Tensions boiled over on CNN on Friday night as a rabbi and LGBTQ activist clashed with a Republican strategist over GOP ads attacking trans people.
Jay Michaelson, a columnist for Rolling Stone, butted heads with Shermichael Singleton on "NewsNight" during a discussion over whether Democrats' heavy losses in 2024 were partially due to the party's stances on culture issues.
Michaelson replied that he found GOP anti-trans ads "absolutely deplorable" and said he's "terrified" for his trans friends and family members. He said he thought those ads were meant to help drive out the MAGA base for now-President-elect Donald Trump. While they did show up, he said, Michaelson doesn't believe those ads motivated swing voters to go to Trump.
The panel immediately pushed back, including host Abby Phillip.
"Are you sure?" she pushed back, as other panelists started talking over each other, including Singleton.
"I think there are a lot of families out there who don't believe boys should play girls sports," he started to say.
Michaelson immediately interjected, "They're not boys! I'm not going to listen to transphobia! I'm not going to listen to you call a trans girl a boy!"
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Singleton tried to continue his thought, eventually saying, "Are you going to allow me to finish my explanation?"
Michaelson doubled down.
"When you use words as a slur I'm going to interrupt," he shot back. "That's not how it is. They're not boys. They're not boys. They're not playing girls' softball. I'm not going to sit there and listen to that!"
As Phillip regained control of the panel, she asked Singleton to remain respectful — leading him to say he'd change his phrasing since he felt he was "targeted."
As Phillip said she knows Singleton isn't trying to be transphobic, Singleton said Michaelson ought to know that as well. Michaelson asserted that the language is transphobic, there's no such thing as "regular people" — which Singleton had insisted was at issue — and no consensus that trans women are actually boys.
"This whole thing about trans girls is a canard," he said.
Singleton insisted his point is the ads were effective.
"Regular people with children look at these things and say, 'You know what? I think this is a bit too far. I do not agree with this. I don't like this. Democrats have gone way too left on social issues. They're uncomfortable with it. A lot of people believe that.'"
When Michaelson said the ads were effective because they used the same language, Singleton shot back, "What's the language?!"
Watch the tense exchange below or at this link.