Don Lemon: Why Does the Right Make Al Sharpton into ‘Boogeyman’?

CNN anchor Don Lemon came to the defense (sort of) of cable news rival Al Sharpton today, agreeing with one of his guests that Sharpton might not be right all the time, but the right tends to exaggerate when it comes to Sharpton and makes him into some kind of “boogeyman.”

Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley argued that Eric Holder and President Obama don’t want a serious conversation about race, because a few months ago they attended an event for Sharpton’s group. He asked, “Does Al Sharpton strike you as the type of person you turn to to have a sober, considered discussion of race in America?”

Lemon argued that he doesn’t always agree with Sharpton, but sometimes he’s been a force for good and was one of the “most sober” presidential candidates in 2004. Riley shot back, “He’s one of the most racially divisive people in this country.”

Lemon said that the right makes Sharpton into some sort of “boogeyman,” and suggested the right gins up a lot of what Sharpton says instead of looking at the body of his work, and rather than debating Sharpton on the substance, the mere mention of his name is a way to completely dismiss an entire issue.

Watch the video below, via CNN:

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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