CNN host Alisyn Camerota couldn't help but laugh at Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) who twisted himself into a pretzel trying to justify President Donald Trump's accusation that Democrats were treasonous for not clapping for him at the state of the union address last week.
Collins began by attacking Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), who walked out of the address and claimed that the move was completely unacceptable.
"I think that says it all when it comes to the Democrat response," Collins claimed. "They were stoic, sitting on their hands. They did not want to applaud at any turn...it was just a very partisan reaction. And I've sat through some of former President Obama's states and we were--"
Camerota played a series of clips from President Barack Obama's address in 2010 and 2013, showing Republicans stone-faced, many shaking their heads.
"Why wasn't that embarrassing?" Camerota asked.
Collins argued that it was a level of "degrees." Democrats did the same thing to Trump, however, it was different, Collins argued. Because "Democrats were more subdued" while Republicans were "reserved."
Camerota laughed out loud asking how both groups not applauding can mean one was more subdued than the other. She then questioned how walking out was worse than Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouting "you lie" at Obama, but the congressman simply made a joke about it.
"That wasn't very subdued, Congressman," Camerota said of Wilson.
"No, in fact, you might get a chuckle, I suggested to Joe Wilson that during Trump's address he should stand up and shout, 'Now that's the truth!'" Collins siad.
"Congressman, now that's a funny line, but you seem to be ignoring the point," Camerota said. "Which is, that was incredibly disrespectful. Why are you more focused on Democrats not applauding?"
"Well, no, that was disrespectful," Collins conceded. "I would say it was an emotional response, much like Gutierrez storming out of the chamber. It is what it is, what it was, for that moment in time, where Joe Wilson was reacting to something he thought was not truthful and Gutierrez was reacting to the president saying we should respect our flag."
"Hold on," Camerota paused. "You think yelling 'you lie' at the president of the United States is the same as walking out of a room?"
Collins tried to argue that walking out of the room while Republicans are chanting "USA! USA!" is "very disrespectful," where "in the case for Joe Wilson something just hit him he was not hearing and it was an emotional response."
"Humm," Camerota pondered. "I see, so Joe Wilson's was an emotional response but not Gutierrez. OK. Thank you."
Watch below:
