CNN host Jim Acosta clashed with conservative commentator Scott Jennings on Monday while discussing former President Trump's remarks during a recent event about starting a "migrant league of fighters."
"In a way only Donald Trump can, he is drawing attention to the violent activity that we have seen in places all over this country," Jennings said. "I mean, you can worry about it, the rhetoric, or you can worry about the murders, the rapes, the kidnappings that we’ve seen in a lot of these different stories. This is a big part of their campaign."
Trump, during a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, suggested Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO and President Dana White start a "migrant" fight club and said the winner should fight the UFC champion. Acosta also showed a clip of Trump saying migrants were "bad" in Washington, D.C.
"It’s dehumanizing rhetoric, Scott," Acosta said.
"Would you say it is more or less dehumanizing than murdering and raping someone? I mean, honestly," Jennings responded.
Acosta said crime has been decreasing despite the influx of migrants at the border. The two continued discussing the point before Acosta turned to criticize Trump.
"Why in the hell is one of the two presidential candidates talking about putting migrants into gladiator fight-like experiences? Why is that even going on?" Acosta asked.
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Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha suggested Trump was trying to create a "fear factor."
"He's not creating the fear. The fear is being created by the circumstances," Jennings responded. "We do have a crisis at the southern border. People have been murdered. They have been raped, they have been kidnapped. And so the fear comes from the actual news. If Donald Trump wants to talk, I mean, if you are running a campaign against an incumbent who was overseeing this crisis, you'd do the same thing."
Acosta insisted no one was denying that there is a crisis at the border.
"The question is, after family separations and everything else we’ve seen during the Trump presidency, the Trump experience, they’re talking about deportation camps in this country, fight clubs. I mean, come on. At what point does your side say enough is enough on that kind of rhetoric? It’s dehumanizing," the CNN host said.
Acosta asked if Jennings was OK with the idea of a migrant fight league.
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"He’s clearly joking at these rallies, but he’s drawing attention to something that’s no laughing matter," Jennings said. "And that’s the violence being committed against a number of people."
