CNN analyst Bakari Sellers's attack on President Trump this morning was, literally, incendiary. Speaking of the Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma scheduled for June 19th, Sellers said:
"I’m extremely worried, though, about the president going to Black Wall Street, going to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to deliver a message next week. The reason being is because you never really want an arsonist near the house when it’s burning down."
"Black Wall Street" was a reference to what was a prosperous black neighborhood in Tulsa that was the site of extreme racial violence in 1921, resulting in the death of 300 people and the burning of a large portion of the area.
Continuing his attack on the president, Sellers claimed that with his comments on the Charlottesville violence, President Trump "allowed racists to take their hoods off." That is simply untrue. To the contrary, Trump said, "the neo-Nazis and white nationalists . . . should be condemned totally.”
But that didn't stop co-host Alisyn Camerota from "helpfully" adding that Trump said "there were good people in the crowd." Another misleading remark. As seen above, Trump condemned, and did not praise, the neo-Nazis or white nationalists. He said, referring to others present, that there "were very fine people on both sides."
Meanwhile, what's happened to Bakari Sellers? The former South Carolina state legislator and Vice-Chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Sellers had carved out a comparatively moderate profile. Among other things, he has been a prominent pro-Israel African-American, and has attended an AIPAC convention.
But last week, we caught Sellers claiming that George Wallace is looking "up" [i.e., from Hell] at President Trump with a smile. And now this flaming attack on the president.
Is Sellers trying to establish some far-left street cred with future political ambitions in mind? Or is this just the way to please CNN boss Jeff Zucker with the roughest anti-Trump smears you can launch?
Here's the transcript.
CNN
New Day
6/12/20
7:03 am EDTBAKARI SELLERS: I’m extremely worried, though, about the president going to Black Wall Street, going to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to deliver a message next week. The reason being is because you never really want an arsonist near the house when it’s burning down.
ALISYN CAMEROTA: What do you think is going to happen, Bakari?
SELLERS: Well, I’m afraid of the language he may use. I’m afraid of someone who, while the country is still becoming untethered on this issue of race, while we’re actually beginning to have conversations that are difficult but yet necessary, I think that the president may set us back even further. I remind you, Alisyn, that this president of the United States did not create racism. However, in places like Charlottesville he allowed racists to take their hoods off and be proud and emboldened in their ignorance.
CAMEROTA: And to say that there were good people in the crowd.
