On Saturday's MSNBC Live with Alex Witt, during a discussion of President Donald Trump accusing the FBI of spying on his campaign and demanding an investigation, MSNBC contributor and Daily Beast columnist Jonathan Alter went into hyperbole as he charged that "banana Republican" Trump is engaging in "autocratic behavior like we've never seen in American history."
He even lumped in the President's comments rhetorically suggesting that NFL players who tout anti-America sentiments by refusing to stand during the National Anthem should find another country to live in if they have such a problem with the U.S.
Discussing the Russia probe at 9:47 a.m. ET, former House GOP Committee counsel Sophia Nelson complained that "This is autocratic behavior. Wake up, America, President's don't talk like this," and soon added: "This is unconstitutional behavior -- this is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind. It just isn't."
Alter then jumped in and brought up the President's comments about the NFL kneeling protests: "And it's happening every day, almost every hour, Alex, this banana republic -- banana Republican behavior. When the President says that NFL players, maybe they should leave the country -- that is such an anti-constitutional -- unconstitutional view of our system."
He then added: "But it's of a piece with what we're seeing with them trying to shut down this investigation. It's autocratic behavior like we've never seen in American history."
