A panel on “CNN Tonight” with Don Lemon Tuesday got very heated while debating what constitutes a mob.
The panelists’ comments came in regard to the recent protester trend of harassing elected officials in public; they questioned what exactly constitutes a “mob” and if protesters should be categorized as such.
The panel consisted of senior columnist for The Daily Beast and CNN contributor Matt Lewis, Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, Washington Post columnist and CNN analyst Max Boot and CNN analyst Alice Stewart.
WATCH:
“Is it mob behavior? No, it’s not mob behavior,” Lemon said. “It’s people who are upset, and they’re angry with the way the country is going and the policies of these people — ” Lemon started before Lewis interrupted.
Lemon then shouted, “Will you let me finish, Matt? Please, before you jump in, OK? I’m making a point! And I can’t make it if you keep interrupting me!”
“Are you the moderator or the host or are you arguing a liberal talking point?” Lewis responded.
“I’m the moderator and the host of this show and I’m trying to make a point to tell you that you’re giving mob rule. I’m telling you why people are angry,” Lemon fired back.
They both then directed another person to look up the definition of a “mob” in the dictionary.
Lewis then interrupted again, which further provoked Lemon, who screamed, “Will you let me finish? Matt, please! Let me finish!”
Lemon responded after another Lewis interjection: “Shut up and let me do it!” in reference to finishing his point.
“In the Constitution, you can protest whenever and wherever you want. It doesn’t tell you that you can’t do it in a restaurant, it doesn’t tell you that you can’t do it on a football field. It doesn’t tell you that you can’t do it on a cable news show. You can do it wherever you want,” Lemon concluded
This heated debate over the definition of a “mob” was Lewis’ second showdown of the day on CNN. Earlier Tuesday, he used the word to describe the SCOTUS protesters to CNN’s Brooke Baldwin’s dismay. (RELATED: CNN’s Brookee Baldwin Refuses To Call SCOTUS Protesters A ‘Mob’)
Baldwin fought back hard and The Federalist’s Mary Katherine Ham stepped in and defended Lewis’s point.
Follow Mike on Twitter.
