In the wake of the London Bridge terrorist attack, President Trump sent off some questionable political tweets where he called for a travel ban and criticized the mayor of London. The tweets were very much a part of the media coverage on Sunday, and it came with heavy condemnation. But during the 12 p.m. hour on MSNBC, anchor Thomas Roberts actually suggested Trump’s tweets were designed to trigger a terrorist to attack civilians in the United States. And he did it, not once but twice.
The first time Roberts accused the President of wanting a terrorist attack, he was speaking with Kasim Reed, the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. “I just want to ask you, the President doesn't want us to be politically correct, right. So let's not PC about this,” he chided as he geared up for his smear. “Is the President trying to provoke a domestic terrorist attack with this Twitter rant, because only to prove himself right?”
Reed seemed taken aback for a second before rolling with just Roberts’ comments about political correctness. “Well, the bottom line is, not being politically correct doesn't mean being misinformed or leaking intelligence that harms one of our most important allies,” Reed said, taking a shot at the President. He then described how Atlanta and London worked together in advancing London’s CCTV technology.
Almost ten minutes later, Roberts brought the accusation up again, but this time it was with someone he knew he could count on to give a ridiculous response: Howard Dean. “I asked this of Mayor Reed, but it seems like the President is trying to provoke something that he can politicize more for his own gain in America. Do you feel that way,” Roberts asked, after having read through some of Trump’s tweets.
Howard Dean met expectations, saying: “I just think he's -- well, I think he's totally incompetent.” He then used the tweets to slam Trump for withdrawing from the Paris accord and championed liberal resistance in a long winded tirade:
There's a couple of things that I think are good about this. I think what happened this week when he said no to the Paris climate change and a number of states and mayors have said: “We're not with this president and we believe that he doesn't represent the United States, and we're going to go ahead with the climate change protocols.” That is very, very important ... I'm sick and tired of this crap, and I think we don’t have to put up with it anymore. Let him do what he wants. He's not the president of what the American dream stands for ... We'll speak for America. He can speak for whoever he wants.
Dean’s rant ended with him declaring that Trump wasn’t his president. Roberts joined in by mocking Trump, saying: “Well, we know he was elected by the people of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” As Roberts’ was trying to go to a commercial, Republican strategist Susan Del Percio chastised Dean and noted that “he is, in fact, our president. Whether you like it or not, he is, in fact, our president.”
That sparked an intense exchange were Percio reminded Dean that Trump was duly elected by the American people and that he was an American citizen. “He’s the duly elected president but he doesn’t represent me,” Dean spat with a scowl.
“All right. So, that is technically-- technically okay and Howard doesn't have to accept it, but technically we'll leave it there,” Roberts said as they finally settled down. So, Trump is “technically” the president and MSNBC is “technically” a “news channel” not a place where an anchor can cast baseless accusations out of obvious spite.
(H/T to The Hill's Joe Concha)
Transcript below:
MSNBC Live
June 4, 2017
12:47:50 PM EasternTHOMAS ROBERTS: But from our own president we only have his Twitter feed to go over here. One of the tweets from five hours ago was: “We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security of our people. If we don't get smart, it will only get worse.” Again, I also mentioned he went on a Twitter rant about the travel ban and having that reinstituted, you know, saying: “We need be smart, vigilant and tough. I just want to ask you, the President doesn't want us to be politically correct, right? So let's not PC about this. Is the President trying to provoke a domestic terrorist attack with this Twitter rant, because only to prove himself right?
KASIM REED: Well, the bottom line is, not being politically correct doesn't mean being misinformed or leaking intelligence that harms one of our most important allies. So, that's not my opinion, that's the opinion of Prime Minister May. So what we can do right now is be strong partners. The city of Atlanta and city of London, for example, have coordinated on our video intelligence capability.
(…)
12:56:42 PM Eastern
ROBERTS: We don't know more about the three suspects, Howard, but we do know that the President found that inappropriate of the mayor and went after him saying: “At least seven dead and 48 wounded and the mayor of London says there's no reason to be alarmed.” And he also said: “We have to stop being politically correct, get down to the business of security for our people. And if we don’t get smart it’s only going to get worse.” I asked this of Mayor Reed, but it seems like the President is trying to provoke something that he can politicize more for his own gain in America. Do you feel that way?
HOWARD DEAN: I just think he's -- well, I think he's totally incompetent, but there's a couple of things that I think are good about this. I think what happened this week when he said no to the Paris climate change and a number of states and mayors have said: “We're not with this president and we believe that he doesn't represent the United States, and we're going to go ahead with the climate change protocols.” That is very, very important.
(…)
DEAN: I, like Kasim Reed, I'm sick and tired of this crap, and I think we don’t have to put up with it anymore. Let him do what he wants. He's not the president of what the American dream stands for. He's not the president of the greatest nation on the face of the Earth. He can be his own president and get whatever wants out of that. We'll speak for America. He can speak for whoever he wants.
ROBERTS: Well, we know he was elected by the people of Pittsburgh, not Paris.
SUSAN DEL PERCIO: And he is, in fact, our president. Whether you like it or not, he is in fact our president.
DEAN: Not mine.
PERCIO: Yes, he is, in fact, your president, Howard. You may not wait to be, but he is your president. He is the duly elected president of the United States of America and you are an American citizen.
DEAN: He’s the duly elected president but he doesn’t represent me.
PERCIO: Fine. But he is, in fact, your president.
ROBERTS: All right. So, that is technically, technically okay and Howard doesn't have to accept it, but technically we'll leave it there.
