Ex-GOP lawmaker says his party is having a ‘Monty Python’ moment on shutdown

Former GOP Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) is comparing his party’s handling of the government shutdown to an iconic scene in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

Speaking on CNN Tuesday night, Dent, now a CNN contributor, said that Republicans are “losing on this shutdown issue,” and lamented what he called a “crisis in leadership” in the Senate.

“I feel like there’s a ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ moment here,” Dent said. “People pretend they’re winning when they’re having their arms and legs hacked off.”

{mosads}Dent, who retired from Congress last year, recalled seeing a similar situation during the 2013 shutdown over the debt ceiling.

“I remember there were members standing up there, 10 days into the shutdown, saying ‘we’re winning,’ ” he said. “And I said, ’They’re like the knight at the bridge, “It’s just a mere flesh wound!” My arm’s been hacked off.’ “

His comments came as President Trump gave an Oval Office address in which he continued to push his demand for funding for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

In his prime-time speech, Trump called the situation at the border a “growing humanitarian and security crisis.”

The government shutdown, which was triggered by Trump’s demand for $5 billion wall funding, is now in its 19th day.