Gov. Rick Scott Cries At Makeshift Orlando Memorial

Genuine tears, apparently. From the Washington Blade:

Gov. Rick Scott (R) paid tribute Tuesday to the Pulse nightclub victims and laid flowers at a makeshift memorial in downtown Orlando. In an exclusive statement to the Blade after making brief remarks to a handful of reporters, he said, fighting tears, “This was an attack against the gays, an attack against Hispanics, an attack against our country, our nation and it’s disgusting.”

Scott appeared unannounced at the Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando. He emerged from a black SUV carrying a bouquet of flowers, then proceeded slowly along the perimeter of a growing array of flowers and placards bearing the names of victims. He took his time reading the messages, then crouched down to lay his flowers without speaking. At the end of the memorial site, he spoke briefly to a man who was there paying his respects.

He declined a follow up question before getting back into his SUV. Scott has been criticized by some in the LGBT community here for appearing to minimize the fact that the attack targeted gays. Scott appeared shaken, broke into tears at one point and fought tears as he spoke to the Blade.

“We all have families,” he said. “I have daughters that are the same age as many of those who died. … It’s important we look at this event and say, ‘What do we change? How do we destroy ISIS and stop radical Islam and stop the evil in the world that can impact any family member around the world?’”

The Blade has photos at the link.