Sen. John Kennedy claims 'too many Democrats' support 'the people who are trying to destroy our country'

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Sen. John Kennedy previews the Republican National Convention, discusses ongoing violence in US cities

Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joins Tucker Carlson with insight on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'

The first night of the Republican National Convention has sought to express a message of national unity, in contrast to last week's Democratic gathering, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Monday.

"The new Democratic Party of Senator [Bernie] Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seem to support middle-class Americans only if they are a part of a specific minority group that they deem worthy," Kennedy told host Tucker Carlson.

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"If you are not part of those elite groups and you are in the middle class, you are just a Deplorable, and they don't care about you," he added. "You are just ignorant and racist."

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According to Kennedy, a key theme of this week's gathering will be American exceptionalism, with an emphasis on America as the "greatest country in all of human history."

"Many Democrats, on the other hand, their attitude seems to be, 'I was born in America, but I overcame it.'

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"They seem to -- not all, but many of them -- seem to [have] more contempt than gratitude for America. And that's why I think too many of my Democratic colleagues have been too supportive, either implicitly or explicitly, of the people who are trying to destroy our country by looting and burning and rioting and ignoring the rule of law. And that's what I think will be the differences between the two conventions."