The real reason Trump is so jealous of Obama is that he might win an Emmy: Trump biographer

A CNN panel broke out into laughter talking about President Donald Trump's pathetic jealousy of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.

Obama's new book is slated to score major profits, so he was given a substantial advance for the book. Former first lady Michelle Obama has already enjoyed considerable success from the release of her book and tour. The couple has since made a production deal with Netflix for their company that will focus on fiction and non-fiction stories with a positive social message. Meanwhile, Trump is struggling to win reelection.

"Why is this president so fixated on the former president?" wondered Lemon. "Whether it is North Korea, federal judges, a racist birther lie about the former president not being born here, that’s the one that got him into the political scene. It seems like this president has an obsession with former President Obama. What’s going on?"

Trump biographer Michael d'Antonio explained that it's clear Trump simply can't quit Obama.

"It seems like he’s stuck, doesn’t it?" d'Antonio said. "This is actually another instance of the president lying. 'They did a poll and said I’m more popular than Obama.' It’s actually the opposite. Pew did a poll."

"Obama was number one?" Lemon asked and d'Antonio confirmed.

"So, this is what bothers him," d'Antonio explained. "I think the president sees a fairly resilient, popular president, better-looking than Trump, fitter than Trump. This is all stuff that he —"

"Voters with a favorable opinion of President Obama, 60 percent," Lemon cut in. "That’s higher than Trump’s approval rating right now."

"It’s higher than it’s ever been. It’s now below 40, so this is absurd," d'Antonio said.

Lemon wondered if it was because Obama actually knows "the art of the deal" in negotiating his book deal.

Republican strategist Tara Setmayer mocked Trump for not even writing the "Art of the Deal," or being able to garner any deals as president, despite promises.

"I don’t think that’s the only reason," said Setmayer. "Maybe that’s part of it, but also, you know, he’s just incredibly insecure. He is one of the most thin-skinned, insecure men in the most powerful position in the world I’ve ever seen. And this manic obsession, it’s jealousy. It’s envy. He just can’t stand that someone is adored more than he is. And something else about his obsession with President Obama which I find very strange, it shows the double standard of his ability to tell lies. He just lies about President Obama."

She also noted that Trump blamed the air conditioning in the White House on Obama. "I mean this is like a 'Saturday Night Live' skit!"

But d'Antonio noted that it's far more than Obama being loved by Americans; Trump can't accomplish any of the things Obama has.

"The other thing is that Obama was a very profound man. Trump is a very profane man. These are polar opposites," the biographer said. "One man denigrates women. The other marries the woman he loves and stays married to her and continues to love her. The difference between these people is more than black and white. It’s everything. It’s the essence of their humanity, and Trump knows that people see it. The last thing I want to say is the Netflix deal. Obama may win an Emmy, and Trump has been resentful about Emmys."

Trump has long been angry about not being nominated for an Emmy for his show "The Apprentice." Given Obama's production company, it's possible he could score a win while Trump struggles to manage his own White House.

Watch the discussion below: