CNN’s Lemon: GOP ‘Dangerous to Our Society’ — They Are ‘Merging’ with Extremists

CNN host Don Lemon said Thursday on “New Day” that the Republican Party was “dangerous to our society” because it was merging with extremist groups like the Oath Keepers.

While discussing his interview with former Oath Keepers spokesman and January 6 hearing witness Jason Van Tatenhove, Lemon said, “It was surreal sitting there with someone who identified in some way with the Oath Keepers whether he was a member or worked for them a spokesperson what have you, but sitting there with this guy who has worked with a group who was part of the insurrection, who has been part of the tearing down of democracy, who has been demonizing people like me and you who work for the media, people of color, women, and, you know, going into the Capitol and trying to steal a free and fair election.”

He continued, “We sit around, and we talk about these things, and we want to give this false equivalence to Democrats and Republicans. That is not where we are right now. Republicans are doing something that is very dangerous to our society, and we have to acknowledge that. We have to acknowledge that as Americans, we must acknowledge that as journalists because if we don’t, we are not doing our jobs. We cannot sit here and pretend like, well, Republicans. It’s a — cut them a break. We want to hear. They have a lot to answer for in this moment. A lot to answer for what happened with the former president of the United States, why they allowed his antics to go on for so long, why he is not accountable, why they go along with it and don’t say anything. They’ve got to answer for that. Why they are, whether you agree with abortion rights or not, why they have taken back a right that was granted to American women for 50 years? They have to answer for those questions if they come here on CNN. They must answer for that. If they go on MSNBC, they must answer for that. If they go on ABC, they must answer for that. They cannot expect to be coddled when they go on to a news organization or if they step in front of a crowd of supporters or voters or Americans. We have a former member of the Oath Keepers who is saying we are in very dangerous territory. We have a history professor who is telling us right now that the GOP is becoming more and more associated with extremists.”

Anchor John Berman said, “That’s specifically what they were talking about that was interesting and notable, the suggestion that there’s bleed-over between the Oath Keepers and they talked about, I think they brought up Idaho.”

Lemon said, “It not bleed-over. It is the merger. They are merging. Let’s not pretend.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN