A CNN panel erupted on Monday after a Republican strategist told a former MSNBC host "I hope your beeper doesn't go off" — a reference to an Israeli attack involving pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon that targeted the militant group Hezbollah.
The comment came on CNN's "NewsNight" during a discussion over racist remarks made during a rally for former President Donald Trump.
Mehdi Hasan, a former MSNBC host and current editor-in-chief of Zeteo, asserted on the panel that even one such remark would've functionally ended the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney or John McCain.
"We can't even talk about them. There's just too many to get through," he said, following a supercut of speakers at the rally making racist statements.
Hasan then touched on Nazi comparisons for the Trump campaign, insisting, "if you don't want to be called Nazis, stop —"
He was cut off by Republican strategist Ryan Girdusky, and as the two talked over each other, Girdusky responds to Hasan: "You're called an anti-Semite more than anyone else at this table."
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"Yeah, by you," Hasan replied.
"What? By me? I never called you an anti-Semite."
"Ok," Hasan replies. "I'm a supporter of the Palestinians so I'm used to it."
"All right, well, I hope your beeper doesn't go off." Girdusky shoots back.
Hasan appeared stunned and looked away for a second.
"Did you just say that?" he said.
"You did not — " interjected Democratic panelist Ashley Allison.
The panel erupted into chaos with panelists talking over one another and Allison demanding to know, "What did you just say?!"
"You said you hope my beeper doesn't go off!" shouts Hasan. "A supporter of the Palestinians!"
"Of Hamas?!" Girdusky shoots back.
As Phillip tries to regain control of the panel, Girdusky said, "I apologize."
"Are you a racist, violent person, inciting violence against me?!" said Hasan. "Good job CNN let's have first block say the Muslim guy should be blown up on TV."
As Girdusky repeated his apology, and Phillip scolded him over the remark Girdusky tried to tell the panel he thought Hasan was talking about Hamas.
"You didn't think I said Hamas! I said I support Palestinian rights!" shouted Hasan.
"This is what we're in now. This is 2024," he added. 'Forget the racism! It's I should die!"
"I didn't say that," insists Girdusky.
"What does beeper mean?!!" shouts Hasan, repeating his question multiple times. "At least have the guts to support your racist comment!"
After a commercial break, Phillip apologized to viewers at home and said Girdusky was booted off the panel.
Watch the clip below or at this link.
