Mehdi Hasan Responds After 'Beeper' Comment by CNN Guest: 'So Stunned'

 

Progressive commentator and journalist Mehdi Hasan expressed his shock after conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky made a troubling remark during a panel discussion on CNN. Girdusky's comment, “I hope your beeper doesn't go off,” was made during a segment on Abby Phillip's show while the panel debated the offensive remarks directed at former President Donald Trump at a recent rally.

This statement appears to reference Israel's attack in September that targeted Hezbollah with rigged pagers, resulting in numerous casualties, including civilians and children. In a video message shared on X (formerly Twitter), Hasan, a vocal critic of Israel, stated that despite his extensive experience interviewing controversial figures, he had never been so stunned by a comment directed at him.

Hasan emphasized that he would not allow Girdusky's remark to go unchallenged. He expressed satisfaction with CNN's decision to ban Girdusky from future appearances and acknowledged Phillip's apology to viewers after he voluntarily walked off the set following the incident. Girdusky was asked to leave during a commercial break.

Phillip initiated the discussion by airing clips from Trump's rally, where inflammatory remarks were made against various groups, including Hispanics, Black individuals, Jews, and Palestinians. The rally followed reports of former Trump officials stating that Trump had praised Adolf Hitler while in office. Hasan remarked that while no one wants to be associated with Nazis, the inflammatory rhetoric must stop to avoid such labels.

In response to Hasan, Girdusky defended Trump and criticized the media for labeling rally attendees as fascists. Shortly after making his comment, Girdusky apologized on air and later took to X to voice his grievances about CNN's handling of the situation, suggesting that Hasan's criticisms of Republicans are deemed acceptable while his jokes are not.

Some conservatives have defended Girdusky after his removal from CNN. Florida Republican Representative Brian Mast shared a clip of the exchange, claiming that Hasan's remarks are antisemitic while suggesting that a joke should not provoke such a reaction. California Representative Darrell Issa also commented on Girdusky’s contributions to the discussion.

In his Wednesday video, Hasan criticized Vice President Kamala Harris's policies regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict and warned of the dangers posed by a potential second Trump presidency. He stated that if Harris fails to adjust her stance, it could lead to a Trump presidency characterized by white supremacy and emboldened bigotry.