Don Lemon: 'The President of the United States Is Racist'

Many in the media were not willing to speak plainly about Donald Trump’s racist “shithole countries” rant, but Don Lemon was.

“The president of the United States is racist,” he began in a blunt, no-bullshit monologue on Thursday night. “A lot of us already knew that.”

Here are some more choice quotes from the monologue, which you can watch in full below. Emphasis mine throughout.

But you know what, they’re not shocking. They’re not even really surprising. Because this is who Donald Trump is. This is what he thinks. Apparently we have to go through this repertoire every time he says something like this, or exhibits some racist behavior.

Tonight a White House official told CNN they’re not worried—they think this is good for them, and the president’s comments will resonate with his base. Jesus. Admitting that for all their talk about making America great, the president is playing to a base that welcomes his racism and will enjoy it. And that is disgraceful.

With that said, here’s what’s worse and probably the most important point. So gather around the television everyone. And this is for anyone who may be taken aback by my comments. I want to be clear here, I don’t care if you are. I hope you are.

For years now—it has been, y’know, two and a half years since he officially entered the political arena. For years I and others have been trying to tell you, the American people, that this man was exhibiting bigoted behavior. I asked him about it a number of times, and he denied it. But kept up the racist rhetoric and behavior throughout the campaign, and now, well, he’s in the White House.

His supporters made excuses, continue to make excuses for him. Some of the people I personally know. Some of them are his friends as a matter of fact, and I can hear them now telling me “Oh Don, Donald didn’t mean that. Donald isn’t a racist.” Or just people that don’t know him “I think it was taken out of context, I’m not sure.” How many examples do you need of this?

But he is a racist. And for all of you who over the last few years have uttered that tired, lazy, uninformed, uneducated ignorant response of calling me and others who point out racist behavior “racists”—you know what you can do?