During the Wednesday handoff between CNN’s Cuomo PrimeTime and CNN Tonight, the host of the latter, Don Lemon went on a tirade against NBC for allowing President Trump to address voters’ questions at a town hall event at the same time as Democratic nominee Joe Biden, on Thursday. Over time, his whining transitioned from just wanting the event to be held on a different night or time to demanding that one of his radical leftist friends at MSNBC berate the President for the duration.
Proving that he lived firmly inside a liberal bubble, Lemon led into his grievances by asking Chris Cuomo, “You know what everyone is talking about, everyone I know? They are outraged about what’s happening tomorrow night.”
Really, Don? That’s what all your friends were talking about, and not say… a New York Post bombshell report exposing how Hunter Biden allegedly exploited his relationship with his father for personal gain? That’s quite telling.
But after griping about how NBC could have given Trump equal time on a different day or a different time in the night, Lemon took to denouncing NBC for giving Trump a platform at all:
So, then they learn nothing from 2016? They're allowing a man who made all the wrong decisions by going -- showing up at a debate, not getting a COVID test, and then becoming a super spreader, and then refusing to do the debate. They're allowing him – they’re giving him – they’re rewarding him with primetime on a major network on cable and on their Spanish speaking network. Someone who made all the wrong decisions and someone who backed out of a debate.
“How does that help the American people? How does that inform the electorate by putting those two people on at the same time,” he demanded to know. “This is an outright embarrassing ratings ploy on behalf of NBC. And I am shocked and surprised that they would allow the President of the United States to do their programming and manipulate them into doing this. It is embarrassing.”
Acting as the white knight for his radical leftist friends at MSNBC, Lemon declared: “I will speak out for you.” At one point, he became the megaphone for MSNBC whiners and demanded that either Rachel Maddow or Joy Reid berate Trump instead of doing a town hall:
I have spoken to several friends especially over at MSNBC. They are incredulous about this. They cannot believe it is happening, especially the people of color over there. My LGBTQ friends who are over there. The way this President treats them. It is just –
Fine. If you want to give Donald Trump air time on your network have him go on MSNBC. Have him go on with Rachel. Have him go on with Joy. Have him go on with someone where he can be challenged. Rather than going on a town hall where he is going to take questions and he’s going to try to avoid them.
“There’s no need to do it at the same time. Absolutely no need. It is absolutely ridiculous, NBC. It is a pure ‘D’ as we say down South ratings ploy and you should be embarrassed,” he sneered.
By the end of the of their moaning, both Lemon and Cuomo agreed that the dueling town halls were “a metaphor for the whole problem.” “Exactly. Of the entire past four or five years. It is a metaphor,” Lemon added. His freak out continued later during his opening monologue (pictured above).
Lemon’s anti-Trump town hall tirade was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Carvana, Apple, and Verizon. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they’re funding.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN Tonight
October 14, 2020
10:01:28 p.m. Eastern(...)
DON LEMON: I got to tell you though. The story of the day. You know what everyone is talking about, everyone I know? They are outraged about what’s happening tomorrow night.
CHRIS CUOMO: The dueling town halls.
LEMON: Yes. Why on Earth would NBC agree to do that?
CUOMO: All right, I'll plus/minus it. Fair time. Equal time.
LEMON: You can do equal time on a different night. You can do equal time at a different time. You don't have to do it at the same time and then divide the country further by having them choose the whole point of it was to bring them together.
CUOMO: It is the only time he offered us. He said he wouldn't do it any other time.
LEMON: Well — [flustered gasping] So, he’s controlling the programming schedule at NBC?
CUOMO: Something is better than nothing.
LEMON: So, then they learn nothing from 2016? They're allowing a man who made all the wrong decisions by going -- showing up at a debate, not getting a COVID test, and then becoming a super spreader, and then refusing to do the debate. They're allowing him – they’re giving him – they’re rewarding him with primetime on a major network on cable and on their Spanish speaking network. Someone who made all the wrong decisions and someone who backed out of a debate.
How does that help the American people? How does that inform the electorate by putting those two people on at the same time? And making people choose from one to the other? Don't give me that BS about “well, you can tape one.” That is not what it's about. This is an outright embarrassing ratings ploy on behalf of NBC. And I am shocked and surprised that they would allow the President of the United States to do their programming and manipulate them into doing this. It is embarrassing.
I have spoken to several friends especially over at MSNBC. They are incredulous about this. They cannot believe it is happening, especially the people of color over there. My LGBTQ friends who are over there. The way this President treats them. It is just –
Fine. If you want to give Donald Trump air time on your network have him go on MSNBC. Have him go on with Rachel. Have him go on with Joy. Have him go on with someone where he can be challenged. Rather than going on a town hall where he is going to take questions and he’s going to try to avoid them.
So, I don't understand it. I am outraged by this. And for all of my brothers and sisters who are over at that network and are afraid to speak out because they think that they're going to lose their job or standing or there is going to be repercussions for it, I will speak out for you. It is outrageous. And I cannot believe NBC is doing it and I am sorry for you.
And guess what? I think you should speak out. I think there is no other moment where you have this much leverage and you are going to be able to tell your bosses what you think is right. There’s no need to do it at the same time. Absolutely no need. It is absolutely ridiculous, NBC. It is a pure "D" as we say down South ratings ploy and you should be embarrassed.
CUOMO: Can I go now?
LEMON: Hey, you're a grown man. You are a grown man. You can go whenever you want.
CUOMO: My side of the case sucks.
[Laughter]
LEMON: Go on.
CUOMO: I'm just sitting here taking a beating by proxy of what's going on.
LEMON: I'm not talking to you. I didn't say you
CUOMO: I know, brother. I know. What I'm saying is, look. This is what we need. What we need is the management making the decision to explain the decision. Because the vacuum is toxic. And if you're going to do something like this, what Don Lemon is saying right now is not going to shock you. So, why did you do it? That's what needs to be done.
That's the answer actually for all of your brothers and sisters and friends that you know over there is that management needs to have their back by taking the heat and making the case. Otherwise, they're putting their own people in a bad position.
LEMON: Tonight was a very good night that they could have done it. That's all I have to say. This is me speaking.
CUOMO: Maybe they’ll call into your show.
LEMON: I'm not speaking on the entirety of CNN.
CUOMO: You're not?
LEMON: Because it doesn't -- this affects people who are voting. Right? This could affect the election.
CUOMO: Look, there is no question putting them on at the same time is the worst inequity for the public, because which so they watch? The whole point of a debate is to give them equal access to the candidate. That’s why people get frustrated when one person dominates in a debate or the moderator doesn’t do what they’re supposed to do. Because this is my one chance, this is my one shot to have them together. This is anathema to that. This is the worst of that. This is now you're forcing me to watch one at a time when they're on at the same time. And you know, I can't even get it straight. I might as well watch none of it. I might as well give up. It is a metaphor for the whole problem.
LEMON: Exactly. Of the entire past four or five years. It is a metaphor. I'm glad you said that because that is exactly what I was thinking.
(...)
