CNN panel spirals into chaos after Trump supporter defends president's threat of violence

[highplainsdem]

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/03/cnn-panel-goes-off-rails-trump-supporter-defends-presidents-threat-violence-bikers-military/

On Thursday, CNN’s Erin Burnett almost pulled her hair out after Trump-lover Steve Cortes supported the president’s use of unprecedented violence.

-snip-

“I think he’s clearly threatening violence or hinting at the possibility of violence,” political commentator Keith Boykin said. “It’s a part of a pattern that we see from Donald Trump going back to the presidential campaign when he would consistently talk about how he wanted to punch people in the face, tell people to knock the crap out of protesters. He offered to pay their legal bills for people who roughed up protesters.”

Cortes then tried to clarify what Trump meant, however, he epically failed and Burnett was undone.

“I think it’s important here to be very precise in terms of what the president actually said,” Cortes said. “He did not in any way infer or say he was going to use the military, meaning in an official capacity or the police in any way.”

He added, “What he’s saying is among those groups he has enormous support, and that’s very clearly true. He’s saying those groups can individually act with force if they have to.”

Burnett then interrupted in disbelief at what Cortes was saying.

“Are we seriously talking about having the military in a violent confrontation with the left in this country?” she asked

Cortes then choked up on his word, right before Boykin hammered him.

“We have never had a president like this before who’s encouraged violence. The president of the United States has encouraged this type of behavior or at least hinted at it. When violent people were actually marching with tiki torches in Charlottesville the president said they were ‘very fine people.’ This is a guy who has a history of stoking the flames of violence.”

-snip-

Video at the link.

[highplainsdem]

1. Laurence Tribe tweet: I'm with Erin Burnett here. Trump's a menace of the worst sort.

Link to tweet

I’m with @ErinBurnett here. Trump’s threat of violence wasn’t even subtle. He’s a menace of the worst sort.

[DemocracyMouse]

26. IT's JUST GASLIGHTING!!!

He won't secede the limelight to:

---Beto O'Rourke announcing he was running.

---Students worldwide going on strike tomorrow against oil companies and other factors leading to global warming.

[dalton99a]

2. Cortes is a Trump lap dog

JEFF CROUERE (HOST): Steve, my condolences for having to work at CNN and my real, just -- my heart goes out to you and I just want to know how in the world, Steve, can you do that?

STEVE CORTES: Right. Well, it’s a very different job. I used to be at Fox News, which was a whole different world. I went over to CNN partly at the suggestion of the White House itself and the president himself because -- and I wanted to do it also because I saw a narrative there that I thought was unfair to the president, and I want to try to be a counter voice. I want to be an alternative voice on CNN and I hope a voice of reason. So I hope that I am over there, to put it in sort of religious terms, I hope I am winning over some pagans. And some of the unchurch folks.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. Yuck. nt

[oldsoftie]

16. Lap dog could have more than one meaning. And they're both nasty

[gratuitous]

19. So, CNN, you have it straight from the horse's ass

Cortes says he's there at the behest of Trump, and because he thinks reality is unfair to Trump, so he needs to be an alternative voice, where Trump's deranged world view is passed off as normal or defensible.

Why would you have Cortes on after he said that?

[Maven]

42. Why do you assume that CNN doesn't know what they're doing by having him on?

Before Cortes, they hired Corey Lewandowski, Kayleigh McEnany, Jeffrey Lord and other Trump propagandists. Giving Trump propagandists a platform to say outrageous things to get ratings is CNN's business plan at this point.

[True Blue American]

53. Thank you

That was what I was thinking. CNN puts on every guttersnipe they can find to create chaos.

They just hired a Sessions loony to over see the Political debates. There was so much flack they gave her a different job. Democrats refused to woork with her.

[Blue Owl]

23. More like a damp log

n/t

[uponit7771]

35. Yep, more proof its a cult

[AmandaRuth]

3. SEE! this is what I've been saying

Rump supporters are freaking crazy.

