CNN Guest Banned From Network After ‘Lowest of the Lowest’ Remark to Mehdi Hasan: ‘Will Not Be Welcomed Back’

Republican commentator Ryan James Girdusky was banned from CNN on Monday after he was removed from a panel for making an offensive remark toward fellow guest Mehdi Hasan.

Girdusky was removed from a panel on CNN NewsNight after he told Hasan, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off” – a reference to the pager bombs Israel detonated in Lebanon last month, killing at least 42 people and injuring hundreds more.

After Hasan responded, “Did you just say I should die? Did you just say I should be killed live on CNN?” CNN removed Girdusky from the panel as host Abby Phillip issued an apology for the remark.

“I want to apologize to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable,” she said. “When we get this discussion started, you’ll see that Ryan is not at the table. There is a line that was crossed there and it’s not acceptable to me. It’s not acceptable to us at this network.”

Phillip added, “We can have conversations about what is happening in this country without resorting to the lowest of the lowest kind of discourse.”

In a statement issued shortly after the incident, CNN declared, “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air. 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.”

CNN then announced that “Ryan Girdusky will not be welcomed back at our network.”