October 11, 2017

It's cable news night. Hannity interviewed Trump and it was as bizarre as you might expect, so it seems natural and fitting that Don Lemon should one-up Hannity by calling bullshit on Ben Ferguson.

Yes, on the air, even. Their spat began over Trump's ridiculous NFL obsession. Ferguson launched the first volley by saying the players didn't protest until they started to protest Donald Trump, which is weird since Colin Kaepernick began this protest 18 months ago when Barack Obama was president.

Lemon reasonably asked Ferguson, "Why are you forcing patriotism on somebody?"

He replied that the president has a right an obligation to "protect and defend the honor, the integrity of the flag, the national anthem" because he's the president.

Is this where someone should interject that the president actually swears an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, a duty which Trump daily shirks as he threatens to yank major networks' broadcasting licenses?

Lemon called that right out, telling Ferguson, "We all know it's politics and it's hypocrisy."

From there, it launched into one of those back and forth things that usually drives me crazy and would have again tonight, except for the fact that Don Lemon just has no more fcks left to give and wasn't having it from Ferguson.

Lemon pushed Ferguson on why the national anthem is even played at football games, to which Ferguson gave the usual lame answer. "It's to honor the United States of America."

Off they went.

Ferguson: "You don't like my answer."

Lemon: "It's not true because we know we're in America. It's not as if we're playing some international country. It's two American teams playing each other. We know we're on American soil."

Ferguson: "Come on, you're smarter than this."

Lemon "Don't tell me I'm smarter than this. Yes, I'm smarter than the bullshit answer that you're giving."

Ferguson: "It's not BS."

Lemon: "It is bullshit."

Ferguson: "It is not."

Lemon: "It's total BS."

At this point, someone should probably have intervened. But instead, we were treated to Ben Ferguson calling Don Lemon an uppity negro.

"This is exactly the reason why so many Americans disagree with you because of the arrogance and lack of respect," Ferguson snarled.

Oh my, right for the racism there. I guess being told you're full of BS a bunch of times on the air was just too much for him.

The rest was more back and forth, though toward the end it looked as though Ana Navarro might take them both outside.

Reality here is that Donald Trump has found himself an issue that polls well, and he's riding it for all it's worth. There's no need for the national anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance at sporting events at all. It's a needless display. Further, kneeling during the anthem is not a sign of disrespect, especially in football where players kneel out of concern for other players who are injured.

Sorry, Ben, but Don is right. It really is bullshit.

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