On CNN, Linda Ronstadt Likens Trump to Hitler, Mexicans 'the New Jews'

January 1st, 2020 7:54 PM

On Monday's Anderson Cooper 360, CNN promoted a New Year's Day special documentary on singer Linda Ronstadt with a pre-recorded interview between Ronstadt and host Cooper in which the singer became the latest liberal to hyperbolically liken President Donald Trump to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

Cooper did little to push back as the liberal singer claimed that Mexicans "are the new Jews," and matter-of-factly claimed Trump's rise to power "is exactly the same" as what Hitler did.

As the two discussed how Parkinson's disease took her ability to sing, Ronstadt lamented that, unlike in the past, she has more difficulty avoiding tension with Republican family members during the holidays by singing with them to pass the time as she did in the past. She brought up President Trump by claiming vaguely that the administration has taken things away from her:

RONSTADT: Well, now I have to be careful because we've had so much taken away from us by this administration that I'm not willing to let him take my family relationships. My family -- the part that are Republican -- are fairly rational Republicans. We don't have that in our current White House.

It was then Cooper who brought up his guest's history of making Hitler comparisons: "I've read that you've read a lot about the Weimar Republic and Germany, and you sort of see parallels between then and now."

Ronstadt then seriously likened Trump's America to Nazi Germany:

RONSTADT: Well, great parallels. I mean, the intelligentsia in Berlin and the literati and all the artists were just busy doing their thing, and there were a lot of chances as Hitler rose to power, there were a lot of chances to stop him, and they didn't speak out. And then the industrial complex thought that they could control him once they got him in office, and of course he was not controllable.

By the time he got established, he put his own people in place and stacked the courts, and did what he had to do to consolidate his power. And we got Hitler and he destroyed Germany. He destroyed centuries of intellectual history, forward and backward, you know, the people like Beethoeven and Goethe and Thomas Mollen became jokes. They became Nazi laughingstocks.

The CNN host's response barely qualified as challenging her over the top claims as he replied: "I think a lot of people, though, would be surprised to hear comparisons between what happened then and now."

The liberal singer then really broke out the crackpot analysis:

RONSTADT: If you read the history, you won't be surprised. It's exactly the same. Find a common enemy for everybody to hate. I was sure that Trump was going to get elected the day he announced, and I said that he's going to be like Hitler, and Mexicans are going to be the new Jews. And sure enough, that's what he delivered, you know.

Instead of giving any actual pushback to his guest's ridiculous claims, Cooper was then seen live wrapping up the segment and previewing the documentary on Ronstadt set to air on January 1.

Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Monday, December 30, Anderson Cooper 360

8:55 p.m. Eastern

ANDERSON COOPER: It seems particularly cruel to have something that effects your voice first before really anything else.

LINDA RONSTADT: It's a strain on my family relations because some of my family in Tucson are Republicans, and instead of talking about that, we'd sing together and have a great time.

COOPER: Singing is what brought your family together?

RONSTADT: Yes.

COOPER: So now that you don't have singing, what?

RONSTADT: Well, now I have to be careful because we've had so much taken away from us by this administration that I'm not willing to let him take my family relationships. My family -- the part that are Republican -- are fairly rational Republicans. We don't have that in our current White House.

COOPER: So you can still have family gatherings -- it's just a little more strained.

RONSTADT: I try to hum a little harmony some place in a corner.

COOPER: To yourself.

RONSTADT: Yeah.

COOPER: I've read that you've read a lot about the Weimar Republic and Germany, and you sort of see parallels between then and now.

RONSTADT: Well, great parallels. I mean, the intelligencia in Berlin and the literati and all the artists were just busy doing their thing, and there were a lot of chances as Hitler rose to power, there were a lot of chances to stop him, and they didn't speak out. And then the industrial complex thought that they could control him once they got him in office, and of course he was not controllable.

By the time he got established, he put his own people in place and stacked the courts and did what he had to do to consolidate his power. And we got Hitler and he destroyed Germany. He destroyed centuries of intellectual history, forward and backward, you know, the people like Beethoeven and Goethe.and Thomas Mollen became jokes. They became Nazi laughing stocks.

COOPER: I think a lot of people, though, would be surprised to hear comparisons between what happened then and now.

RONSTADT: If you read the history, you won't be surprised. It's exactly the same. Find a common enemy for everybody to hate. I was sure that Trump was going to get elected the day he announced, and I said that he's going to be like Hitler, and Mexicans are going to be the new Jews. And sure enough, that's what he delivered, you know.