Trump: Anti- Semitism is "Horrible" and "Painful"
COOPER: Well, for the first time, President Trump publicly and directly condemned the anti- Semitism today after weeks of growing pressure. One of the voices urging and speak out against surgeon anti-Semitic threats was his former rival Hillary Clinton. Jeff Zeleny tonight has the details.</s>TRUMP: This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.</s>JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: President Trump speaking out today against the wave the anti-Semitism during a visit to the new Smithsonian Museum celebrating African-American history.</s>TRUMP: The anti- Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.</s>ZELENY: The President's condemnation of bomb threats and vandalism at Jewish site across the country came after days of injuring sharp criticism for virtual silence on rising anti-Semitic threats. His words came hours after his former rival, Hillary Clinton, called on him to act. "JCC threats cemetery desecration and online attacks are so troubling, they need stop," she wrote on Twitter. "Everyone must speak out, starting with the President." At two press conferences last week, the President stop short of denouncing the attacks of violence and threats. He'd berated a reported from a Jewish magazine for asking a question.</s>TRUMP: OK. Sit down, I understand the rest of your question. So, here's the story, folks. Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life. Number two, racism, the least racist person. In fact we did very well relative to other people running as a Republican. Quiet, quiet, quiet.</s>ZELENY: At the White House today, Press Secretary Sean Spicer defended the President in the wake of the criticism.</s>SPICER: I think the President's going do what he's talked about since election night. It's through deed and action, talk about how we can unify this country and speak out against, you know, hate, anti- Semitism, racism.</s>COOPER: Jeff, you heard Sean Spicer talked about deed and action, it has -- the President directed the government to do something specific at this stage?</s>ZELENY: Anderson, as far as we can tell there's been not much action. Of coarse, he did talk about this today, which was a step forward from being silent for so many days. But he now has the full grasp of the government at his reach, the Justice Department, other agencies. The White House has not said that he is directed any of them to look into any of these incidents of violence as hate crimes. Now they are of course watching this, and this is something the White House says that the President is keenly aware of and concern about, but no word tonight that he's asking his Justice Department to actually look into this as hate crimes or anything else, Anderson.</s>COOPER: All right, Jeff Zeleny. Jeff, thanks. Coming up, more on what President Trump said today and the very different reactions too. I'll be right back.