CNN political commentator Jeffrey Lord compared President Donald Trump to famed civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. on Thursday morning during “New Day” and Twitter was quick to react.
“Think of President Trump as the Martin Luther King of health care,” Lord said as fellow CNN political commentator Symone Sanders looked absolutely dumbfounded.
He asserted that civil rights legislation was only introduced in the 1960s because of King “putting people in the streets in harm’s way to put the pressure on so that the bill would be introduced. That’s what finally worked.”
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Sanders was quick to shut down the outrageous comparison of a civil rights activist with a sitting U.S. president.
“Jeffrey, you do understand that Dr. King was marching for civil rights because people that looked like me were being beaten,” she quickly responded. “Dogs were being sicked on them. Basic human rights were being withheld from these people merely because the color of their skin.
“So let’s not equate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner, to the vagina-grabbing President Donald Trump.”
The online reaction to Lord’s remarks was swift — and mostly withering.
When Jeffrey Lord calls President Trump, "The Martin Luther King of healthcare." pic.twitter.com/Sn7XgupREx
— Too Black Too Strong (@EthanObama) April 13, 2017
For Jeffrey Lord, who knows better. pic.twitter.com/aKQuFElTzv
— Omar Moore (@popcornreel) April 13, 2017
Jeffrey Lord is the Sean Spicer of CNN. https://t.co/ySGTRip3KY
— Chrisi (@ChrisiDoo222) April 13, 2017
Jeffrey Lord says something tremendously stupid and, frankly, vaguely racist; @SymoneDSanders is there to shut. him. DOWN. https://t.co/b1cLMDknT9
— Jim Gould (@Biscuit_Tornado) April 13, 2017
Jeffrey Lord compared Trump to MLK. pic.twitter.com/UQawzeOHlf
— Alt Fed Employee (@Alt_FedEmployee) April 13, 2017
Please don't judge all vampires based on Jeffrey Lord. They're not all that bad, some of them just suck blood.
— Rory Albanese (@RoryAlbanese) April 13, 2017
@keithboykin Jeffrey Lord is as dumb as a box of rocks. Wish CNN would drop him. He would suck up to the devil if he was paid.
— Jan (@Janettesecond) April 13, 2017
Political strategist Jeffrey Lord called Trump the MLK of health care.
I bet he thinks black people are the ones drinking the Kool-Aid.
— VnT (@Vodkantots) April 13, 2017
Jeffrey Lord also said Jared Kushner = Alexander Hamilton. A finely-tuned historical sensibility at work here. Not hucksterism. https://t.co/qAZ15h6eH2
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) April 13, 2017
Jeffrey Lord: Have you seen Carrot Top? That guy is the Malcolm X of comedy.
— Corey Miller (@StopEatingBees) April 13, 2017
Jeffrey Lord says "Donald Trump the MLK of health care." Sean Spicer's probably thinking: Hey, why didn't I think of that!?
— Frank Cerabino (@FranklyFlorida) April 13, 2017