CNN political analyst David Gergen's recent hyperbolic claim that Donald Trump may have had the worst first 100 days of any President in history was so over the top that even his CNN colleagues are still laughing at him the day after.
On Saturday's CNN Newsroom, after right-leaning actor and former Gergen subordinate Ben Stein jabbed his former boss by recalling how bad Abraham Lincoln's first 100 days were, CNN political analyst Ron Brownstein joined in by noting that William Henry Harrison died in his first month, inspiring laughter from Stein and CNN host Ana Cabrera. Gergen notably made an appearance on CNN Newsroom a couple of hours later and doubled down, claiming Trump's first 100 days may have been worse than Lincoln's.
At 5:09 p.m. ET, during a discussion of President Trump's failure to get the House to pass a replacement of ObamaCare, Stein brought up Gergen's commentary from the day before: "But I would like to go back to something that our own beloved Dave Gergen -- one of your top guys a very -- a lifelong friend of mine -- said --"
Smiling, Cabrera recalled for viewers that they had the relevant clip of Gergen to introduce: "Let me guess. Let me guess. The statement that he made yesterday saying this is the worst first 100 days. I think we have the soundbite. Let's listen."
Then came a soundbite of Gergen from Friday's The Lead:
I actually think this may be the worst 100 days we've ever seen in a President. It may be that it will get better, but earlier this week, his credibility, you know, took a direct hit over the wiretapping allegation, and now his capacity is taking a direct hit. He came to us as the deal maker. His ultimate promise was that he was the deal maker, he was going to make the system work. And that so clearly has failed.
Cabrera went back to Stein who took apart the claim:
Well, I love Dave. Let me tell you that. He was my boss when I worked for Mr. Nixon. He's a great, super guy, and a super smart guy. But Abraham Lincoln had a far worse beginning of his presidency -- 11 Southern states seceded, he had to arrest most of the members of the Maryland legislature to keep Maryland from seceding.
When the chief justice of the Supreme Court threatened -- said we're going to release them on Habeas Corpus, he threatened to imprison the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Stein added:
That's far worse. He had a million times worse start. Mr. Trump, though, has got to pull himself together. He's not running a gambling table at one of his gambling resorts. He has got to get a big staff, an experienced staff. He's got to take the darn thing seriously.
Cabrera went back to Brownstein who quickly stoked things up against Gergen even more: "I was just going to say, William Henry Harrison died, so, you know, in his first 100 days, so it's not clear which one -- it's not clear which one was worse."
The group then all broke out into laughter.
When Gergen appeared as a guest a couple hours later at 7:30 p.m., and Cabrera played a clip of Stein's criticism of his comments, he refused to back down as he asserted that Trump's first 100 days still may have been worse than Lincoln's. Gergen began:
He's right. Lincoln had one heck of a hard time getting started. You know, he didn't have generals to fight and things like that. But, you know what, he put us on the winning road right from the beginning. Has President Trump put us on the winning road? I don't think that you would call it that.
After recalling that another CNN colleague had brought up William Henry Harrison's death to him, he recalled some of Trump's recent problems and returned to suggesting Trump has had a worse 100 days than Lincoln. Gergen:
Last week, his credibility got shattered on wiretapping, you know, they've got this investigation under way with this criminal investigation under way with regard to some of his aides. We don't know where that's going to go. He lost out on this major legislative hope for the first 100 days for the first few months of his time in office. You can go down that list.
And I would have to say, I think so far what we're watching, is the worst 100 days certainly in modern times. But I think you can make the argument, Ben, even about Lincoln.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Saturday, March 25, CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera:
5:09 p.m. ET
BEN STEIN, FORMER NIXON SPEECH WRITER: But I would like to go back to something that our own beloved Dave Gergen -- one of your top guys a very -- a lifelong friend of mine -- said --
ANA CABRERA: Let me guess. Let me guess. The statement that he made yesterday saying this is the worst first 100 days. I think we have the soundbite. Let's listen.
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I actually think this may be the worst 100 days we've ever seen in a President. It may be that it will get better, but earlier this week, his credibility, you know, took a direct hit over the wiretapping allegation, and now his capacity is taking a direct hit. He came to us as the deal maker. His ultimate promise was that he was the deal maker, he was going to make the system work. And that so clearly has failed.
CABRERA: So, Ben, why do you disagree with that?
STEIN: Well, I love Dave. Let me tell you that. He was my boss when I worked for Mr. Nixon. He's a great, super guy, and a super smart guy. But Abraham Lincoln had a far worse beginning of his presidency -- 11 Southern states seceded, he had to arrest most of the members of the Maryland legislature to keep Maryland from seceding. When the chief justice of the Supreme Court threatened -- said we're going to release them on Habeas Corpus, he threatened to imprison the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.
CABRERA: So you're saying he had a much worse start.
STEIN: That's far worse. He had a million times worse start. Mr. Trump, though, has got to pull himself together. He's not running a gambling table at one of his gambling resorts. He has got to get a big staff, an experienced staff. He's got to take the darn thing seriously.
CABRERA: I know you wanted to mention something, Ron.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I was just going to say, William Henry Harrison died, so, you know, in his first 100 days, so it's not clear which one -- it's not clear which one was worse.
