Khizr Khan, the father of a Muslim U.S. Army captain killed fighting in Iraq and unexpected star of the Democratic National Convention, appeared on MSNBC’s The Last Word with a plea for Republican leaders to reject Donald Trump.

Calling Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and House speaker Paul Ryan “patriots” and “decent human beings,” Khan reached out to the GOP leaders in an effort to prevent the party from sinking what he called a “patriotic ship”:

Khan’s breathtaking oratorical skills—ones he exhibited extemporaneously at the DNC, according to Politico—once again took over as he spoke with Lawrence O’Donnell:

My conscience compels me under these very difficult circumstances—very raw emotions—I am a very composed person. I don’t become that emotional in public discourse. But there is so much at stake. And I appeal to both of these leaders: This is the time. There comes a time in the history of a nation where an ethical, a moral stand has to be taken regardless of the political cost. The only reason they’re not repudiating his behavior, his threat to our democracy, our decency, our foundation, is just because of political consequences.

The full interview is below.