CNN recently decided to discontinue appearances from writer Ryan Girdusky following a comment he made during an intense and contentious panel discussion. His remark appeared to imply that he wished harm upon journalist Mehdi Hasan through a bomb incident.
In a statement, CNN emphasized its commitment to rejecting racism and bigotry on its platform. The network explained that while it values hosting constructive debates, even between individuals with starkly opposing views, it will not tolerate disrespect toward guests or breaches of civility. As a result, Girdusky will no longer be invited to participate on CNN.
“I hope your beeper doesn’t go off”
The incident took place on Monday when Girdusky and panelist Mehdi Hasan were debating Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden and related accusations that Trump’s campaign is promoting ideas associated with Nazi ideology. Girdusky commented on how Hasan, a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights, is often labeled as antisemitic by his critics. Hasan, who serves as the editor-in-chief of Zeteo, acknowledged that he regularly faces this criticism due to his stance on Palestine.
During the exchange, Girdusky responded with, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” which was widely interpreted as a reference to a recent explosion involving pagers and walkie-talkies linked to Hezbollah, which resulted in numerous casualties. Lebanese officials have attributed the attack to Israel, which denies involvement.
Girdusky to Hasan: I hope your beeper doesn’t go off pic.twitter.com/YmHhYnkDZ3
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 29, 2024
Mehdi Hasan accuses Girdusky of inciting violence
Hasan immediately questioned if Girdusky’s comment implied a death wish. Following this, Hasan accused Girdusky of inciting violence against him on air, noting that CNN had permitted such a suggestion. Girdusky later claimed he misunderstood Hasan, alleging he thought Hasan expressed support for Hamas. Hasan retorted, asserting his support is solely for Palestinian rights.
Following a commercial break, host Abby Phillip expressed regret for the remarks, calling them entirely inappropriate and clarifying that Girdusky would not be rejoining the discussion. She emphasized CNN’s commitment to maintaining respectful discourse and distanced the network from the inflammatory comments made.
The incident has since drawn further condemnation, with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American and Muslim, criticizing CNN’s platform for normalizing rhetoric she described as anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian.
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