At rally, Trump mocks Michigan congresswoman and her late husband

The rally was in Debbie and John Dingell's home state.

Bloomberg News
December 19, 2019 at 4:34AM

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday attacked Rep. Debbie Dingell and her late husband during a campaign rally in the Dingells' home state of Michigan.

Trump was railing against Democrats who voted to impeach him when he turned his sights on Debbie Dingell, lamenting that he gave former longtime Rep. John Dingell an "A plus" memorial service only to be repaid by the congresswoman with her support for the two articles of impeachment.

The president said Dingell had offered him "profuse" thanks for lowering U.S. flags in honor of her husband's death in February and that he would be "looking down" and "so thrilled" with the honors he received. But Trump said John Dingell might have been looking on from someplace else.

"Maybe he's looking up, I don't know. I don't know, maybe. Maybe. But let's assume he's looking down," Trump told a crowd of supporters in the city of Battle Creek, many of whom groaned at the remark.

Debbie Dingell responded on Twitter.

"You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing that much harder," she wrote.

The president made similar comments about Dingell in a weekend tweet, calling her decision to back impeachment despite the funeral arrangements "really pathetic."

The House voted minutes before Trump made his remark to impeach him for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his efforts to get Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and what House Democrats say are the White House's attempts to stymie their probe.

John Dingell was the longest-serving House member, having been a member of Congress for 60 years before retiring in 2015. He died in February at the age of 92.

President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Kellog Arena in Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 18, 2019. The president traveled to Michigan, a vital electoral state, to deliver his response after he became the third president to be impeached by the House. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Kellog Arena in Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 18, 2019. The president traveled to Michigan, a vital electoral state, to deliver his response after he became the third president to be impeached by the House. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., holds hands with Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., as they walk to the chamber where the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives begins a day of debate on the impeachments charges against President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., holds hands with Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., as they walk to the chamber where the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives begins a day of debate on the impeachments charges against President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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