CNN host Don Lemon said Tuesday he didn’t think it was possible to redeem some supporters of former President Donald Trump and that they could “enjoy” themselves living in their “fantasy land.”
Lemon was joined on his broadcast of “CNN Tonight” by former Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich and discussed with him how some Republicans and Trump supporters are “not living in reality” and that it was “impossible” to reason with them. (RELATED: Cuomo Defends Trump Voters Who Didn’t Storm Capitol In Debate With Don Lemon)
“How do you reason with unreasonable people, John? I think it’s impossible,” Lemon began. “I think asking sane people to try to reason with people who are not living in reality is quite a tall order, and I’m not quite sure if it’s fair because no matter how many times you tell them the election wasn’t rigged, no matter how many courts you send it to with Republican judges, with Republican electors, they still won’t believe it.”
Lemon was referring to the belief among many Trump supporters that the 2020 election was lost to President Joe Biden due to alleged widespread voter fraud. Trump’s legal team brought forth a number of lawsuits in multiple states challenging the results, but nearly all of them were thrown out.
“First of all, there are people that have — that left Donald Trump on Jan. 6, and they’re never going back. Secondly, the Republican Party has got to be careful because they’re shrinking. They are a shrinking party in this country,” Kasich said. “And in addition to that, Don, not all the people who supported Trump were your traditional Republicans.”
Some Republicans and supporters of Trump distanced themselves from the president after a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, allegedly as a result of his incitement. This event led to his impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 13.
Kasich went on to say that some of those supporters who have concerns need to be heard and responded to.
“We can’t lose our temper, Don. We can’t shut them off. Some of them are gone. I agree with you on that. But not all of them are gone. And some of them I think we can pull back by showing them facts … I’m as frustrated as you are, man,” Kasich continued.
Lemon responded by saying that it wasn’t his job to judge or redeem people.
“I don’t know they want to. I don’t believe that they want to. I think they like living in the world they are living in and so be it. Let them live in that world. I think people on the same side should galvanize together and keep living in reality,” Lemon concluded. “If they choose to come over, fine. If not, enjoy yourselves in living in your fantasy land.”