Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo criticized Democrats for their demonization former President Donald Trump’s voters in a Monday Twitter thread.
Cuomo responded to a CNN article reporting that Trump allegedly said he would not leave the White House after the 2020 election. The reports come from New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman’s forthcoming book.
“Does this matter? Yes—in the pursuit of justice, which is happening aggressively by most accounts,” Cuomo wrote. “However—do dems win more votes by chasing Trump or catering to hopes and fears of those who were disaffected/desperate enough to vote for him?”
Does this matter? Yes – in the pursuit of justice, which is happening aggressively by most accounts. However – do dems win more votes by chasing trump or catering to hopes and fears of those who were disaffected/desperate enough to vote for him? https://t.co/9xbM1zmg7q
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) September 12, 2022
He then responded to a Twitter user who said the “disaffected voter theory” had been debunked. Cuomo argued that Trump voters casted their vote against the establishment in order to “reject the norm” in a “malignant” Washington D.C.
“What are you talking about? It is not a theory…it is a reality I witnessed in countless intvs [interviews] with voters who saw their vote as a rejection of the norm…who knew their guy was deeply flawed but he was their guy and a rejection of what they also saw as malignant in dc,” Cuomo told a Twitter user.
What are you talking about? It is not a theory…it is a reality I witnessed in countless intvs with voters who saw their vote as a rejection of the norm…who knew their guy was deeply flawed but he was their guy and a rejection of what they also saw as malignant in dc. https://t.co/5k4bNlhihU
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) September 12, 2022
One user argued Trump voters supported the former president over their “xenophobic and racist” viewpoints. The former anchor countered that this sort of demonization is the reason none of his supporters backed Democratic candidates. (RELATED: Cuomo Defends Trump Voters Who Didn’t Storm Capitol In Debate With Don Lemon)
“Some. Not all. You are overstating and it hurts your ability to expand reach,” Cuomo said. “[Andrew] Yang says many of this nee supporters are former trump voters. Why didnt dems get them? Maybe because you demonize all who voted for him.”
Some. Not all. You are overstating and it hurts your ability to expand reach. Yang says many of this nee supporters are former trump voters. Why didnt dems get them? Maybe because you demonize all who voted for him. https://t.co/L2Ej2pOpVV
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) September 12, 2022
Cuomo has not shied away from criticizing Democrats who have been targeting the former president. During his Aug. 1 podcast, he criticized the January 6 Select Committee for playing the “gotcha game” against Trump instead of focusing on the important details that led to the riot.
“Now absolutely, it is in your interest for what happened and by whom to be rooted out and remedied. There could be crimes, especially on this fugazi election front that we’re just learning about now,” Cuomo said. “Less so I think around the planning and the practical aspects of what happened on January 6. I don’t see that there’s criminality there, at least on what’s been offered. My question is are we really learning enough about what matters or is this starting to play like a gotcha game, like the impeachment?”