[manor321]

4. Many of us have been trying to warn about this, since before Trump

Conservatives believe God gave this country to white conservative Christians and they do not see us as legitimate holders of power.

"He’s saying those groups can individually act with force if they have to."

They will justify any behavior to hold on to power, and they will blame us for it. Don't expect corporate media to save us.

[TxVietVet]

15. The conservanazis started back in 1982

During Sperm-donor bu$h’s campaign that they were selected by their god to rule this country for they were the only “real” Americans.

[ck4829]

51. +1

[spanone]

5. Have no clue why they would have this 'smiling' asshole on then be surprised he's an asshole

[BlueMTexpat]

32. + a million or so!

Why do they keep giving such trash a forum?

[uponit7771]

36. +1

[Freethinker65]

6. Violence would certainly accelerate disaster capitalism/Trumpism

[littlemissmartypants]

9. This. nt

[Awsi Dooger]

7. He's the prototype white Republican male

The business type not the deplorable type. Dress differently and vocabulary not the same, but identical degree of malice and lowlife.

I can't count how many people like that I encountered in Las Vegas sportsbooks over the decades, always out of towners visiting for conventions. They spouted their conservative filth and assumed they had an agreeable ear since I was a fellow white male. But within minutes they were cursing and generally running away.

[Honeycombe8]

10. Trump clearly threatened violence.

Later, he'll say he was joking. This is the way he sends messages to his cult.

Make no mistake: he has in fact sent the message of violence to his followers. And some WILL obey.

[h2ebits]

28. +1000 Congress needs to call Trump out on this threat and so does the US Military

I agree that it is a threat! No gaslighting. . . .a plain out and out threat.

Think of the violence that has already occurred in Charlottesville, VA with the white nationalists. Think of the violence with the pizza parlor in DC after Alex Jones claimed it was a Hilary Clinton sex slave parlor in the basement. Think of the violence against journalists since Trump has started claiming they are evil and enemies of the people.

Trump needs to be trumped out of office and his communication methods need to be curtailed. He IS a THREAT TO THIS NATION AND ITS PEOPLE!

[LiberalLovinLug]

11. They can't refute everything I guess but it burns me how they let him go on about "left violence"

And "anti-fa" being some insidious violent group that attacks students. When in fact the anti-fa are the ones who are mostly students. And that their name extended is "anti-Fascists" That they are young Americans that see the Trump admin appointing heads of industry to oversee the very departments that affect their own bottom lines. Collusion of corporate and government is the definition of Fascism. And also for him to imply that it is mostly violence coming from the left when all the facts point to the dominance and increase of right wing gun violence and terrorists in the country.

[Dr Vegas]

12. So that guy from the Coast Guard (who was arrested last month)

is what we can expect more of?

[C Moon]

21. The one the media avoided talking about? Probably.

[DallasNE]

13. In This Case

Trump is signaling out to people that have been trained to kill to act on their emotions as they see fit, perhaps wearing brown shirts.


Why can't Republicans see the clear and present danger presented by this deranged man. A sane person just does not act this way.

[HughBeaumont]

14. What the hell's happening . . . .

. . . when Erin Burnett, not exactly a friend to the left, becomes a voice of reason?

[BadgerMom]

17. Instant response:

If CNN doesn’t want despicable messages broadcast, don’t have despicable people on their shows. I’m heartened she was flabbergasted. But I’m flabbergasted that they continue to host these cretins.

[BlueMTexpat]

33. + a million or so! eom

[HurricaneWarning]

18. I wonder if CNN knows how many of us change the channel

when they put these idiotic Trump apologists on. I refuse to listen to their drivel anymore. I heard the first part of this segment and then turned it off.

[A Brand New World]

20. I would like for Steve Cortes to further expand on his statement.

What does he exactly mean by “He’s saying those groups can individually act with force if they have to.”? What does “if they have to” mean? What would a Democrat have to do to justify violence of this sort? Simply vote??I don’t think Trump, or even Cortes, should be able to threaten in such a manner.

