CNN has finally taken the action against the political commentator, Ryan Girdusky, when the latter chose to make a highly controversial comment on CNN in a heated debate with journalist Mehdi Hasan. On the 28th of October 2024, the two shared a very aggressive debate on CNN Newsnight with Abby Phillip over Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden.
The debate started when the guests discussed the aftermath of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe‘s jokes that had stolen the show from Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. Things got intense as Girdusky and Hasan debated each other amidst charges of anti-Semitism lodged against him. Girdusky said in one of those stunning comments to many viewers, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” which was a reference to the tragic events in Lebanon involving Hezbollah.
Hasan wasted no time responding and fishing for an explanation of what was just said by Girdusky. “Did you just say I should die? You just said I should be killed,” he shot back, seemingly incredulous at the comment. The moment exposed rising tensions in debate surrounding hot-button topics like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Moderator Phillip addressed the comment and later announced that both commentators had left the discussion during a commercial break.
Shortly after, CNN issued a statement making certain to include that there is “zero room for racism or bigotry” on their network, and that they strive for thoughtful conversations and debates. The network confirmed Girdusky would not be invited back.
In the immediate hours after the ban was issued, Girdusky used social media to express his outrage. He said in a tweet, “apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke,” and demonstrated that he felt his comments had been misunderstood. The response brought about debates among viewers weighing the limitations of humor set against the real serious consequences of public discourse.
On the other hand, Hasan has been vocal about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but had not been removed from the debate. Instead, Phillip reassured that he would be welcomed back for future discussions. This decision shows commitment on the part of CNN to making sure a platform for diverse opinions exists, even in those instances when there may be disagreement sounded.
Traditionally, CNN has always stood against issues of racism and bigotry. The network has time and again emphasized engaging in reasoned conversations and debates while adopting a zero-tolerance stance on any form of discrimination.
For example, during the summer of racial reckoning in 2020, CNN granted a huge amount of airtime to protests and movements calling for justice and equality. It called out systemic racism and gave voice to the voices crying out for change. They also have been very vocal on behalf of police reform and against the struggle of voter suppression-particularly within communities of color.
It has moved swiftly in response to incidents of racism within its programming, taking action against commentators and guests alike who utter remarks that are not acceptable. This has served to assure the CNN platform is one for respectful and inclusive dialogue in every respect.
Ryan Girdusky is a political commentator from a conservative standpoint and the founder of the 1776 Project PAC. He is quite vocal about everything, and he has made numerous appearances in different news networks to give his take on various political issues. He has also written a book with Harlan Hill entitled “They’re Not Listening: How The Elites Created the National Populist Revolution”.
His career has always been marred by controversies, as Girdusky does not hold himself back from speaking his mind on unpopular opinions. This nature of his has frequently gotten him into public spats and criticism. The most recent incident at CNN was only one of many contentious moments to have marked his career.