'Trump is not invited': CNN host shuts down MAGA spin on Obama library bash

CNN's Audie Cornish schooled a former Donald Trump staffer who pooh-poohed the opening of Barack Obama's presidential library.

The 64-year-old former president will be joined at his library's grand opening Thursday by George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and the event will include performances by legendary artists like Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Eddie Vedder, Jennifer Hudson and The Roots, and Cornish couldn't help but compare that to President Donald Trump's lackluster Freedom 250 lineup.

"It's very Obama erain terms of all the celebritiesbeing there, and we made a listof, like, who's going to be,who's going to be at this Obamaevent and their global recordsales, and then what's going onwith the Trump-backed Freedom250, which pretty much kickedoff a few weeks ago in terms ofwho was leaving it," Cornish said. "In theend, it's Lee Greenwood, apresident, the president'sfavorite, and a handful of otherartists. Is this a reminder of,like, kind of where Hollywood'sheart lies or the complicationthat Trump has his relationshipwith pop culture?"

Mike Dubke, a former communications director in Trump's first term, seemed caught off guard by the question.

"Is this to me?" he said. "I don't know that it's afair comparison."

Cornish disagreed, saying they were both massive events taking place within weeks of one another.

"I love presidentiallibraries," Dubke filibustered. "I think they are, andespecially to the point thatthey tell the story of thepresident in their own words. SoI've been to a few. I've beento Bill Clinton's down in Little Rock, I've been to Ronald Reagan's out in California. I think it'sincredibly interesting to walkthrough each of these libraries, and I'm in Chicago, I willprobably go to Obama'spresidential library because Ithink they're fantastic things."

"Trump is not invited," Cornish prodded, "just so we're clear."

"No, that's fine, but I don't – I will take a little issue onthis pop culture thing because Idon't know that comparing America's 250 and all thepolitics that are surroundingthis with what should be acelebration for Obama," Dunke said. "I'm not sure I'm there. We should be celebrating America's. 250 but look, thisis this is a celebration for Obama and the folks that reallyenjoyed his presidency, and, youknow, good on them for having a go."

Cornish then offered to provide some historical context to Obama's event in comparison to Trump's partisan takeover of the celebration of the United States' semiquincentennial.

"In an era where [diversity, equity and inclusion] has been completely, not justDEI, when Black American historyhas been carved out of the hallsof the federal government with awith like a butcher knife, themdoing this library on Juneteenthweek is on purpose and issignificant because maybe for Black Americans, that is ahistoric moment that this nationwill no longer celebrate underthe Trump administration," Cornish said. "Theyare not interested in talkingabout the history of slavery. Soit feels like the Obamas aredoing something very purposeful. They're creating an alternativehistorical celebration forpeople who feel like part oftheir history is forgotten."