Taking a break from the Senate speeches after the seditious attack on the Capitol building Wednesday, CNN's PrimeTime host Chris Cuomo openly wondered if the day’s chaos may “mark a beginning or an end for this country.” Some time went by before he eventually walked it back, but not before he received surprising push back from another liberal journalist.
“Now, David, we've heard many of our colleagues today saying the events were surreal, unimaginable. I disagree. I think it was all too real. I think this is where we are, and we’ve been blind to it, many of us who don't get to travel around the country a lot. This is who we are,” Cuomo chided in speaking to former Meet the Press moderator David Gregory.
“There are a lot of people who believe with what those people were thinking and doing today at the Capitol. The question is, does this mark a beginning or an end for this country,” Cuomo asked his guest.
Surprisingly, Gregory refuted Cuomo’s assertion and argued that Republicans and most Trump supporters were not in support of the violence on Capitol Hill. But of course, Cuomo couldn’t have that:
GREGORY: Well, look, I think there is some positive to take out tonight. I think that speeches we're hearing on the floor of the House and the Senate are very important tonight. Mitt Romney, a prominent among them, and there have been others, Republicans and Democrats --
CUOMO: But only Democrats – but only Democrats were clapping for Romney, I’m told by the control room. When they started clapping for him, we wanted to know who. It wasn't his own party. Keep going.
But Gregory continued to push back. “I don't think -- even those who were, you know, who nursed grievances who were pro-Trump, I don't think this crowd, this mob today is reflective of them,” he said.
He added: “I don't think people would resort to violence. These were people who were particularly whipped up and vulnerable to this President's message, who went out of his way to tell them to take that anger to the Capitol and that was wrong.”
Before shifting to fellow CNN host Michael Smerconish and chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, Cuomo tried to walk back his ‘end of America’ premise. “And just to be clear, I’m not saying a beginning or end of our country. I’m saying a beginning of this kind of phase of chaotic mobocracy, or will this be an endpoint where we pivot to something better,” he suggested.
But it was just this past Summer when Cuomo was speaking out in defense of such violent extremist mobs. It wasn’t the end of the country back then.
“And please, show me where it says that protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because, I can show you outraged citizens are the ones who have made America what she is and led to any major milestones,” he exclaimed in defense of Black Lives Matter and Antifa as they were destroying parts of the country.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Cuomo PrimeTime
January 6, 2021
9:32:15 p.m. Eastern(…)
CHRIS CUOMO: Now, David, we've heard many of our colleagues today saying the events were surreal, unimaginable. I disagree. I think it was all too real. I think this is where we are, and we’ve been blind to it, many of us who don't get to travel around the country a lot. This is who we are. There are a lot of people who believe with what those people were thinking and doing today at the Capitol.
The question is, does this mark a beginning or an end for this country?
DAVID GREGORY: Well, look, I think there is some positive to take out tonight. I think that speeches we're hearing on the floor of the House and the Senate are very important tonight. Mitt Romney, a prominent among them, and there have been others, Republicans and Democrats --
CUOMO: But only Democrats – but only Democrats were clapping for Romney, I’m told by the control room. When they started clapping for him, we wanted to know who. It wasn't his own party. Keep going.
GREGORY: Yeah. Nevertheless, Republicans and Democrats have made some very important points on a day that was being built up as a lot of theater and a lot of nonsense and people have taken stock. I try to be more positive after the events of today, where I think Republicans have an opportunity to reflect on the path that they're headed down.
I don't think -- even those who were, you know, who nursed grievances who were pro-Trump, I don't think this crowd, this mob today is reflective of them.
CUOMO: Yeah.
GREGORY: I don't think people would resort to violence. These were people who were particularly whipped up and vulnerable to this President's message, who went out of his way to tell them to take that anger to the Capitol and that was wrong.
CUOMO: Michael, let me get a quick button from you and then I want to go to Jim Acosta about what's happening in the White House. And just to be clear, I’m not saying a beginning or end of our country. I’m saying a beginning of this kind of phase of chaotic mobocracy, or will this be an endpoint where we pivot to something better?
(…)
