Don Lemon Blasts Donald Trump For Emboldening “Racists” Like Roseanne

CNN’s Don Lemon has blasted Donald Trump for normalizing the racism that allowed Roseanne Barr to publicly compare a black former Obama advisor to an ape.

Don Lemon has long accused President Donald Trump of being a racist, and now he’s put the 71-year-old on blast for normalizing such vile behavior. The CNN newsman addressed Roseanne Barr‘s axing by ABC on his May 28 program, after the network cancelled her show over a racist tweet where she compared black former Barack Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett to an ape. “This is racist. She is racist. There is no other way to put it,” Lemon said. “The president trafficks in racism as well and I have said that I believe he is a racist, because he trafficks in the same thing.”

He accused Roseanne as “part of the normalization of conspiracy theories and everyday racism” and called the millions of viewers who tuned into the revival of Roseanne of giving the okay to “racism,” “bigotry,” and “homophobia.” Lemon added, “If you watch the show, then you’ve bought in into it and you believe it.”

Lemon then lit into Trump for being the root of racism becoming normalized and noting that the normally Twitter happy president has not spoken up on Roseanne‘s cancellation. “Don’t be fooled by the White House’s refusal to comment on Roseanne because we already know exactly what President Trump thinks. He began his career with the racist lie that former President Barack Obama wasn’t born in the country, a lie he reportedly still clings to,” the newsman began then mapped out examples including  a clip when he announced his presidential campaign and called Mexicans drug dealers and rapists. “He made a Muslim ban the centerpiece of his campaign,” Lemon continued. “He responded to deadly white supremacist violence in Charlottesville by saying — in his words — ‘there were very fine people on both sides.’”

“He responded to African countries sending immigrants to this country — quote–  ‘sh*thole countries.’ The White House claimed he said ‘sh*thouse,’ as if that makes any difference. I could go on, but we only have so much time in the show to discuss this. We know what Donald Trump thinks. We know what Roseanne Barr thinks. It’s time for us to stop playing around with soft words by saying ‘oh, they’re saying insensitive things,” he continued. Don really went hard delivering his next line, saying, “No! It’s racist. They’re exhibiting racist behavior. And far too many of our American citizens agree with them. And feel emboldened to say out loud things that they wouldn’t say wouldn’t say in public.” Powerful stuff, yet so sad but true. At least Roseanne was punished for her racist tweet, but now over 100 people are out of work because of her attitude.