Carl Bernstein: Donald Trump Is An American 'Neo-Fascist'

Carl Bernstein joined CNN's Reliable Sources and was asked tried to explain the Trump phenomena by Brain Stelter, while also properly labeling what his brand of politics are. Bernstein didn't compare him to Hitler or Mussolini's type of fascism, nor is he another version of George Wallace. He did classify him as a new kind of American fascist, one who dishes out loads of authoritarianism, despotism, nativism, and incitement. And it's the first time he's ever heard of an American politician be described this way.

CARL BERNSTEIN: Well, it's a difficult term and the word "neo" meaning "new", has a lot to do with it, a new kind of fascist in our culture, dealing with an authoritarian, demagogic point of view, nativist, anti-immigrant, racism, bigotry that he appeals to, and I think we need to look at the past. And I'm not talking about Hitlerism and genocide, and I'm not making a direct parallel to Mussolini -- but a kind of American fascism that we haven't seen before, different than George Wallace who was merely a racist.

This goes to authoritarianism. It goes to despotism. The desire for a strong man who doesn't trust the institutions of democracy and government.

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