- Donald Trump lambasted CNN anchor Don Lemon as the “dumbest man on television” after a Saturday show during which the president’s supporters were mocked.
- The conversation with panelists Rick Wilson and Wajahat Ali centered on State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s heavy-handed interview about Ukraine and Marie Yovanovitch with NPR host Mary Louise Kelly.
- Lemon laughed uproariously while Wilson and Ali used accents to paint a picture of Trump supporters as people who are uneducated and can’t find places on maps.
- Wilson called Trump’s base the “the credulous Boomer rube demo.”
- Social media users are torn: some believe that Lemon and his guests only pointed out the obvious, while others say this snobbery only reinforces their belief in Trump.
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CNN anchor Don Lemon laughed until he cried during a Saturday show that featured panelists Rick Wilson, a former GOP strategist, and New York Times columnist and CNN contributor Wajahat Ali who mocked President Donald Trump’s supporters – Wilson going so far as to call them “the credulous Boomer rube demo.”
The topic at hand? State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s tense interview about Ukraine and Marie Yovanovitch with NPR host Mary Louise Kelly, after which she said he yelled the f-word at her.
“[Pompeo] also knows deep within his heart that Donald Trump couldn’t find Ukraine on a map if you had the letter U and a picture of an actual physical crane next to it,” Wilson said, prompting Lemon to burst into laughter. “He knows that this is, you know, an administration defined by ignorance of the world. And so that’s partly him playing to the base and playing to their audience. You know, the credulous boomer rube demo that backs Donald Trump.”
By then, Lemon was laughing too hard to speak so Wilson continued in a mock Southern accent, apparently imitating people who voted for the president: “Donald Trump’s the smart one – any y’all elitists are dumb!”
Ali joined the mockery with: "You elitists with your geography and your maps and your spelling!"
And then the pair went back and forth, while Lemon chortled, dabbing his eyes with a tissue.
"Your math and your reading!" Wilson said.
"Your geography, knowing other countries, sipping your latte," Ali added.
"All those lines on the map!" Wilson exclaimed.
"Only them elitists know where Ukraine is," Ali said as Wilson laughed as well. He then apologized and said jokingly, "You know what, it was Rick's fault. I blame Rick."
Lemon, who was at this point nearly out of breath from laughing, asked the pair to "hold on," adding, "That was a good one. I needed that."
When Trump heard about the panel discussion, he took to his social platform of choice to castigate Lemon.
Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television (with terrible ratings!). https://t.co/iQXCc7lvCt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2020
Ivanka Trump also entered the fray, calling the conversation "disgusting."
You consistently make fun of half the country and then complain that it is divided.
The arrogance, mocking accents and smug ridicule of this nation’s ‘Real Elites’ is disgusting. https://t.co/p3RQzymx4s
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) January 28, 2020
Donald Trump Jr. surfaced a sexual assault charge that a former Hamptons bartended brought against Lemon.
Now is probably a good time to remind people that @CNN anchor @DonLemon is currently being sued in court for alleged sexual assault.
I guess CNN doesn't "believe all victims" when the person being credibly accused is one of their leftwing anchors. https://t.co/P0IZeuobvG
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 28, 2020
And Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo) deemed the conversation a new "low, even for CNN."
I’m disappointed to see this kind of smug rhetoric from Don Lemon and his guests.
Painting a majority of Americans as illiterate and uneducated “rubes” is low, even for CNN.https://t.co/BplTZesD9M
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) January 28, 2020
For their part, Twitter users are split. Some, including Steve Krakauer, an ex-CNN digital producer, were critical of the trio, saying such instances fuel Trump's base and reelection chances.
The arrogance, the dismissiveness, the smug cackling, the accents.
If Donald Trump wins re-election this year, I’ll remember this brief CNN segment late one Saturday night in January as the perfect encapsulation for why it happened. pic.twitter.com/8kQ6zN9AZV
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) January 28, 2020
Insulting @realDonaldTrump supporters is a surefire way to ensure his re-election this fall. You can call us a "basket of deplorables" or accuse us of not liking geography, but there's no doubt that the #MAGA army knows how to mobilize and win. https://t.co/OrgTNbTKUI #gapol
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) January 28, 2020
Congrats @realDonaldTrump on your 2020 victory. The immeasurably obnoxious @donlemon and his imbecilic ilk truly have no capacity for introspection. Your smugness benefits Orange Man Bad. Stop being so progressively arrogant. What schmucks! https://t.co/tkM21kx7DT
— Gad Saad (@GadSaad) January 28, 2020
Others believe what CNN said to be true. They noted too that Trump supporters are quick to judge, but can't handle being on the receiving end of such comments.
Seeing reaction to the Don Lemon interview and, again, I just think it’s incredible how the crowd that calls other people “snowflakes“ has a meltdown in response to the slightest things.
— Don’t Boo…Revolt! (@BreeNewsome) January 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/nhlpuckman/status/1222159595621273601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Ali was among them - and he stood by his comments, while the vitriol poured in.
Thank you for sharing our clip. Can you please release your school transcripts that will show you're a very stable genius? Also, can you release your taxes and the full transcript of your "beautiful" phone call with Zelensky? Also, can you locate Bangladesh on a map? #BeBest. https://t.co/ydPAcO1rQo
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 28, 2020
How come no one ever cares about the Women, Immigrants, Black people, Journalists, Democrats, Never Trumper Republicans, Mexicans, Muslims that Trump always mocks and ridicules and threatens with malicious cruelty? Maybe he'll lose because of the rest of us. https://t.co/iF00yJkvYh
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 28, 2020
Trump tweeted our CNN clip from 2 days ago. Friends are now concerned about my safety. I refuse to be intimidated & bullied by bad faith actors who cry fake victimhood, whining about a harmless, silly 30 second clip while endorsing Trump, a cruel vulgarian who debases everyone.
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 28, 2020
To all those people messaging me to "go back to my country." Thank you. I appreciate the suggestions. Unfortunately, like most, I can't afford the Bay Area rent any longer. Thankfully, this is something that can unite most of Americans regardless of politics. #BeBest.
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 28, 2020
Ah yes go after my 3 year old daughter who just got a liver transplant and endured Stage 4 Cancer. Why? Over a moment of silliness on TV where we mocked Trump's cultish followers and their enabling of his ignorance and Pompeo's ugliness towards reporters. All good. #BeBest pic.twitter.com/IoBzifFMRB
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 28, 2020
Meanwhile, actress Mia Farrow joined others who pointed out that Trump ridiculed Lemon, while it was Wilson who actually made the jokes.
Don Lemon was laughing at a remark by Rick Wilson- yet it is Don Lemon you bully. Again. We see who you are
— Mia Farrow 🏳️🌈 🌻🇺🇸💙 (@MiaFarrow) January 28, 2020
I like that it’s the white guy who makes fun of Trump; but it’s Don Lemon, who merely laughed, that Trump attacks on Twitter. https://t.co/Np7QAhomTc
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 28, 2020
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