PoliticsDon Lemon Blasts Barack Obama for 'Cringey' Chat With Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter's Funeral: 'It's Got to End'
Don Lemon disapproved of Barack Obama's cordial behavior with Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter's funeral.
Don Lemon is not a fan of Barack Obama’s behavior at Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
On Saturday, January 12, the former CNN anchor uploaded a video sharing his reaction to the Democrat having a friendly conversation with rival Donald Trump during the somber event.
Lemon prefaced his rant by noting he was uninterested in what the pair were discussing, but rather the “optics” of the cordial interaction. The newscaster appeared to be nervous that the conversation could be helping the conservative agenda.
“People had many, many questions. How could Barack Obama, the man who faced vicious, racist conspiracies for years because of Trump act so buddy-buddy with him? Does he not remember birtherism? Does he not remember how for years Trump lied about how he was secretly born in Africa? Does he not remember how Trump suggested that he was secretly a Muslim who was sympathetic to terrorist groups and terrorist causes?” Lemon began, referencing the personal attacks Trump has hurled at Obama over the years.
Barack Obama and Donald Trump were seen seemingly having a friendly chat while seated next to each other at Jimmy Carter's funeral.
The 58-year-old also mentioned how the party spent much of the 2024 campaign comparing the 78-year-old president-elect to Hilter.
“Perhaps more critically, does he not remember how his entire political party has been calling the man a fascist, an autocrat, a threat to democracy for months if not years? People could not believe what they were seeing. Had the Democratic Party lied to them? Had Kamala Harris and Joe Biden lied to them?" Lemon added.
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While the journalist did not approve of the 44th president’s exchange with the Republican, he did understand that navigating the interaction amid a funeral may have been tricky.
“Look, in reality, Barack Obama was just doing his duty. The former president had died and he inevitably was going to have to brush shoulders with Trump there in the same presidential club. Right. What was the alternative? Not to watch Jimmy Carter be laid to rest?” he stated. “Now, I think he had no choice, but laughing at Trump’s jokes on camera? It was risky, kind of cringy.”
Don Lemon said 'laughing at Trump’s jokes on camera' was 'risky' of Barack Obama.
Lemon continued: “Optics like this are things that Democrats have to consider going forward. They spent years, if not months, if not years labeling Trump a political aberration, someone cruel, if not evil, outside the norm. Their voters may feel lied to if they appear to embrace him now. You can’t just memory hole comparing someone to Hitler. So, Democrats, you’ve got to keep in mind ahead of Trump’s inauguration and frankly, for the next four years, like what that looks like, your behavior around the man will matter. It does matter.”
Don Lemon noted that Barack Obama was 'just doing his duty' by being cordial with Donald Trump at the funeral, however, he still disapproved.
Lemon then mentioned how even Mike Pence’s wife did a better job of ignoring Trump when he attempted to greet her at the event than Obama.
“You can’t allow Karen Pence to present as a more steadfast defender of democracy, a more courageous critic of Trump, than yourselves. Democrats, your outdated impulse to prioritize good relationships with your conservative colleagues at all costs. It’s got to end,” Lemon demanded.
