CNN’s Brian Stelter spent a good deal of Sunday program, Reliable Sources, providing a “chronological history of Trump’s race-related provocations, arguing that the press must not lose sight of this larger pattern.” Watch what he said above. To put all this in context he asked guest Dan Rather about how journalists and publications often dance around the dangerous things that Donald Trump says or does. Here is part of what he said:

“Racism is as racism does and this argument among journalists about whether we should say that racism is racism, I’m sorry, doesn’t get very far. When it’s racism, it needs to be called racism. But I do point out that the president, it isn’t enough just to call out his racist language, when he does things like he lies repeatedly about the four young women congresswomen. He has lied repeatedly, he has taken their words out of context, which is a lie in and of itself. The journalist’s job, whether it’s a rally for the president’s tweet or the president’s standing shouting on the back lawn of the White House is to put that into context. There is a dangerous trap of forgetting, journalists tend to forget, the long line of things you outlined to start the program. It’s very important to put these things into context. Frankly, what we journalists should be doing is every time the president tells a lie, for example, about these four congresswomen, right away it needs to be pointed out, this is a lie. To call it what it is, not say, well, the president has said something here that’s a little controversial.” 

“Americans pride themselves, we like straight talk. we like someone that looks you in the eye, has a firm handshake and tells you what they think. Don’t try to cut it. So when it’s racist, say it’s racist. When it’s out of context, say it’s out of context. Repeat what he said and go through the record. Because there is this one called a dangerous trap of forgetting a long record. And that applies not only to what he’s done in the race and what he’s done to undermine the institutions in the country, checks, and balances. What he said during the campaign and hasn’t done. this doesn’t get nearly as much attention in my opinion. That he promises he will take care of healthcare. He hasn’t. he says he would start a big infrastructure. He hasn’t. He says he will raise the minimum wage, he hasn’t. So hold him to account, not just for the things he says including the racist things he says, but to  the things he said during in the campaign, that has been pretty much forgotten. I think it needs to be brought to the forefront by reporters.”

He also talked about what kind of impact he thinks the televised Mueller hearing will have on the public.