the era of President Donald Trump, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Tuesday.
In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Clinton appeared to offer a rationale for more aggressive political protests.
"You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about," Clinton said.
"That's why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and/or the Senate, that’s when civility can start again. But until then, the only thing that the Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength."
She added: ". . . When you're dealing with an ideological party that is driven by the lust for power . . . funded by corporate interests . . . you can be civil but you can't overcome what they intend to do unless you win elections."
The remarks come as some Democratic protesters are using more confrontational tactics.
For example, during the confirmation battle of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, two protesters cornered Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., in an elevator and screamed at him, with one of them repeatedly demanding he look at her as she accused him of suggesting her own sexual assault "doesn't matter."
And earlier, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his wife Heidi were hounded out of a restaurant by protesters peppering the senator with questions about Kavanaugh and chanting "we believe survivors" and "cancel Kavanaugh."
Republicans began pushing back this week, Fox News reported. Kelley Paul, the wife of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., revealed she keeps a loaded gun by her bed after her family has "experienced violence and threats of violence at a horrifying level."
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