A Wednesday morning segment of “New Day” got away from CNN host John Berman when he brought up recent comments from Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters with guest Corey Lewandowski.
The former Trump campaign manager was happy to discuss Waters and the impact of her comments, but was not having it when Berman tried to shift the focus — and the blame — to President Donald Trump.
Berman began by asking whether Lewandowski thought it was fair for the Republicans to be fundraising “off the issue of civility and Maxine Waters, talking about the comment that Maxine Waters made.”
Lewandowski quickly clarified that it wasn’t just an issue of civility if the administration felt that the White House press secretary was in need of Secret Service protection from people who might take Waters’ comments seriously. He explained, “I think what they talked about also is the abuse that Sarah Huckabee Sanders took. It looks like she will be provided Secret Service protection to make sure her and her family are safe. That is a sad state of affairs.”
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Berman argued, “She was asked to leave a restaurant,” but Lewandowski pushed back, asking Berman to “tell the whole story.”
“What happened after she left the restaurant?” Lewandowski asked. “What happened with the owner of the previous restaurant?”
Berman dismissed reports that Red Hen owner Stephanie Wilkinson and others had followed the remainder of the party (after Sanders and her husband decided to leave) and harassed them further, saying, “I know Sarah and her father say that …”
“Are you calling them liars?” Lewandowski interrupted.
Berman backtracked quickly, and tried to turn the conversation to President Trump. He said, “I’m asking, Corey, about the issue of civility in this country. I’m asking about the president’s role in the civility in this country. When the president has physically threatened people from the podium before, is that not the same thing or worse than suggesting, asking someone to leave a restaurant?”
But Lewandowski kept the focus on Waters, reminding Berman that the California representative had already been referred to the ethics committee for her comments.