The US network says there is ‘no room for racism’ after Girdusky tells Hasan: ‘I hope your pager doesn’t go off.’

CNN has banned a conservative commentator after he verbally attacked British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan by referring to a series of exploding portable devices in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah.

“I hope your pager doesn’t go off,” Ryan James Girdusky said Monday during a heated debate with Hasan, a prominent broadcaster and outspoken critic of Israel’s war on Gaza, on the CNN Newsnight show with host Abby Phillip.

In a statement, the network said: “There is no room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our broadcast.”

Nearly 40 people were killed and thousands injured during two days of unprecedented attacks in September, when pagers, walkie-talkies and other portable communications equipment exploded across Lebanon, blamed on Israel.

Guests on CNN Newsnight debated the upcoming US presidential election and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s controversial rally at Madison Square Garden, including comments from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe about Puerto Rico.

Hasan, founder of the new media company Zeteo, criticized the rhetoric at the rally in which several speakers, including Trump, made racist and sexist comments targeting several minority groups, including Black Americans, Latinos and Jews.

At one point, Hasan acknowledged that the accusation that Trump and his supporters are Nazis is “inflammatory.”

“But if you don’t want to be called Nazis, stop doing, stop saying,” Hasan said before being interrupted and addressed by Girdusky, who went on to note that Hasan himself has been called an “anti-Semite” more than anyone else. at this table”.

“I support the Palestinians, so I’m used to it,” Hasan said.

Girdusky then responded, “I hope your pager doesn’t go off,” in an apparent reference to the mass attacks in Lebanon.

“Did you just say I had to die?” Did you just say I should be killed? Hasan responded.

Phillip, the host, chastised Girdusky and apologized to Hasan after a commercial break, noting that Girdusky had been removed from the guest panel.

“A line has been crossed there, and it’s not acceptable to me,” Phillip said.

CNN also said in its statement: “We strive to promote thoughtful conversations and debates, including among people who deeply disagree with each other, to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding.”

To share @CNN‘s statement and a brief message from me about what happened on tonight’s show.

I take this very seriously and would like to apologize again @mehdirhasan and I hope he will join us again. pic.twitter.com/O9l0Ftv5NZ

— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) October 29, 2024

“But we will not allow guests to be humiliated or the line of civility to be crossed. Ryan Girdusky will no longer be welcome on our network,” it added.

Hasan, host of Al Jazeera Head to head show, has not yet issued a statement on the incident. However, he shared CNN and Phillip’s statements on social media platform X.

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the think tank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said: “Every day we think we have hit rock bottom, and every day we are proven wrong.”

Girdusky later posted on X: “Apparently you can’t get on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America sees what CNN stands for.”