And in other news: America is furious at the Republican apologists

There used to be a quaint custom, particularly in the United States, that politics stopped at the border's edge - in other words, foreign policy was considered a national issue, and political games shouldn't be played when US interests abroad were at stake. 

The Trump Republicans have decided to ignore this convention now. Trump blathered on about how wonderful Putin was, and his Republican sycophants happily followed him.

Thousands of Americans are absolutely furious -- more than I have ever seen before.  On twitter, the tweets calling Republicans traitors are getting thousands of likes plus hundreds of retweets and comments.

If you’re defending Putin you’re attacking America.

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 23, 2022

SAD FACT: The Republican Party supports Vladimir Putin more than the Russian people do.

— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) February 23, 2022

The fact that you would tweet this today shows how little you care about this nation, its laws, or its people.

Especially since your guy was Putin's proctologist for four years.

— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) February 23, 2022

The MAGA Lunatics who called Colin Kaepernick unAmerican and a traitor are now praising murderous Dictator Putin for invading Ukraine just a little over a year after they supported the insurrection and attempted coup. That’s not patriotism, that’s fascism, terrorism and lunacy.

— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) February 23, 2022

I spoke to family in Ukraine this morning. They are scared, but they are safe—for now. They are just some of the millions in the path of war.

I would invite Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and others to speak with Ukrainians. Maybe then they’d stop praising Russia.

— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) February 23, 2022

Where are all the “GOP IN DISARRAY OVER UKRAINE” headlines? Where are the stories about how this will hurt republicans in the midterms? #IStandWithUkraine

— Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) February 23, 2022

You don't have to be a foreign policy expert to know that trump calling Putin's moves "genius" and "savvy" is a really bad look for a former American President.

Even for trump.

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) February 22, 2022

The GOP is weak on Russia, weak on inflation, weak on crime, and weak on Covid. Pass it on.

— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) February 23, 2022

Yes, I lived through the 2016 campaign and all four years of Trump placing Putin ahead of our intel community, praising Putin, defending Russian positions. And yet here we are at a moment of great crisis, a threat to the order Americans & allies fought and died for.

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) February 23, 2022

One of America's two major political parties is, at its core, not just corrupt, not just racist, not just misogynist, not just opposed to truth or science or history. They are, their leaders are, actively enemies of the U.S., our system and what we stand for.

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) February 23, 2022

This is the kind of moment when for almost all our history we really did set differences aside, when we came together. What's more, our president & his team are so clearly on the right side at this moment--pro-peace, pro-democracy, pro-international law, pro-our allies & friends.

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) February 23, 2022

How have we gone so wrong? How is there even a shred of support for this? How has such a large and vital part of our system become so corrupted? Why are the voices of decent people in the GOP not united in a chorus of denunciation and renunciation of the Trumpist-Putinists?

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) February 23, 2022

Also, imagine when/if Republicans get power in 2024 - the massive global realignment. The US President actively helping Russia, Hungary, Poland, and other countries with far-right governments to promote violence, authoritarianism, and white Christian nationalism. Disaster.

— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) February 23, 2022

Here's one referencing that weird July 4 2018 Moscow trip taken by those Republican congressmen and senators. I have never understood why that stunt didn't get much more public coverage and criticism then or since.

I wonder how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will affect the GOP’s 4th of July plans? @GOP

— NoelCaslerComedy (@caslernoel) February 22, 2022

People are comparing the Republican reaction to the Ukraine with their support of the Canadian insurrection:

Open Thread:

Why is Russia-Ukraine “none of our business” but the Canada protests are worth sending millions in donations?

— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) February 23, 2022

If you're attacking Trudeau and praising Putin right now, I don't know what you are, but you sure ain't pro-life.

— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) February 23, 2022