President-elect Donald Trump made a campaign promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington D.C., getting rid of insiders, lobbyists, and career politicians. He recently continued to violate that pledge by announcing CKE Restaurant CEO Andy Puzder as his pick for Secretary of Labor.
Puzder appeared on CNBC back in October, just after the release of the now infamous recording of Trump’s “grab them by the pussy” sexual assault comments to then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush. Andrew Ross Sorkin, host of The Squawk Box, grilled Puzder about the tape and left the Hardee’s honcho squirming in his seat.
Sorkin asked how Puzder felt about Trump’s attitude toward women and the accusations of sexual assault against him, and Puzder attempted to dodge:
“Well first of all, I’m not here to be a Donald Trump apologist… I think there are much more important issues than the personal deficiencies.”
Sorkin is not about to let him off the hook. He chastises Puzder for trying to avoid the real issue at hand. He then drops the hammer by reading from Puzder’s own company ethics policy:
“Let me read this to you and I want you to tell me what you think of this. This is your own ethics policy at your restaurant and so, I’m curious whether you get to keep your job under these circumstances… You say that this is prohibited: Request for dates, sexual favors, unwelcome sexual advances, comments, actions, offensive jokes, slurs or other offensive verbal or physical behavior, or any similar conduct that creates, encourages, or permits an intimidating, offensive or hostile work environment.”
Sorkin concludes by asking if Trump’s comments and behavior fit into any of the mentioned categories. Pudzer feebly tries to counter:
“Well it depends upon whether they’re true.”
He then stumbles back to common talking points: Bill Clinton’s behavior is worse. Hillary is corrupt and a liar. Trump is just an “alpha male” and that’s how they talk.
There you have it. Trump’s Secretary of Labor pick could barely defend whether his boss would be able to keep a job at Hardee’s. Instead, he will become the President of the United States in a little over a month.
Watch Pudzer’s terrible defense from back in October here:
Featured Image via YouTube Screenshot
