CNN political analyst Van Jones cautioned debate watchers on Monday about giving Donald Trump credit simply for being "the most improved bigot."
During CNN's pre-debate coverage of the presidential debate at Hofstra University, Trump surrogate Jeffrey Lord explained that a debate coach like disgraced former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes could elevate Trump as he had done for then-candidate Ronald Reagan in 1980.
"He said, 'Stick with your themes, don't do details,'" Lord recalled. "They say, [Trump] is not prepared in the traditional policy way. What I think they're saying is -- somebody is saying to him, 'Stick to the kind of things that you know and bring the debate always back to that.'"
Jones, however, pointed out that Reagan was more prepared to be president than Trump.
"The problem we have now is there is this grading on a curve," Jones observed. "I think it's very, very dangerous. Putin is not going to grade the president on a curve when he's in the White House or when she's in the White House. ISIS isn't going to grade anybody on a curve."
"And part of the problem is that we have the most qualified and prepared woman ever running against the least qualified and prepared man ever," he continued. "And I think it's very important that we don't lower the standards."
"He can't just get credit for being the most improved bigot, the most improved hate monger, the best self-moderating hate monger. He's got to answer questions."
Watch the video below from CNN, broasdcast Sept. 26, 2016.
