If your a conspiracy-mongering member of Congress who has repeatedly made bigoted attacks on Jews, no need to worry when going on CNN. So long as you are a Democrat. During an appearance on Friday's CNN Tonight, host Don Lemon invited Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar on to attempt to debunk Republican comparisons between her and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Lemon assisted Omar in these efforts by re-writing history of how House Democrats and Omar herself responded to her anti-Semitic remarks from 2019 as well as how Republicans have responded to Greene.
Lemon remembered that, "Back in 2019, you faced bipartisan backlash for comments deemed anti-Semitic including saying Israel has hypnotized the world." Lemon not only omits that Greene has also "faced bipartisan backlash," but that instead of booting Omar off her committees like they did with Greene, House Democrats merely passed a resolution that said all hate is bad.
And while the media has spent the past week trying to make Greene and her crazy conspiracy theories the face of the Republican Party, despite three separate polls showing a majority of Republicans do not even have an opinion of her, back then the media covered for Omar, either ignoring her comments or even defending her.
Lemon then continued with his re-writing of history, "You apologized, saying 'My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish-Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize.'"
Just because Omar said she unequivocally apologized, doesn't mean she actually did. Lemon left out the part where she doubled down and took unrelated shots at other groups and industries, "At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry."
Finally, Lemon omitted that less than one month after that apology, such as it was, for delving in tropes about hypnotism and financial influence, Omar stepped in it again, this time with accusations of dual loyalty. It was here that House Democrats passed their dumbed down All Hate Matters resolution that did not even name her.
Instead, Lemon just wanted to know "What do you say to Republicans who equate and you Congresswoman Greene?"
Omar, for her part, resorted to the idea that, "It is ludicrous. I mean it is not even something worth addressing. They know they are doing what it is in their playbook, which is every time they are accused of wrongdoing to say look over here there is a Muslim, an immigrant, or a black person doing something else."
This segment was sponsored by Casper.
Here is a transcript of the February 5 show:
CNN
CNN Tonight with Don Lemon
10:44 PM ET
DON LEMON: Listen, so Greene's, some of her defenders like to hold this up and accuse you of saying things just as bad as Greene, that’s their accusation. Back in 2019, you faced bipartisan backlash for comments deemed anti-Semitic including saying Israel has hypnotized the world. You apologized, saying “My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish-Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize.” What do you say to Republicans who equate and you Congresswoman Greene?
ILHAN OMAR: It is ludicrous. I mean it is not even something worth addressing. They know they are doing what it is in their playbook, which is every time they are accused of wrongdoing to say look over here there is a Muslim, an immigrant or a black person doing something else. Which is exactly what they did right after we came back after the insurrection on January 6th, still terrified. They said these were not white supremacists and not the mob we unleashed on you. These were Antifa. I am not surprised. It is expected that they are not willing to hold themselves accountable. They don't have a shred of integrity. Everything is a game to them. It is important for all of us to remember not to play their game. To stay truthful. To remain confident that the American people see through their childish, foolish games.
