Rashida Tlaib Accuses CNN of ‘Normalizing’ Anti-Arab Hate After Guest Implied Mehdi Hasan Was a Terrorist
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) placed blame on CNN after a guest implied during a panel discussion that Zeteo’s Mehdi Hasan was a terrorist.
On Monday’s episode of NewsNight with Abby Phillip, panelist Ryan Girdusky told Hasan, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off” during a heated discussion about Donald Trump’s rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden. The remark was a clear reference to the pager explosions carried out by Israel in September. The attacks were meant to target members of the militant group Hezbollah, though civilians — including at least one child — were among those injured and killed.
The comment made an already-fiery debate even more intense and resulted in Girdusky being booted from the show during a commercial break. Later that night, Phillip confirmed that he would not be returning to the show in the future.
“There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air,” the network said in its own statement. “We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding. But we will not allow guests to be demeaned or for the line of civility to be crossed. Ryan Girdusky will not be welcomed back at our network.”
According to Tlaib, CNN shoulders some responsibility for Girdusky’s actions. In a tweet posted late Monday night, she claimed the network “played a central role” in the normalization of that kind of rhetoric.
“CNN has played a central role in normalizing this kind of open anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian hate,” Tlaib said, “and it’s sadly totally unsurprising to see such disgusting statements aired so casually on its network now.”
Tlaib was likely also referencing a recent incident on CNN involving herself. When she accused Michigan AG Dana Nessel of being biased for filing charges against pro-Palestinian charges, anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash labeled the comment as anti-Semitic. Tapper later said on air that he “misspoke.”
