Appearing on CNN This Morning Thursday, liberal CNN contributor Bakari Sellers complained that it was "disgustingly brilliant" for Republicans to bus illegal immigrants to blue cities to draw attention to border security.

As a panel discussed the upcoming presidential debate to be televised on CNN, host Kasie Hunt pointed out "I think you could argue that some of the tactics that border state governors have used to bring this crisis more front and center to voters in different states has been politically effective for their aims." Sellers complained:

Yeah, it's been one of the more disgusting, brilliant political ploys we've seen in recent history. It's one of the Atwater-esque type of political ploys. I mean, even in Shermichael's (Shermichael Singleton) elocution right there, you hear the fear that Republicans perpetuate when they're talking about immigration. I mean, that is their talking point, that is their theme, and it appears to be working decently.

He then repeatedly claimed that Republicans do not have a "policy" for dealing with border security even though they most certainly do:

I mean, per Harry's (Harry Enten) numbers and people talking about the issue of immigration, they don't talk about it from a perspective of policy, though. They only talk about it from the fact that migrants are "poisoning the blood of this country" or they're highlighting crimes that have been committed by illegal immigrants. And so they are perpetuating this fear.

Later on, he reiterated: "The problem that I have is that it's absent policy depth. And if Donald Trump gets on stage tonight and just invokes fear, that may or may not work. If he couples that with policy and some things he wants to do going forward, that may be a successful blow."

Alex Thompson of Axios also jumped in to agree that some are racially motivated on the immigration issue:

Well, Bakari, to your point, there are two reasons why this is turning out voters. One is because they feel that there are resources going to some of these people ... And then there's also -- there are also some people that really, you know, I think are motivated by some of this race-based rhetoric that you (Bakari Sellers) are talking about. And the thing is, is some of these appeals by Trump -- when you have these angry rallies -- where you're having people shout, "Send them back, send them back," is that going to turn off enough independents and enough people in the suburbs that maybe don't like or approve of Joe Biden's job, but are a little bit worried about ... (inaudible)?

Sellers further asserted:

I just want people to understand that the talking point that Republicans are used are -- they are using -- are rooted in fear, right? It is a fear that a lot of white Americans have of being replaced. And that is what you are seeing -- when you have that fear of being replaced -- when you have that fear of what is eventually happening -- which is the browning of this country -- you begin to see that become a political issue.

He fails to imagine that "replacement theory" could also be about black Americans being displaced.

Transcript follows:

CNN This Morning

June 27, 2024

5:43 a.m. Eastern

KASIE HUNT: I mean, Bakari, I think you could argue that some of the tactics that border state governors have used to bring this crisis more front and center to voters in different states has been politically effective for their aims.

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah, it's been one of the more disgusting, brilliant political ploys we've seen in recent history. It's one of the Atwater-esque type of political ploys. I mean, even in Shermichael's (Shermichael Singleton) elocution right there, you hear the fear that Republicans perpetuate when they're talking about immigration. I mean, that is their talking point, that is their theme, and it appears to be working decently.

I mean, per Harry's (Harry Enten) numbers and people talking about the issue of immigration, they don't talk about it from a perspective of policy, though. They only talk about it from the fact that migrants are "poisoning the blood of this country" or they're highlighting crimes that have been committed by illegal immigrants. And so they are perpetuating this fear. And when you look at -- I had to pull up where sanctuary cities are. You know, there are sanctuary cities in Kansas. But Governor Abbott's not dropping off any buses in Kansas, right? He's taking them to Chicago -- he's taking them to Baltimore -- he's taking them to these cities that are these big cities --

HUNT: New York City.

SELLERS: -- and utilizing them as a -- and New York City -- utilizing them to galvanize fear amongst individuals and drive a wedge between brown voters.

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: But I wouldn't say that is fear, Bakari. I think that is attempting to get voters in other states -- mostly blue states -- to recognize what red states in the South have been dealing with for years now.

ALEX THOMPSON, AXIOS: Well, Bakari, to your point, there are two reasons why this is turning out voters. One is because they feel that there are resources going to some of these people that --

HUNT: Some of it's the economy.

THOMPSON: Well, yeah. And then there's also -- there are also some people that really, you know, I think are motivated by some of this race-based rhetoric that you (Bakari Sellers) are talking about. And the thing is, is some of these appeals by Trump -- when you have these angry rallies -- where you're having people shout, "Send them back, send them back," is that going to turn off enough independents and enough people in the suburbs that maybe don't like or approve of Joe Biden's job, but are a little bit worried about ... (inaudible)?

SELLERS: I mean, I agree with you, but I just want people to understand that the talking point that Republicans are used are -- they are using -- are rooted in fear, right? It is a fear that a lot of white Americans have of being replaced. And that is what you are seeing -- when you have that fear of being replaced -- when you have that fear of what is eventually happening -- which is the browning of this country -- you begin to see that become a political issue. The problem that I have is that it's absent policy depth. And if Donald Trump gets on stage tonight and just invokes fear, that may or may not work. If he couples that with policy and some things he wants to do going forward, that may be a successful blow.

HUNT: I mean, I think the challenge for Democrats is people -- a lot of people, when they think about Donald Trump, they think about "build the wall." They think, "Well, that makes sense to me" as a policy. And we're in a different place now than we were even, you know, four or eight years ago.

SELLERS: But only build it if Mexico is going to pay for it.

HUNT: There, that's the rub, okay.