After Trump once again lashed out at Rep. Ilhan Omar, tweeting an altered video of the Minnesota Rep with little to no regard over whether his actions are going to get her killed, CNN New Day host Victor Blackwell asked Trump 2020 campaign advisor, Steve Rogers, for his "perspective" on the matter, and after Rogers defended the tweet, asked him whether Trump should consider what he's tweeting given the recent death threats to Omar.
When a defiant Rogers tried to pretend that Trump has never done anything to incite violence, Blackwell was having none of it.
BLACKWELL: Last week, a man was arrested for threatening to murder Congresswoman Omar and according to the affidavit, he said, this is a quote, he is a patriot, that loves the president and he hates radical Muslims in our government. This is in reference to why he wanted to hurt, to kill Representative Ilhan Omar. Should the president consider that when he's tweeting videos like the one he has pinned now on his twitter account?
ROGERS: Well, you know what? We certainly will never, ever endorse anyone committing an act of violence against anyone. And look, we say things and we express our freedom of speech. We are not responsible Victor for the actions of other people. You and I could say something on the air and a crackpot will take what we say and turn it around and try to justify their actions, so...
BLACKWELL: You mean like if you see someone who wants to throw a tomato, punch him in the face or I'll pay your legal bill if you attack one of these protester, something like that?
ROGERS: Well, you know what Victor? There you go again, as Ronald Reagan said. This is not about the president of the United States. Okay? People are responsible for their own actions. It's easy to say, you know, that person made me do this, that person made me do that. I spent 38 years in law enforcement, and all I heard from criminals was, well, you know what, I was forced to do it because someone made me do it. The president is not responsible for the actions of other people.
VICTOR: But the president is not, is he responsible for his words? If he incites violence, is he not responsible for those words?
ROGERS: I've been to his rallies. I have been all over the place with him and his team. He has never incited violence. He has never, ever suggested that people should commit violent acts against each other.
BLACKWELL: That is absolutely untrue. That is absolutely untrue. There is video -- we have seen the president say that, with the good ole days that people would be taken out in stretchers at his rallies during the 2016 campaign. We have seen him say what he would like to do is punch somebody in the face. We have seen him promise to pay for legal bills for people if they were to attack a protester at one of his rallies. So what you are saying there just simply is not true. I have a limited amount of time with you. It is the truth. You can say it's video, or you can quote Ronald Reagan, it is truth. Truth doesn't need an endorsement, Steve.
ROGERS: I was there. Well, it's like some of the Democrats who said get up in the face of conservatives. You know, slap them around. Commit acts of violence. I mean, these were words from Democrats, okay? So don't put it on the president, Victor. People are responsible for their own actions.
BLACKWELL: I am quoting the president. Yes, Democrats will be responsible for their actions, too, and the people who made any of those comments has to be responsible and say he's never suggested being violent, because there are plenty of examples online that people have seen, so they know the truth.
CNN really shouldn't allow these liars on the air at all, but if they are going to be allowed on, their lies need to be called out, and not just some of their lies -- all of them. He handled him well when it comes to Trump lying about inciting violence, then he let the both siderist nonsense slide right on by. No Democrats have been calling for anyone to go out and assault or slap anyone. Blackwell should have shut that down right along with the nonsense about Trump inciting violence. These people's lies become more brazen every single day, and our corporate media is completely unequipped to handle it if we want to protect what's left of our democracy in America.
