Senate Republicans blocked debate on the Freedom to Vote act on Wednesday. The bill would address some of the voting restrictions many Republicans states have enacted since the 2020 election.
The legislation was shot down thanks to the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to begin and end debate on most bills. Many liberals have called for it to be abolished or reformed, but some Senate Democrats such as Joe Manchin are steadfastly opposed to doing so.
A thoroughly pissed off Don Lemon reacted during Wednesday night’s extended handoff with Chris Cuomo. Lemon predicted that voting rights would be the hill that Democrats die on.
“It will be the hill the Democratic Party dies on because that’s what voters want,” said Lemon. “The voters who pushed this president into office. Black and Brown voters, Black and Latino voters, women. They want voting rights. They want access, equal access, not special access, equal access to the voting booth. And they are not getting that. Now, what they’re getting is the complete opposite. They’re getting a party, which is the minority party in the country actually running the show holding back the vote on voting rights. So I think it will be the hill they die on.”
Cuomo responded, “Well, we don’t know. But it would’ve been the fight I focused on.”
Lemon then pivoted to Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and castigated
Notably, he criticized Biden for holding public relations events during the middle of the day, as the president had done earlier on Wednesday.
“If you stop holding events at two o’clock in the afternoon when people are at work or in traffic, and start holding them when people are actually at home and watching and paying attention, then maybe, you may be able to change the narrative,” said Lemon.
The CNN host then suggested Biden use his bully pulpit to communicate more effectively.
“I’m going to make sure I have their attention,” said Lemon, assuming the role of Biden. “I’m going to tell them what is in the bill. I’m going to tell them what I’m selling that is going to help them and everybody in red America and everybody in blue America and all Americans. I’m not just gonna to sit back and expect the news media to do it for me because it’s not [the media’s] job to sell the narrative.”
Donning his pundit hat once again, Lemon returned to voting rights and went off on Biden and the Democrats, telling them to get their “butts in gear” and calling them “weak”:
It’s our job to discuss what you are doing and yes, part of what’s in
it. But it’s not our job to sell your agenda for you! They are not selling their agenda!And the only reason that I am so enthusiastic about this is because our democracy is on the line and I don’t want America to lose its democracy. I don’t want America to be a country of minority rule and I don’t want America to be a place where Black and Brown people like me whose ancestors fought and died for the right to vote are restricted from going to the voting booth. That is the most un-American thing to do.So, I have this platform that I have now, and I am speaking very passionately about it. Democrats, get your butts in gear and get passionate about saving this damn country. You’re not doing it! You’re weak! You are weak! You are weak!
Watch above via CNN.