Conservatives criticized CNN, host Don Lemon and two guests on his show after a clip from Saturday showing a panel mocking President Donald Trump’s supporters went viral.
Lemon, political consultant Rick Wilson and New York Times op-ed writer Wajahat Ali began to mock a group of Trump’s supporters during the segment. Wilson called them the “boomer rube” demographic and then began to fake a Southern accent as the others joined in. Lemon had to pause the segment as he tried to regain control of his laughter.
Conservatives began to respond to the clip, which went viral Monday, expressing their disgust. President Donald Trump chimed in, calling Lemon “the dumbest man on television.”
“The arrogance, mocking accents and smug ridicule of this nation’s ‘Real Elites’ is disgusting,” Ivanka Trump wrote.
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
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham also chimed in, denouncing the video. She asked if the outlet would issue an apology. Grisham pointed out that this was an example of why “trust in our media is at an all time low.” (RELATED: CNN’s Chris Cillizza Perfectly Demonstrates Why Trust In Media Is So Low)
“Wondering if @cnn is going to acknowledge (apologize) for this arrogant & divisive view of our country. There’s a reason trust in our media is at an all time low,” Grisham tweeted Tuesday morning.
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Republican California Rep. Devin Nunes decided to let the clip do the talking, writing “Here’s what @CNN thinks of Trump voters.” Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn added that CNN is ignorant and “will have you believe we’re all illiterate deplorables.”
“Bless their hearts,” Blackburn tweeted.
Former Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee wrote that the panelists should laugh now, because they “won’t look so smug” on election night.
Arrogant, elitist snobs w/ noses so high in the air a good rain would drown them. Keep up your contempt of us deplorable “hillbillies.” Laugh at us loud now. Election night when @realDonaldTrump wins in landslide reelection, I’m sure you won’t look so smug. https://t.co/bstNxKF9Xq
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) January 28, 2020
Meanwhile, both Wilson and Ali spent hours defending their comments following the clip going viral. Wilson posted screenshots of various hate mail messages while continuing to attack conservatives who called him out for the segment. Ali had multiple tweets thanking people and outlets for making the clip go viral. He also attacked those who commented on the segment.
“Thank you for sharing our clip,” Ali tweeted at Trump. “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.”