The Monday morning segment of CNN Newsroom featured a gleeful Jim Acosta boasting about former President Donald Trump’s combative reception and unsuccessful speech at the Libertarian National Convention. He was joined by The View’s Ana Navarro and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, both of whom took the opportunity to paint Trump as unnerved by an unfamiliar and unfriendly setting.
After showing a clip of the Libertarian crowd booing Trump during his speech, Acosta remarked on what he understood as obvious discomfort at a hostile situation, asserting that Trump’s campaign team simply lost control of circumstances and failed in their task of protecting him from an awkward situation.
“This does not happen to Donald Trump very much. I mean, as much as you know, we see these rowdy crowds at his own rallies. They are very careful about keeping him away from this kind of stuff and it just sort of blew up in his face," he gawked.
Cardona then launched into her own criticism, opining on Trump’s appearance that she suggested was evidently weak and flustered: “He looked discombobulated. He looked redder than usual, sweaty, deer in the headlights, because this is not the kind of reaction that he normally gets.”
She further condemned his agenda as completely dictatorial, falsely citing his desire to control women and “so many communities,” as well as his intention to rob citizens of their right to vote:
Donald Trump's agenda and his policies are the furthest thing from libertarian that you can get. And so it doesn't surprise me that when he is somebody who wants to tell women what to do with their bodies, who wants to take away people's rights to vote, who wants to essentially control so many communities within the United States and has said that he was going to be a dictator on day one, that's not something that Libertarians are going to support, and this is clearly the evidence of that.
Navarro followed up, harping on Trump’s supposed helplessness and anxiety in a hostile environment, likening his MAGA supporters to a “protected bubble” and “mothership.” In her words, Trump “looked pained. He was grimacing during the entire time. He's obviously not used to being outside the mothership, outside his MAGA bubble.”
Acosta replied by snidely agreeing, “Yeah, that was definitely not the mothership.”
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Newsroom
5/27/2024
10:25:00 PM ET
JIM ACOSTA: Former President Donald Trump leaving his campaign safe space this weekend to seek the support of libertarian voters. It did not go over well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: The Libertarian Party should nominate Trump for President of the United States.
[Crowd boos]
Whoa, that's nice. That's nice. [Transition] Only do that if you want to win. If you want to lose, don't do that. Keep getting your three percent every four years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Let's discuss now with CNN senior political commentator Ana Navarro and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona. Ladies, good to see both of you.
Maria, let me start with you first. You're here in the studio with me, and, by the way, great to see you in person. I haven't seen you in person in some time since our friend, Alice. Anyway, let's talk about what happened over the weekend.
This does not happen to Donald Trump very much. I mean, as much as you know, we see these rowdy crowds at his own rallies. They are very careful about keeping him away from this kind of stuff and it just sort of blew up in his face.
MARIA CARDONA: That's what was so surprising for a campaign team this time around that is very focused on making sure that he doesn't get this kind of reaction. I think there's going to be some hell to pay within the campaign staff. He looked discombobulated. He looked redder than usual, sweaty, deer in the headlights, because this is not the kind of reaction that he normally gets. But, look, from a strategic standpoint, it shouldn't be surprising. Donald Trump's agenda and his policies are the furthest thing from libertarian that you can get. And so it doesn't surprise me that when he is somebody who wants to tell women what to do with their bodies, who wants to take away people's rights to vote, who wants to essentially control so many communities within the United States and has said that he was going to be a dictator on day one, that's not something that Libertarians are going to support, and this is clearly the evidence of that.
ACOSTA: Yeah. Ana, what did you make of this when you saw this?
ANA NAVARRO: You know, it was somewhat astounding, right? Because we are so used to seeing Donald Trump just in his little protected bubble of MAGA followers. But I also think that this is an acknowledgment by Trump and his campaign that MAGA followers are not going to get him into the White House. And that if he wants to get elected, he needs to go figure out how to appeal votes from other groups that may not be with him traditionally.
Now, it's a heck of a way to try to campaign and get somebody's vote by talking down to them and saying, “Yeah, go ahead. Get your normal three percent you bunch of losers.” I mean, it was and he looked pained. He was grimacing during the entire time. He's obviously not used to being outside the mothership, outside his MAGA bubble.
ACOSTA: Yeah, that was definitely not the mothership.
(…)
