'Whack Job' Vs. 'Psychopath': Sen. Gardner, Kim Jong-Un Hurl Insults
By Kathy Walsh
DENVER (CBS4)- Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican representing Colorado, has gotten the government of North Korea all riled up. While Kim Jong-un continues to test his military might, the North Korean dictator is waging a war of words with Gardner.
Last week, President Donald Trump called Kim a "pretty smart cookie" and said he'd be honored to meet with him. On KOA NewsRadio, Gardner called that unacceptable.
"The United States should not entertain conversations with Kim Jong-un until he drops his military program and lives up to the promises that he has made over the last 20 years, but he has consistently broken," Gardner told Steffan Tubbs on Colorado's Morning News on KOA NewsRadio.
The conversation got more colorful on MSNBC. Gardner called Kim a "whack job."
"This is a crazed maniac at the helm of one of the world's nuclear regimes, trying to become a nuclear regime," said Gardner.
North Korea hurled insults of its own, calling Gardner, "A man mixed in with human dirt … who has lost basic judgment and body hair."
A spokesman for Pyongyang's foreign ministry went on to say, "For a psychopath like the (expletive) Gardner to hurl evil accusations at our highest dignity is a serious provocation."
On Monday, Gardner responded, "The United States is not going to sit idly by while Kim Jong-un tries to hold the world hostage with his illicit arsenal of mass destruction. I'm going to continue to call on the president to fully enforce my legislation that will economically cripple the North Korean Regime, and if that gets this madman to send nonsensical insults at me so be it."
Kathy Walsh is CBS4's Weekend Anchor and Health Specialist. She has been with CBS4 for more than 30 years. She is always open to story ideas. Follow Kathy on Twitter @WalshCBS4.