Smerconish Rips Trump’s Boy Scouts Speech: ‘We Need to Stop Rewarding Forces of Division’

.@smerconish calls John McCain "the real hero of the week" https://t.co/XJPWvyPSaK https://t.co/TOAx7W10i6

— CNN (@CNN) July 29, 2017

At the top of his program this morning, CNN’s Michael Smerconish made it a point to acknowledge and commend Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), labeling him as the “real hero of the week” for the Republican lawmaker’s speech where he called on his colleagues to embrace bipartisanship.

Regarding McCain slamming “bombastic loudmouths” on TV and radio who encourage partisan divides, Smerconish expressed agreement.

“Of course, he’s right,” the CNN host stated. “This week’s dysfunction is directly tied to men with microphones and keyboard commandos.”

This led Smerconish to bring up President Donald Trump’s speech at the Boy Scout’s Jamboree as an example of sowing divisions in the political discourse. Explaining that the president had promised to not make it a political speech before doing just that, Smerconish then made the following observation:

“Some have defended the president by accurately noting that he was well received. I don’t doubt that he received thunderous applause. But that’s part of our problem, we need to stop rewarding forces of division.”

In the aftermath of the speech and the ensuing criticism it received, the Boys Scouts issued an apology to “anyone offended by the political rhetoric” of Trump’s address.

Watch the clip above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Justin Baragona on Twitter: @justinbaragona

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