CNN Host on Obama's Fox News and Rush Complaints: Isn't He Above That? Like, You Don't Punch Down.

◼ link - Kyle Becker/IJ Review

In an absolutely brutal segment with Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen, CNN host Don Lemon and conservative guest Reihan Salam dismantle the argument that Fox News and Rush Limbaugh are responsible for Obama’s failings.

This is one of those segments that leaves you wincing as Rosen puts out one weak argument after another, which are subsequently batted down with astute observations, and well, the truth.

After Rosen argues that the president’s words and intentions are “blown out of proportion” by Republicans, Lemon asks pointedly, “Isn’t the president above that? Like, you don’t punch down.”

Amazingly, Rosen comes back with an absolutely silly argument.

...Don Lemon turns to Reihan Salam and it gets even worse for Rosen. “Is he giving them ammunition just be speaking about this?”

“Here’s the fundamental problem, Don,” Salam responds. “The problem is that there are a lot of people, including Democratic lawmakers, including women who serve in the Obama administration who say that this is a difficult guy to work with. There are lawmakers, Democratic lawmakers, who feel as though he has just been tremendously difficult working helping them achieve their goals. It’s not just Republicans. So I have a feeling that the president sometimes wants to shift blame to other people for some of his failures as a communicator and someone who is building communications.”

“Is he shifting blame or is it just the truth?” Don Lemon follows up with Rosen.