In 2016, people like Don Lemon and Rick Wilson (and even this editor to be completely honest and fair) underestimated Trump’s base and all but wrote them off.

And then Trump won.

You’d think more of us would have learned from this (like this editor did), but fortunately for Trump, that’s not the case. Don and Rick and some guy nobody seems to really care about just handed Trump the best 2020 campaign ad ever.

Watch.

The arrogance, the dismissiveness, the smug cackling, the accents. If Donald Trump wins re-election this year, I’ll remember this brief CNN segment late one Saturday night in January as the perfect encapsulation for why it happened. pic.twitter.com/8kQ6zN9AZV — Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) January 28, 2020

Sad, right? And to think, we’re watching a bunch of grown men behaving this way on national television. Granted, no one seemed to see it when it aired live (only a dozen or so people actually watch CNN), but still, you’d think they’d want to at least appear somewhat professional.

Remember when Don wondered out loud if the missing Malaysian airliner actually flew into a black hole? Mental giants these guys.

Trump defended his base:

Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television (with terrible ratings!). https://t.co/iQXCc7lvCt — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2020

Seems the president knows an excellent ad for his re-election when he sees one.

The media hardly ever hides their contempt for @realDonaldTrump supporters but this clip is featuring CNN’s @donlemon, The New York Times’ @WajahatAli, and @TheRickWilson is ludicrous. This is one of the most offensive segments I’ve seen in a while.

pic.twitter.com/CknQQZ5idR — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 28, 2020

And considering Rick was interviewed, that says a lot.

You consistently make fun of half the country and then complain that it is divided. The arrogance, mocking accents and smug ridicule of this nation’s ‘Real Elites’ is disgusting. https://t.co/p3RQzymx4s — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) January 28, 2020

Don Lemon is a sad little man. https://t.co/N4v3lxkm4q — Tiffany FitzHenry (@Tiff_FitzHenry) January 28, 2020

You are the company you keep, Rick.

The most telling thing about the Don Lemon segment is no one commented on it when it aired. No one watched it. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 28, 2020

The most trusted name in news. https://t.co/ohyWhi497c — Byron York (@ByronYork) January 28, 2020

Just a reminder that if Fox News had anything close to what happened on Don Lemon's show, CNN would be all hands on deck. Don't believe me? Behold the obsession with Fox News. pic.twitter.com/PtQcGJ6j6c — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) January 28, 2020

If Fox News had aired something like this when Obama was president there would have been people marching in the streets, buildings on fire, and calls for the pundit’s job.

When they think they’re winning, the mask slips & their contempt for half the country shows. Here they also reveal a missing sense of humor. I love stupid jokes, if they’re funny. This is just stupid. When Don Lemon doubles over in a fake laugh, I cringe. pic.twitter.com/1YxNOYlvwu — Mike (@Doranimated) January 28, 2020

It is pretty embarrassing for the three of them, especially the guy no one seems to recognize.

This is what people like a Don Lemon and Rick Wilson think of half of this nation. CNN should be ashamed of this. https://t.co/iUY5UlT5Uo — Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) January 28, 2020

I cannot wait until 2020, when Trump is re-elected and we get to see idiots like Don Lemon cry on national TV over it. It is because of arrogant journalists like this that Trump will win again in 2020. — RD (@real_defender) January 28, 2020

Incredible. @cnn has sunk to yet another new low. https://t.co/6NkwNE9M1C — Chicks On The Right (@chicksonright) January 28, 2020

If there was any confusion left this is what the tolerant left and media think of Trump supporters. Don Lemon, Rick Wilson, and Wajahat Ali showed their true colors. Apparently the left didn’t learn from calling us Deplorables. pic.twitter.com/vKvJosEAYe — Jason Lewis (@LewisForMN) January 28, 2020

They learned nothing.

Heck, at this point we almost wonder if Rick is trying to get Trump re-elected. He had to know acting like a huge jackass with Don Lemon would only fuel Trump’s base …

Then again, maybe we’ve overestimated the guy.

The most beautiful part of this entirely contrived phony bullshit outrage about that segment isn’t that I insulted the Maga demo. The best part is how they’re repeating the now-classic #UCrane bit and amplifying a line that clearly made @realDonaldTrump furious. pic.twitter.com/rNr1skjYZ1 — Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 28, 2020

Sure, Rick, it’s everyone else who played themselves.

Keep telling yourself that.

***

Related:

‘The circus is OVER!’ Senator Kelly Loeffler calls Mitt Romney OUT in a big way for trying to appease the Left with impeachment witnesses

So PISSED: David Frum shows the Left his true colors in brutally honest Bernie Sanders piece and talk about a MELTDOWN

BRING it: Sen. Josh Hawley calls Democrats’ bluff on witnesses with list of people he plans to call and DAMN (cue Adam Schiff’s panic)