[calimary]

24. He is a dismal excuse for a human being.

[CTAtheist]

22. Replace "the left" with "Trump" and...

... see how fast the Secret Service visits you.

For reference:
" (He's) so lucky that we’re peaceful. Law enforcement, military, construction workers, Bikers for (Liberals) -- how about Bikers for (Liberals)? They travel all over the country. They got (Liberals) all over the place, and they’re great. They’ve been great. But these are tough people. These are great people. But they’re peaceful people, and (Trump) and all -- (He’d) better hope (he) stay(s) that way. I hope (he) stay(s) that way."

Not a threat? News flash: not everyone has a low IQ like Trump.

[Cha]

25. Karma is going to get trump and

the Blowback will be Justified

And, all the little stupid doormats like steve cortez.

[struggle4progress]

27. "Look! We can derail adult conversations!"

[yodermon]

29. and within 24 hours... New Zealand :( :( :( n/t

[DRoseDARs]

30. These people forget that liberals are in the military, in the police, in biker goups, and have guns.

The right has sold the bullshit narrative of liberals as weak and scared and complete pussies (let's not pretend they'd use a nicer word) for so long they believe their own bullshit. This flies in the face of reality and when push comes to shove they'll find it's bullets flying back at them, not the liberal tears they thirst for. Civil wars are ugly affairs, and this romanticized fantasy they have of ending Democrats will literally blow up in their faces.

[Lock him up.]

31. If that happened they would start running for cover like cowards.

They don't think law-enforcement like the POLICE is not gonna run them down?

They don't know there are LAWS against starting to shoot to kill human beings?

When they find out they committed crimes and the POLICE corps round them up they'll either run for cover or shoot themselves!

[DRoseDARs]

34. The problem is their binary thinking. Them vs Us and they think they've a lock on pol/mil/guns.

This isn't the Freeman North and the Slave-owning South. Political divisions are thoroughly dispersed throughout the body politic across all classes and all professions. If "civil war" were to break out, it would be a completely disorganized mess. Most likely mass-scale riots, racial terrorist attacks and limited attempts at genocide (targeting Black and Jewish communities mostly), with local police and National Guard units trying to quell violence. I don't see the US military being dragged in willingly or legally, possibly defying presidential orders outright, only moving to secure and defend key targets from the violence until things calm. The bigger problem would be right-wing militias and police/military personnel that are sympathetic to them. They'd be the ones terrorizing minority communities and targeting anyone perceived as liberal. A second civil war right now would not be as costly in lives or property as the first, but could boil for years if violent right-wing groups and their sympathizers are allowed to run free after the war.

Right-wingers need to think carefully about threats of violence. The power structure here is not in their favor. Most police/military are not keen on allowing mass riots to run rampant, even if they personally identify with whatever grievances there are. You see it every time a Black community erupts in anger and police are called in. There are Black police right there as well. They may not like it, they may even worry about the lives and safety their own Black sons and daughters, but they've been asked to do a job. Racist White cops turning a blind eye would be turning all eyes on themselves and make it clear they are aiding and abetting acts of violence and sedition against the United States in a time of civil war and would likely face the possibility of execution.

Is a second civil war possible? Yes. Will it be like the first? Not even kind of. Trump is delusional... I could stop there, but let's go on... if he thinks he could do a hostile takeover of the US government with the supposed support of his base, the police, the military, and "biker gangs" as if they were some monolithic group and not instead a bazillion different clubs, many of which are criminal and aren't keen on drawing attention to themselves. The slow burn of the past few decades of radicalizing the right has been more effective, and we've seen more and more illiterate loons being elected or taking judicial benches. Trump doesn't do the Long Game, and he's just a useful patsy. Also dangerously unhinged. Ultimately his threats don't amount to the hair on a rat's balls. He's the shiny object to distract and enrage us. But again, the right-wing has sold a line of bullshit about the left so much that they've believe it themselves. We've seen just how nonsense their claims about us are pretty prominently this session of congress. They just fell to pieces when Pelosi said, "No." and AOC didn't pour them a drink.

