CNN White House correspondent said to Don Lemon on Tuesday that President Trump will not change until "members of courage" in the Republican party "stand up and say, no, Mr. President you're wrong."



"He has united the country against the views that he espoused today which were right there on the edge of white nationalism," Acosta declared.



"I don't think it's really a surprise to anybody that he is espousing these views," Acosta told Lemon. "You know, we've been talking about dog whistles all day today. These were loud speakers blaring at Trump Tower."





JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It was disturbing, Don. I think we saw the President's true colors today. I'm not sure they were red, white, and blue. The White House put out some talking points tonight. This is what they say. The President was entirely correct. Both sides of the violence in Charlottesville acted inappropriately and bear some responsibility. There's another one that says he has been a voice for unity and calm. This is Alice in Wonderland stuff. How the White House could put out talking points saying the president was in the right here, it is just baffling, it is strange and in one respect. He has united the country against the views that he espoused today which were right there on the edge of white nationalism...



ACOSTA: For years he said the President Barack Obama wasn't born in this country. He said Barack Obama wire tap me at Trump Tower. Didn't have all the facts when he made those statements, there's a litany of examples where he made statements without having the facts. That is ridiculous. The other thing he said was I didn't know David Duke was there. But later on, almost on the same breath, he said I watched this more closely than probably you guys did. Time and again, there were contradictions in what he said all day long. You know, I don't think it's really a surprise to anybody that he is espousing these views. You know, we've been talking about dog whistles all day today. These were loud speakers blaring at Trump Tower...



DON LEMON: Listen, GOP leadership, Jim, sources telling you that the President's abilities to effectively govern is dwindling by the hour.



ACOSTA: Yeah. I mean, that is pretty strong stuff. That is from the leadership of the Republican Party and Congress. And I think it goes to Rick's point and that is, you know when do they stop saying this anonymously and start saying this point pointedly about the President. History offers these moments' to our leaders. History is kind of issuing that call right now. Who is going to have that moment of courage inside the Republican Party to stand up and say, no, Mr. President, you're wrong. You can't do this anymore. We have not reached that moment yet. There have been Senators here and there Jeff Flake and so on who, have made strong statements but until Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, until a prominent member of the Republican Party steps forward and says it's time to stop, Mr. President, I don't think his behavior is going to change.

Historians will someday talk about this week as a textbook case of mass hysteria. I'm trained to spot mass hysteria. If you aren't... — Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) August 16, 2017