During Thursday’s Cuomo PrimeTime, host Chris Cuomo described the meeting between President Trump and rapper Kanye West as a “traveshamockery,” the exact same phrase he used to describe the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings before sexual assault allegations even emerged.
He also asked: “How is it okay to put Kanye on display like this? He’s no elected or appointed or recognized leader of any community on this planet. Is he popular? Yes, for his music, not his politics.”
Cuomo also made sure to take shots at West’s mental health, pointing out that “multiple reports, his own statements, it all makes clear that he has struggled and admitted diagnoses for personal mental health issues,” as he attempted to make the case that people should not take the meeting between President Trump and West seriously.
Needless to say, actual mental health professionals quoted in an Intercept piece probably did not appreciate Cuomo’s commentary. They had previously criticized CNN for its mockery of West’s previous mental health problems earlier this week, accusing CNN of promoting “bigoted attitudes toward people who have been treated for mental health conditions, attitudes which often prevent them from finding employment or even shelter.”
Eventually, Cuomo attempted to play amateur psychiatrist once again: “What went on in Trump’s head. Here is my educated guess, okay? Other than a warm serotonin flush of happy hormone, imaginary headlines, blacks love Trump, he’s blacker than Obama. Then came this.”
Cuomo proceeded to play a clip of West comparing President Trump to Superman, a comparison which Cuomo obviously rejected. Cuomo proceeded to take shots at the President for holding the meeting with West as Hurricane Michael pounded the southeastern United States:
I wonder if images of Hurricane Michael came into his head then, the people that do need saving. And here he is doing this. He was at a rally when the storm was going on in Pennsylvania and now he’s with Kanye West as people plowed through the ruins of their former life. Do you remember the episode of ‘Superman’ when he does that B.S. kiss up session with Lex Luthor instead of saving people in trouble? Me neither.
For the record, if President Trump had decided to head down to survey the damage of Hurricane Michael, that probably would not have satisfied the media very much either. When President Trump announced that he was going to survey the damage of Hurricane Harvey shortly after the storm ravaged parts of Texas, MSNBC’s Katy Tur complained that “there’s real concern that his going there is going to have to divert, at least a little bit, some resources away from the rescue effort and towards him.” The media either seems to have developed a bad case of amnesia or they remain completely oblivious to their blatant double standards and perpetual moving of the goal posts.
A transcript of the relevant portion of Cuomo PrimeTime is below. Click “expand” to read more.
Cuomo PrimeTime
10/11/18
09:55 PM
CHRIS CUOMO: Closing argument. No surprise, the subject is the traveshamockery at the White House today. A reminder, that is a travesty inside of a sham inside of a mockery. No, I didn’t make it up, but I love it. And that is an apt description of the Donald and Kanye show. But my argument isn’t merely mocking, all right? This is about compassion, credibility, and timing for all three major parties in this. Three? Who’s the third? The media. Take a look at the phalanx of photographers here. What is this, a summit? Are they launching an initiative for inner city education grants? No. Then why give it all this hype, why fan the flames of the foolish? And it’s not okay what happened here for two big reasons. First, how is it okay to put Kanye on display like this? He’s no elected or appointed or recognized leader of any community on this planet. Is he popular? Yes, for his music, not his politics. His personal history reads more as a rationale for keeping him from something like this, than indulging him. His wife sizes up better as an advocate, and that’s all an appraisal assuming he is of sound mind and body. And that is not a given. Now, this…just put politics aside, all right? This comes from a place of compassion. Multiple reports, his own statements, it all makes clear that he has struggled and admitted diagnoses for personal mental health issues. And while he raised legit issues of jobs and inner city concerns, when you hear the dissociative ramblings of a man one prized for his intellect and education, there’s something wrong there. And making the decision to put him in this position, that falls on Trump because he knows or has reason to know what I just told you. But, clearly, his sensitivity is triggered by other concerns…attention, praise, and some jaundiced notion of how to get black approval above the pathetic ten percent that tends to track at for him. Now, I watched this, not marveling at what came out of Kanye’s mouth. I told you what I think is going on with him. And I know that people are obsessing about it and frankly I don’t think it’s kind or it’s warranted given what I believe about him. So, there’s nothing new there. But listen to this.
KANYE WEST: Trump is on his hero’s journey right now. And he might not have expected to have a crazy motherf***er like Kanye West run up and support.
CUOMO: Jim Brown giving him the side eye. I can’t believe he had to sit through that.
My curiosity wasn’t about what came out of Kanye’s mouth. My wonder went to what was going on in Trump’s head. Let’s take a look at him. Here is my educated guess, okay? Other than a warm serotonin flush of happy hormone, imaginary headlines, blacks love Trump, he’s blacker than Obama. Then came this.WEST: There was something about when I put this hat on, it made me feel like Superman. You made a Superman. That’s my favorite superhero and you made a Superman cape for me.
CUOMO: I certainly agree this is a cartoonish situation. But look at Trump here yet again. Yeah, Superman, sure I am. I can do anything, I can save people. I wonder if images of Hurricane Michael came into his head then, the people that do need saving. And here he is doing this. He was at a rally when the storm was going on in Pennsylvania and now he’s with Kanye West as people plowed through the ruins of their former life. Do you remember the episode of “Superman” when he does that B.S. kiss up session with Lex Luthor instead of saving people in trouble? Me either. Because that’s what a superhero does. They do what’s right in the right moment. Did the thought even enter his mind about how those people would feel about this use of his time? And then the moment that probably mattered most.
WEST I love this guy right here. Let me give this guy a hug right here. I love this guy right here.
CUOMO: Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Unqualified and untethered adulation. Listen, I’m fine with the President getting praise when deserved. This is not that. This is manufactured. It’s media motivated. It’s a traveshamockery. And the timing along tells the story of truly messed up priorities. The President does not need fake praise when we have real problems. You have a million without power in six states. You have communities in ruin. And Trump found a way to go lower than even his bounty bank shots that he shot in Puerto Rico. Thousands of people under his command are busting their asses to rescue and recover and feed and connect. And instead of faking praise for himself, why didn’t he give those men and women and the thousands they’re helping the real praise and attention they deserve? That’s what a President does. Thank you for watching.
