‘Wrong Answer!’ CNN Host Dunks On Own Audience For Overwhelming Support of Fall Trump Trial Date

Michael Smerconish chastised his own audience Saturday after they voted on whether it was “appropriate” for the DOJ to try Donald Trump right before the 2024 election.

The CNN host explained that the Department of Justice has a “standing policy of not taking certain actions close in time to an election. Five recent attorneys general have all signed the same memo affirming the importance of keeping politics out of investigations.”

Smerconish then set up Saturday’s audience poll, which is a regular feature on the show, by asking, “Where’s the line for when it becomes inappropriate to try Trump?”

He continued:

Is it 60 days before an election? Is it 90 days before an election? There’s no precedent for this situation, no rule book governs this particular scenario. Truly, we are in uncharted waters. And Merrick Garland is holding a lot of the cards. It all leads me to today’s poll question today at smerconish.com, go and vote on this: Is it appropriate for DOJ to try Trump in the fall of  2024?

Garland appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith to investigate and prosecute Trump in two cases: His involvement in the Jan. 6, 2022, riot; and Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.

When the poll results came in, Smerconish expressed his dismay.

“OK, there it is, the results so — oh, come on guys! Ladies!” He exclaimed, continuing:

Nearly 40,000 have voted so far and 88% are saying, “Yes?” My, my disappointment is — put that camera on me for a second. It’s not that lop-sided a question. It is not a, it is not a 90 percenter. Like, you’re making me think that, if instead the poll question today was, “Why don’t we just dispense with the trial and move right to the sentencing phase?” That would probably be get 82% of the audience today! No. It’s the wrong answer, at least by that margin. It’s a much closer call.

Watch the clip above via CNN.