Minutes after President-Elect Donald Trump’s “Thank You Tour” rally in Cincinnati, Ohio Thursday night CNN commentator, and former White House adviser, David Gergen voiced his displeasure for the man during Anderson Cooper 360. “I think there was any doubt that we’re putting an end in one chapter in American history and moving on to a new one he dispelled that doubt tonight,” he whined after bemoaning, “The alpha male reappeared tonight.”
Host Anderson Cooper seemed taken aback by Gergen’s direction since he originally went to Gergen to discuss Trump’s use of teleprompter and “conversational style which has always been incredibly effective certainly for his supporters on the campaign trail.”
“I'm talking about announcing who his defense secretary pick is. You know, in a sort of charming way,” Cooper explained trying to get Gergen back on track.
Gergen then went on a small rant about how America’s path is going to change under a Trump presidency:
This is goodbye to American leadership in the world. It’s goodbye to globalization. He's bringing America home. He's going to lead a nativist, nationalistic, populist movement and if you want to join up with him fine, if you don't, forget it.
Cooper countered by noting that American history is full of presidents pulled into foreign engagements, “But I got to say, a lot of presidents have started out saying, “You know what? I'm not talk about nation-building. I'm focusing here at home.” And world events have led them elsewhere.”
And Cooper made a great point. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt were pulled into world wars against their wills. And President George W. Bush had a very extensive plan for US domestic policy before the start of the War on Terror.
The former White House adviser oddly warned that Trump was planning to put together, “A national security team to whom he's going to entrust most of the stewardship of American foreign policy abroad.” He then smeared Trump for focusing on America, “And what he's going to do is focus here at home. He's going to be the most domestic president we’ve had, I certainly think in the last 40-50 years. And he’s going to do it in his pugilistic, narcissistic way.”
Things then turned vulgar as Gergen described Trump’s future presidency:
If you don't like it that's tough, you know, cause he's in charge and he has a lot of support in the Congress. And that kind of speech will fire up his base and it is going to leave a lot of other people -- I knew I didn't like the son of a bitch!
This coming from the guy who wanted FBI agents fired for leaking information about investigations involving Hillary Clinton, claiming “They’re unfair to Mrs. Clinton.”
Transcript below:
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CNN
Anderson Cooper 360
December 1, 2016
8:43:21 PM EasternANDERSON COOPER: It is interesting David Gergen. I mean, the conversation -- He joins the teleprompter, he uses it as a touch stone reads for a while and then sort of has the conversational style which has always been incredibly effective certainly for his supporters on the campaign trail.
DAVID GERGEN: The alpha male reappeared tonight.
COOPER: I mean, I'm talking about announcing who his defense secretary pick is. You know, in a sort of charming way.
GERGEN: It was a showman thing, and he couldn't resist. That is the headline but that wasn't the message. I think there was any doubt that we’re putting an end in one chapter in American history and moving on to a new one he dispelled that doubt tonight.
This is goodbye to American leadership in the world. It’s goodbye to globalization. He's bringing America home. He's going to lead a nativist, nationalistic, populist movement and if you want to join up with him fine, if you don't, forget it.
COOPER: But I got to say, a lot of presidents have started out saying, “You know what? I'm not talk about nation-building. I'm focusing here at home.” And world events have led them elsewhere.
GERGEN: I got the very clear impression tonight -- and I think it's been reinforced in the last few days. What he is looking for is a national security team to whom he's going to entrust most of the stewardship of American foreign policy abroad. And what he's going to do is focus here at home. He's going to be the most domestic president we’ve had, I certainly think in the last 40-50 years. And he’s going to do it in his pugilistic, narcissistic way. He's not going to change. Here is his agenda. He's not moving away from it. And you can -- if you don't like it that's tough, you know, cause he's in charge and he has a lot of support in the Congress. And that kind of speech will fire up his base and it is going to leave a lot of other people -- I knew I didn't like the son of a bitch!
…
