Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) gave a surprisingly harsh assessment of Republican attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris since she emerged as the likely Democratic nominee to replace President Joe Biden. (Watch the video below.)

On Tuesday’s “Meet The Press NOW,” McCarthy picked apart GOP efforts from the likes of Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) to diss Harris as a “DEI” pick, referring to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. (Burchett later walked back his remark by saying Republicans should focus on her record, around the time current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urged the party to do the same.)

“Are you confident that your party and Donald Trump can stay on the other side of the line and not delve into racially charged or racist attacks on a Black female candidate?” NBC News’ Garrett Haake asked McCarthy.

The ousted speaker called the DEI accusations “stupid” and “wrong” and warned Republicans not to push for Biden’s resignation. Biden withdrew from the race but remains in charge as president.

“Two attacks I’ve heard Republicans give that are totally stupid and dumb to do is the DEI attack, OK?” McCarthy said. “The other attack that I would not do is saying that the president has to resign.”

He noted, “That would be an advantage for Kamala,” who would take over the presidency.

“Air Force One is very powerful when it lands somewhere. And you know what? Something will happen between now and the election. A hurricane or something else. And she’ll be able to present herself as a leader. Or maybe there’s some foreign policy. That is a mistake for any leader to go out and say that on the Republican side,” he said.

He dismissed the DEI jabs, which conservatives have used for years to diminish Harris, as “petty.”

“I disagree with DEI, but she is the vice president of the United States,” he said. “She is the former U.S. senator. These congressmen that are saying it, they’re wrong in their own instincts.”

Some Trump allies in Congress have warned against the DEI line of attack on Harris to avoid alienating moderate and independent voters.

h/t Mediaite