CNN's Scott Jennings got a scolding when he interrupted a Democratic strategist discussing Thursday's Supreme Court arguments on Donald Trump's desire to do away with automatic birthright citizenship.
"This is what I don't get," Lis Smith began on Thursday's "The Arena" with Kasie Hunt. "It is pretty crystal clear in the Constitution, if you're born here, you get citizenship. And, why is Donald Trump picking this fight? Only 25% of voters support getting rid of birthright citizenship; less than 50% of Republicans do. And, you know, I'm not in the business of giving Donald Trump advice."
She continued, "Scott you could call up the president and give him some really good advice and say, 'Hey, you know, that comprehensive immigration bill that you helped tank last year?"
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"Are you still on that?" Jennings interrupted. "Even though you lost the election over it."
"Scott, let me talk. Don't interrupt me," Smith admonished. " But, you could take that bill — you now control the White House, the House and the Senate — and pass it. Presidents from both parties for decades have been trying to get this through. He could be a historic president by doing that. Instead, he's taking on a fight like birthright citizenship, which is a loser for them, will not go through. And I think that this is why, you know, people are turning against Trump on an issue that was one of his strongest against Democrats in November."
"I'll just briefly answer," Jennings retorted. "We didn't need the bill; we just needed a new president, as Donald Trump has argued. He changed executive branch policy, and has effectively closed the southern border. And now he's taking executive action to get rid of the violent people who were here. We don't need legislation. We just need the executive branch to be able to do what's clearly enumerated them to do in the Constitution.
