Anderson Cooper: “The president of the United States is tired of so many black people coming to this country”

Cooper: “Let's not pretend or dance around it. The sentiment the president expressed today is a racist sentiment”

From the January 11 edition of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360:

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ANDERSON COOPER (HOST): Good evening. The president of the United States is tired of so many black people coming to this country, tired of immigrants from Haiti and Africa being allowed in.

[...]

James Baldwin, the great writer, the great American, said that, quote, “Ignorance allied with power is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” Ignorance, allied with power. For the president of The United States to believe that Haitians have not contributed extraordinary things to American society -- that is ignorant. For him to claim that all the countries of Africa are “shitholes” is woefully ignorant.

[...]

Perhaps the White House feels the president's remarks will be well-received in some parts of this country among some parts of the president's base, and perhaps that is true.

But it doesn't make what he said any less ignorant, or any less racist. Not racial, racially charged -- racist. Let's not kid ourselves. Let's not pretend or dance around it. The sentiment the president expressed today is a racist sentiment.

Previously:

Tucker Carlson defends Trump's racist “shithole” remarks

Fox host complains inner-city crime “more offensive” than Trump's “shithole” comments

Far-right trolls and white nationalists defend Trump's anti-Muslim video retweets