Don Lemon Breaks Into Segment to Challenge Pro-Trump Pundit’s White Supremacy Defense: ‘What Do You Mean by Heritage?’

In the immediate hours that followed a terrifyingly spirited presidential debate that featured President Donald Trump refusing to condemn white supremacists, a national discussion on hate groups seemed to arise organically. An excellent example of this could be found on CNN, as co-anchors Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon dissected the highs, lows, and, well, lower lows from the debate.

Trump is well-known for comments he made following the violent protests in Charlottesville during his first year in office, where he defended “both sides” of civil unrest that featured white supremacists and neo-nazis. Pro-Trump CNN pundit Mike Shields revealed his disappointment with Trump’s “botched” debate answer over white supremacists because the president missed the chance to clear up the previous statement. The former RNC officer defended Trump, saying he was “talking about people that believe in heritage.”

It was at that point that Lemon broke into the discussion and pointedly asked Shields, “Mike, what does ‘heritage’ mean? What does that word mean to you?”

Shields was caught flat-footed and replied, “Well, look, I’m not…I’m not defending the heritage folks. I’m saying that is who he was talking about, not the white supremacists. He was making a distinction…”

“If you’re not defending them, are you saying they’re not good people because you’re not defending them?” Lemon pressed. “Who would be marching in a rally that was put together by racists and white supremacists and bigots? What good person on that side?”

The look on Shields’ face at that moment revealed an individual who suddenly realized he had perhaps taken a step too far. Lemon did not let him off, possibly motivated by Trump’s comments earlier in the debate.

“And what does heritage mean?” the CNN host asked. “America’s all of our heritage. It’s my heritage, too. I’m an American. My family helped build this country, so I don’t know what you mean by heritage. That word, I think, sounds to me like code for a bigot.”

“Don, look, I’m not trying to argue with you on that,” Shields replied, adding, “I’m not defending it.” Shields then thoughtfully explained that, in his esteem, “there is a difference between a neo-nazi white supremacist proud boy who is openly racist.”

“They are despicable people,” he continued. “They have no place in our political discourse. I certainly don’t want them in the Republican party.”

Watch above via CNN.