CNN bans conservative commentator who made a racist ‘joke’ on air

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/29/media/ryan-girdusky-mehdi-hasan-cnn-banned/index.html

CNN says a right-wing commentator will not be welcomed back on air after he made a racist remark on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.”

On Monday’s prime time show, after Muslim journalist Mehdi Hasan stated that he supports Palestinians, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky responded, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.” The comment referenced the thousands of pager explosions in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants. CNN has learned the attacks were carried out by Israel.

Hasan then asked Phillip, “Did your guest just say I should be killed on live TV?” Girdusky responded by falsely equating Hasan’s Palestinian support with the terrorist group Hamas.

“That is completely out of pocket. You know that,” Phillip told Girdusky. Phillip apologized to viewers for his statements. Girdusky said he apologized because he thought Hasan said he supported Hamas, a claim Phillip and Hasan dismissed.

A few minutes later, when the show returned from a commercial break, Phillip addressed viewers and Hasan for the “completely unacceptable” comments made by Girdusky and he was removed from the show.

“There was a line that was crossed there and it’s not acceptable to me. It’s not acceptable to us at this network. We want discussion. We want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other. But when you cross the line of a complete lack of civility, that is not going to happen here on this show,” Phillip said.


In a statement, CNN said there is “zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air” and that Girdusky “will not be welcomed back at our network.”

“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,” CNN said in its statement.

After the show, Girdusky posted on X, “Apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.”

The segment was intended to discuss the rhetoric at former President Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at Madison Square Garden, including a widely panned joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at the event that called Puerto Rico “garbage.” After the rally, Trump’s campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe and his comments.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement to CNN.

Just say it what it is, CNN bans racist commentator Ryan Girdusky.

Maybe it's copium, but it's just hard to look at this, and look at Trump's rallies and just look at everything going and think that the polls are accurate. Elections are about turning out your base and I can't see how Trump's base is more enthusiastic right now.

538 has Trump winning 52 times out of 100 (down from 54 out of a hundred just a few days ago.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2024-election-forecast/#electoral-college-probability


NBC has Harris ahead on likely and almost certain EC votes

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/president-electoral-college-battleground-states#battlegrounds

So both predictions are toss-ups. They have basically equal chances to both candidates.

How bad is this Biden gaffe gonna be? Will it have much of an impact do we think?

Zero.

If anything he should double down. I'm sure most Democratic operatives are tired of being called devil worshippers, have Trump say the country is a garbage can, etc.

https://time.com/7134436/supreme-court-rfk-swing-states-michigan-wisconsin-ballot-removal-rejected/

Supreme Court Rejects RFK Jr.’s Request to Remove His Name From Swing-State Ballots

We all agree that this race is a tight one that will likely come down to the wire. I wonder if RFK's presence on ballots in several key states will find a way to steal enough votes from Trump marginally enough to matter. I could see a small portion of registered Republicans too disgusted with MAGA to hold their nose and vote Trump, but too prideful to vote Democrat, so they'd pick RFK in protest to still be able to say they voted.

So, the line was "the only garbage I see floating around is his supporter's". It is pretty clearly referring to the remark itself. But, the media is running with it, and the right wing is clutching their pearls, the exact opposite of what they did when Trump suggested they use the military on politicians that disagreed with him.

It is ridiculous that it should matter... but I dunno. I'm kind of worried. 

“I hope your beeper doesn’t go off": Mehdi Responds to Racist Attack on CNN

“Less than a week out from the most consequential election of our lifetimes, with... fascism PLUS genocide on the ballot, I’m in no mood to ‘explain’ myself to the racists and bullies. But I will continue to speak out.” Mehdi for the first time addresses the racist, violent comment Ryan Girdusky made toward him on CNN this week.

He continues on about the upcoming elections, especially about the danger of Trump.

It kind of blunts the Puerto Rico story, but I can't imagine anyone really caring about those remarks. Biden isn't in the race and even if he was, Trump has said way worse things about democrats...