Once again, on this morning's New Day, co-host John Berman has offered up a steaming serving of anti-Trump liberalism. The subject was Lindsey Graham's suggestion on Fox News yesterday that Donald Trump Jr. needn't comply with a Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena to provide additional testimony. It's somehow scandalous to suggest there's no collusion, so why is this subpoena necessary?
Berman suggested to John Avlon, a CNN analyst and former editor-in-chief of the lefty Daily Beast, that Graham has gone "from wingman [to John McCain] to wingnut." Most telling was that Berman prefaced his quip by assuring Avlon, "you'll like this one." Berman was thus brazenly sucking up to a committed Trump critic.
The irony is that Berman's "wingnut" gibe at Graham was too much even for Avlon, who has written a book on the subject of "wingnuts." Avlon diplomatically dismissed Berman's notion, suggesting that rather than being a wingnut, Graham's behavior was an example of "cronyism."
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Yes, Don Jr. already testified. And, as it turns out, gave inconsistent testimony with some other witnesses. So they want -- Senate Intel wants him back. And here is what President Trump’s friend and supporter Lindsey Graham said about that this weekend.
LINDSEY GRAHAM: As I understand it, this subpoena relates to what Michael Cohen said about some meetings, and about the Trump Tower and Russia. And if I were Donald Trump, Jr.’s lawyer, I would tell him, you don’t need to go back into this environment anymore. You've been there for hours and hours and hours. And nothing being alleged here changes the outcome of the Mueller investigation. I would call it a day.
. . .
JOHN BERMAN: Should I ask? You’ll like this one. Has Lindsey Graham gone from wingman to wingnut?
JOHN AVLON: Hah!
BERMAN: You, of course, wrote a book --
AVLON: Yes, I did. I wrote a book called "Wingnuts.”
BERMAN: Really this is more about you than Lindsey Graham.
AVLON: I appreciate the framing. Look, wingnut, I have a pretty specific definition for. And it’s someone who is really on the extremes, the fringes of American politics. Those fringes are now in some cases influencing policy in the White House. I think this is somebody who is engaging in a kind of cronyism with an administration, that contradicts principles he previously said he believed in when he was John McCain's wingman.
Note: this is hardly the first time that Berman has used his "host" perch to attack President Trump and his administration. For example, back in November, Berman gleefully suggested that Trump was "full of Schiff." And just last week, we noted Berman fretting that Dems weren't being tough enough with the Trump admin when it came to contempt/impeachment proceedings, with Berman demanding to know when "the rubber will meet the road."
So really, John Berman, can anyone tell the difference between co-host and raving liberal guest?