We just have to keep our guard up. I do think more and worse violence is coming, but I don't know if I believe it will rise to the level of a civil war. The lack of organization is key here. Fascists have made multiple attempts to *cough* Unite the Right *cough* and it just turns into an orgy of snakes. All hissing and venom, no structure or strategy.

[Boomerproud]

43. Excellent post. K&R

I can only hope and pray that the last paragraph holds true.

[Lock him up.]

49. The Joint Chief of Staff will not follow illegal orders from Individual 1.

At least there's that. They took an oath to the Constitution, not to a mob boss who's only way to stay out of jail is to become a dictator for life. They won't let that imbecile win that time.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211922281

[Roy Rolling]

37. What a Difference a Day Makes

After New Zealand, the point is moot.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

44. After New Zealand we ought to be in the streets demanding

the POTUS to atone. He is a vile man. Congress should censure him. His Twitter account needs to be blocked by Twitter. His I'll gotten gains and election made him stronger, and his choices are to destroy good, court evil, and offer guidance for the worst of humanity.

[Farmer-Rick]

38. This is what capitalist wealth has brought us

Trump is a monster created by the The Waltons, Bill Gates, The Koch brothers, and ALL the uber rich scum who managed to steal our national wealth.

The uber rich created Hitler to keep socialism out of Germany. Now they created Trump to keep their power and stolen wealth. If we got rid of accumulated wealth of more that $100 million we wouldn't be having this problem. We have to tax it away and stop them from transforming democracy into an oligarchy.

The excessively rich are a danger to a peaceful society.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

45. this is what an uninformed and misinformed electorate have wrought.

Conspiracy theories have replaced journalism and actual news .

[Farmer-Rick]

46. Well, who owns those sources of information that spew conspiracy theories?

Why a bunch of excessively wealthy people. It's not the average Joe who gives a megaphone to racist idiots.

If you and I could pick what stuff we promoted, it wouldn't be crap like Trump is spewing. But that is EXACTLY the crap that uber rich white men are picking to promote. Why can't they promote the better angels of humanity? We do have good sides to us. They specifically choose to promote hate and anger and fear and prejudiced and racism. Because those things will distract. While peace, love and understanding may lead to honest thought about the human condition. They can NOT allow honest thought. We may question their control.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

48. it takes willful ignorance to buy what they're selling as well.

We have choices.

[brewens]

39. We had the Kent State massacre without a President that incited violence, at least

not directly. I would hope with that history, we don't have troops that would do that kind of thing again. But with the so-called commander in chief saying crap like that, we need senior military officials to denounce him. I saw one already, I hope more pile on.

[rampartc]

52. the ohio governor was talking like trump does

i've always been thankgul that so many of the guardsmen at kent state did not shoot.

[True Blue American]

55. We had a Republican Governor.

Jim Rhodes.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings

[djacq]

40. Cortes failing at Jedi Mind Trick 101.

[Blue_Tires]

41. Hey, when you normalize crazy and put it on prime-time every night

sooner or later they're going to up the ante...

[wryter2000]

47. Imply, not infer

Aside from the hate and hypocrisy, these types are ignorant.

[ck4829]

50. Kick

[Cha]

54. Wonder if trump ever thought

of the violence he promotes boomeranging on him?

[True Blue American]

56. Doubtful

Trump does not think before he speaks. He has to read every stetement, no matter how little, but then he goes off reading. The filth that comes out of his mouth is pure rage because that is all he has. Talent and understanding are sadly missing in Trump.

When I watched William Barr stand next to him and say that Trump had the absolute right to declare an emergency I know he was another Republican slut.