The argument was over immigration. And it wasn’t a good combat. On this nook, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida. Completely fluent with info, and capable of current them in a cogent and compelling method.

Within the different nook, Don Lemon, with a weak grasp of the info, and able to little aside from haranguing Donalds, repeatedly, patronizingly, informing him that it could be “higher” for him to work with Biden moderately than criticize him. Cease dealing up to now two years, Lemon repeatedly instructed.  Ever heard this one, Don: those that ignore historical past are condemned to repeat it?

If, as a substitute of Lemon, it had been a white conservative addressing a black liberal in such a condescending method, telling him what could be “higher” for him to do . . . you fill within the blanks.

Donalds annoyed Lemon from the soar, noting border crossings going from 400-500,000 yearly earlier than Biden, to 2.2 million in 2022 beneath Biden. Lemon then insisted “Homeland Safety is saying your numbers do not match up.”

LEMON: Would not a greater response be, nicely we do not agree with this, however we would wish to take this framework and work on it and attempt to make it higher, moderately than simply saying, it is not great, this isn’t going to work? I need to see it. He really put one thing out and laid one thing on the market for individuals to work with. Is not that a greater thought to attempt to do it?

DONALDS: Two issues: primary, we have been at Oversight yesterday discussing this particularly. I do know Homeland Safety’s numbers, belief me. My numbers add up! I did the maths yesterday in committee. We really talked with border chiefs about it particularly yesterday. Quantity two, the president’s immigration insurance policies, when he modified border protocols, when he got here into workplace January 20, 2021, these are his govt orders. They’ve led to the huge shifts, the huge raises and folks crossing the border illegally.

LEMON: Reply my query.

DONALDS: I’m!

LEMON: Would not it’s higher to attempt to work with the president as a substitute of criticizing the plan, saying it is not going to work, or, [inaudible] has not labored.

Observe: For these following the rift between Lemon and co-host Kaitlin Collins, during which CNN honcho Chris Licht ordered Lemon off the air for a day after he screamed at Collins for interrupting him, there was an attention-grabbing second right now. At one level, Lemon, conscious that he was hogging the airtime, mentioned to Donalds, whereas gesturing at Collins [see screencap]: “I do not need to preserve arguing with you. I would like my colleague to get in.” Then he did not let her in. He saved preventing with Donalds. 

CNN’s Don Lemon condescending to GOP Rep. Byron Donalds on immigration was sponsored partially by Farmers Insurance coverage, Audi, and GlaxoSmithKline, maker of Voltaren.

This is the transcript.

CNN This Morning
2/8/23
6:21 am ET

BYRON DONALDS: Earlier than the president got here into workplace, your common consumption was about 400,000. Perhaps 500,000 for those who had a surge yr. Since he is been president, 1.6 million entrants in 2021. 2.2 million entrants in 2022. And rising. All they’re attempting to do is shift the burden. That is all they’re doing.

DON LEMON: Homeland Safety is saying your numbers do not match up. In order that, pay attention, let’s transfer on, as a result of I need to ask. Is not that the purpose of a plan, is to debate? You are saying that we need to see, we need to see the plan. 

The president put out a plan. Would not a greater response be, nicely we do not agree with this, however we would wish to take this framework and work on it and attempt to make it higher, moderately than simply saying, it is not great, this isn’t going to work? I need to see it.

He really put one thing out and laid one thing on the market for individuals to work with. Is not that a greater thought to attempt to do it?

DONALDS: Two issues: primary, we have been at Oversight yesterday discussing this particularly. I do know Homeland Safety’s numbers, belief me. My numbers add up! I did the maths yesterday in committee. We really talked with border chiefs about it particularly yesterday. Quantity two, the president’s immigration insurance policies, when he modified border protocols, when he got here into workplace January 20, 2021, these are his govt orders. They’ve led to the huge shifts, the huge raises and folks crossing the border illegally.

LEMON: Reply my query.

DONALDS: I’m!

LEMON: Would not it’s higher to attempt to work with the president as a substitute of criticizing the plan, saying it is not going to work, or, [inaudible] has not labored.

DONALDS: We might like to.However you really must safe the border! You must care for the problems. Like I mentioned, unlawful crossings are up 4 —

LEMON: Is not he saying that is what he is attempting to do? However you are criticizing one thing that occurred up to now. What he is saying is that I need to transfer ahead and attempt to work individuals. 

And also you’re saying, however, however and you are wanting backwards as a substitute of ahead, just like the people who heckled him and mentioned, he goes, wait, wait, I am getting there. After which the subsequent sentence out of his mouth is, we need to work on border safety and attempt to work on these items. You are wanting backwards!

DONALDS: Don, you need to look again on the coverage adjustments! How are you going to ignore four-and-a-half million individuals coming by the southern border and say, do not look again on the final two years, let’s simply look ahead? You must have coverage adjustments.

LEMON: You may’t retroactively change the insurance policies. You may say you need to work sooner or later to vary them.

DONALDS: You must have coverage adjustments!

LEMON: Okay, superb. Is not that what he’s saying?

DONALDS: You have to have coverage adjustments! 

LEMON: Is not that what he is saying?

DONALDS: No, he is re-allocating the state of affairs. He isn’t modified the general protocols. He is simply re-allocating them. That is the purpose that we’re making. Should you return to remain-in-Mexico, which did work, for those who really return to creating positive you adjudicate asylum earlier than anyone involves the border. Should you say to frame brokers, which was the coverage beneath President Trump, President Obama, President Clinton and President Bush, that  they’ll make, they’ll make determinations —

LEMON: I do not need to preserve arguing with you. I would like my colleague [Kaitlan Collins] to get in.

However once more, is there a solution that claims, as a substitute of we do not need to look again, is there a solution that claims, transferring ahead, this is what we will do?

DONALDS: Transferring ahead, you need to give border brokers the correct instruments to be able to really safe the border. The president has taken that from them. That is what he did.

LEMON: Okay, so, sooner or later, you wish to he see the president do what with border brokers?

DONALDS: I simply instructed you! You must give them the flexibility to make determinations about credible concern. You must reinstate the remain-in-Mexico coverage. You must not give huge asylum proceedings, which by the way in which are taking six years to get by. And folks go to the primary listening to, and —

LEMON: You are saying you are keen to work with the president on these insurance policies, to vary them transferring ahead?

DONALDS: The president really has to make border adjustments. He is the one individual that may try this, and he is not doing it.

LEMON: You are keen to work with him to try this?

DONALDS: In the event that they’re credible adjustments, after all!