Michael Eric Dyson Clashes With Former Trump Staffer: ‘You Make Excuse After Excuse’

By Ken Meyer
 

Michael Eric Dyson had an intense conversation with Jeff Dewit on Tuesday as the two of them debated whether President Trump has done enough to condemn racism throughout his political life.



The political commentator and the former Trump campaign advisor appeared on CNN, where Kate Bolduan asked for their thoughts about Trump attacking CEOs who seem to have left his manufacturing council in protest of how he handled the aftermath of Charlottesville. DeWit ran defense for Trump, while Dyson expressed the view among critics that Trump’s condemnation of white supremacists was overdue and insufficient.

Much of the discussion gravitated around the question of why did Trump attack the media for addressing the bipartisan criticism he got for not denouncing white supremacists in Charlottesville right away. While DeWit declined to say whether Trump’s initial statement went far enough, Dyson went off and accused DeWit of making excuses for the fact that Trump failed to deliver an adequate statement against bigotry.

“Shame on [Trump] for that. We have to stop making excuses as our guest is making for a president who is a fully grown man. Grow up, take responsibility for your actions. Republicans and Conservatives are always telling us in this nation, ‘pull yourself up by the boot strap, be responsible,’ and you make excuse after excuse for a full-grown man who violates the fundmental principals that occupies the highest office in the land.”

DeWit reacted by saying the president has already denounced racism in the past, and he accused Dyson and Bolduan of ignoring this. Dyson responded by bringing up Trump’s history of racially-provocative comments, as well as his tendency to avoid directly condemning white supremacists.

“It’s not what’s in his heart that makes a difference, it’s what’s in his mouth and its what’s in his public policy and his public statements that make a difference here. It’s not his sentiment and emotions which are private, it’s his public expression of the reprehensible emotions against vulnerable people.”

As the discussion continued, Bolduan brought up how often Trump takes criticism for reversing on his old public positions. Bolduan also asked DeWit to explain how the president is creating national unity by tweeting things like that meme of CNN getting run over by the Trump Train.

You can watch how DeWit and Dyson responded in the video above, via CNN.