'Why can’t you say that that was garbage?' Ex-GOP lawmaker cornered by conservative on CNN

A former GOP congressman's refusal to push back on the slew of racist attacks to come out of Donald Trump’s New York City rally left a CNN panel exasperated as some tried to make sense of his defense – including a conservative at the table.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) on Monday night repeatedly deflected during an appearance on CNN from questioning from anchor Kaitlan Collins – and other panel guests – pivoting instead to topics such as Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton and MSNBC.

“Why is this Kamala Harris’ problem? This is the Republic Party’s problem,” conservative commentator S.E. Cupp told Zeldin. “You’re a good conservative Lee, I know you, why can’t you say that that was garbage?!”

He appeared to confuse Cupp with his response.

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“Would you say that that’s a Nazi rally? Would you say that Trump is Hitler?

“I didn’t say that,” Cupp responded.

“No, you wouldn’t, you didn’t, but the problem is Hilary Clinton did,” he said.

Cupp again told Zeldin he was “a good conservative” and asked if he would condemn the rally, which the former lawmaker again refused.

“It doesn't take a lot of courage to say on the policies I’m with him, but this is garbage,” Cupp later said.

Watch the clip below or at this link.