CNN host repeatedly calls out Democrats' 'perplexing' hypocrisy on US-Mexico border security

CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota pointed out the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party and their stance against a border barrier between the U.S. and Mexico.

What did she say?

During an exchange with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Camerota — who formerly worked at Fox News and left the network in 2014 to join CNN — took the lawmaker to task over Democrats' role in negotiations over funding for the border wall.

"Here's what so confusing, is that by Wednesday, the president had moved away from his wall — he was then calling it a 'barrier.' Democrats aren't opposed to a barrier at the border, are they?" Camerota asked Friday on CNN's "New Day."

Hoyer responded that Democrats are prepared to "negotiate" on border security.

"Let me give you a fact that may be interesting for you. The largest amount of infrastructure money that was spent in the last 10 years was in 2009 when Democrats were in charge of everything — $823 billion," he said. "So this is not a question of if we're not in favor of strengthening the border and making sure that our borders are secure and Americans are safe."

Camerota fired back, "And that's why it's so perplexing! That's why it's so perplexing! If you say that you believe in border security, and the president wants border security, surely there's a compromise!"

Hoyer deflected, saying, "What I don't believe in is shutting down the government and saying, 'If you don't do what I say, then I'm going to keep the government of the United States of America shut down' — that's not a policy that ought to be pursued."

CNN's Alisyn Camerota calls out Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for the Democrats' “perplexing" hypocrisy on border security pic.twitter.com/bppsHbsHmj
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 11, 2019

Anything else?

Camerota also pointed out Democratic hypocrisy on Thursday's "New Day," specifically targeting Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y).

Camerota said that Democrats owned a share of the partial government shutdown and indicated that they are simply sitting on their hands when it comes to actually negotiating with the president over U.S. border security.

"Aren't Democrats to blame here as well?" she asked, noting that after recent talks with Trump broke down, "The reporting from inside the room, from CNN, is that the vice president stuck around to try to do some cleanup on aisle four."

"And [Pence] said to Schumer and Pelosi, 'OK, so what's your counteroffer?" she continued. "And they didn't make one! How's that a negotiation? How's not providing any counteroffer moving the ball forward?"

Former Clinton White House press secretary Joe Lockhart, who was a guest on the show, answered, "Well, as much as I would like to play Rush Limbaugh this morning, I'm going to just be myself. I think Democrats have made a number of offers. It's clear this has just become political theater, though. "

Camerota interrupted and said Democrats should be working harder on negotiations with the president.

She added, "[W]hen you have [Vice President] Mike Pence in the room and he says, 'OK, what's your counteroffer?' it's just — I understand all this history, I understand how we got here and why people are so bitter; I get all that — but if yesterday was the moment to make a counteroffer, why not make one?"