OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
🚨 POLL: Do you approve of Trump’s handling of the press?
[mo-optin-form id=”eTeQvgsXSI”]
🚨 POLL: Do you approve of Trump’s handling of the press?
💥 Click To Text Your Answer 👇
According to a report from Real Clear Politics, Don Lemon did not hold back his distaste for President Trump after he told CBS News White House correspondent Paula Reid “enough.”
LEMON: Kaitlan, you know, you pressed the president about his claim of total authority, which was really a shocking statement. And we know that, you know, it is not true. I want to watch the exchange and then we’ll talk about it.
OLLINS: You said when someone is President of the United States their authority is total. That is not true. Who told you that?
TRUMP: OK. You know what we’re going to do? We’re going to write up papers on this. It’s not going to be necessary. Because the governors need us one way or the other, because ultimately it comes with the federal government.
That being said, we’re getting along very well with the governors and I feel very certain that there won’t be a problem. Yes, please, go ahead.
COLLINS: Has any governor agreed that you have the authority to decide when their state opens back up?
TRUMP: I haven’t addressed anybody. Because you know why? Because I don’t have to. Go ahead, please.
COLLINS: But who told you the president has the total authority?
TRUMP: Enough.
CNN’s Don Lemon expresses his outrage at President Trump for telling CBS News White House correspondent Paula Reid “enough” after she asked a question several times.
LEMON: Kaitlan, you know, you pressed the president about his claim of total authority, which was really a shocking statement. And we know that, you know, it is not true. I want to watch the exchange and then we’ll talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: You said when someone is President of the United States their authority is total. That is not true. Who told you that?
TRUMP: OK. You know what we’re going to do? We’re going to write up papers on this. It’s not going to be necessary. Because the governors need us one way or the other, because ultimately it comes with the federal government.
That being said, we’re getting along very well with the governors and I feel very certain that there won’t be a problem. Yes, please, go ahead.
COLLINS: Has any governor agreed that you have the authority to decide when their state opens back up?
TRUMP: I haven’t addressed anybody. Because you know why? Because I don’t have to. Go ahead, please.
COLLINS: But who told you the president has the total authority?
TRUMP: Enough.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Listen, you are a lot more patient because if someone tells me enough, I don’t think I could have sat there and taken it. You’re a lot more patient and professional than I am.
But, you know, he didn’t you who it was who gave him the idea that he is a king and not a president who is actually elected and works for the people of the United States.
COLLINS: Yes, and, Don, we know that argument is completely wrong on the constitutional front. I don’t think we’re going to hear any governors come out and endorse it.
But it’s also notable given the fact it is contradicting how the resident has treated this when it comes to a federal government, state level basis. Just last week the president was saying it’s up to the states if they want to issue these stay-at-home orders.
He was saying from a constitutional perspective, he wanted to let them make the decisions when it came to that and he was not going to tell them what to do.
Also, on supplies, he repeatedly deferred to the states, he repeatedly deferred to the governors when they were closing down their states. But now when it’s come in time to open up, he is saying that he has the authority.
And Don, it’s not that some of these states are not going to want guidance from the federal government when they are making decisions. They likely will. So many governors have said as much. But the question really here is the clarity.
Because if the president is going here and saying he has complete authority over these states, you know, what is going to happen when he tries to issue guidance at the end of the month and there are some states who decide they’re not ready to open up yet and they’re not ready to send kids back to school or open restaurants and stores and what not, it’s going to cause confusion.
So, potentially this could set us up for a clash with the president making this argument, that we should note it’s not right that he has total authority as president.
LEMON: I’ve been wanting to ask, if, you know, when he says — because he’s said things like that before. When he says enough, has anyone ever in the briefing room — I wonder what would happen if someone said, who the hell do you think you’re talking to? How do you think he would respond to something like that?
COLLINS: I’m not sure. I think the president says that often when he is tired of hearing questions. Tired of follow-up on questions from that and that’s why, you know, in these briefings a lot of reporters often follow up on the question that someone else has asked just to make sure they get an answer to that question or later ask someone else.
I mean, you later on saw Ryan Lizza ask the vice president about what he thought about the president’s statement. He dodged answering that. But I do not think that Vice President Pence when he was governor of Indiana would have felt similar if Barack Obama made that statement when he was president, saying he has authority over Indiana when they’re in a state of emergency during a pandemic.
So, of course it’s all perspective here, but I just don’t think that there is anyone, even though the president’s allies, that would agree with that statement.
LEMON: Yes. Because you are an adult just like him and you deserve respect as well, all the reporters in the briefing room. So, thank you very much. I appreciate that, Kaitlan. Nice job. The president says he’ll announce a new economic task force to open up the country again, but who will be on it?
