President Donald Trump’s public denial of accusations of sexual misconduct levied against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore represent a turning point for the party, one GOP strategist said Tuesday evening.

“Tragic day for the Republican Party,” Republican strategist Steve Schmidt told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.

“The line is drawn, the die are cast, the forces of decency are against the forces of indecency,” he continued. “This exposes a profound moral rot in the country, in the Republican Party. A great test for the citizens of state of Alabama.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’ve reached the hour that George Washington warned us about,” the Republican said. “A political tribalism that’s so corrosive, so corrupting, that it could take otherwise normal, decent people that you’d encounter on any day, and make them defend the indefensible and the profoundly indecent. And it’s a sad moment.”

Watch Schmidt eulogize his party below, via MSNBC.