Former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross and GOP analyst Scott Jennings got into it when Jennings insisted “none” of the town hall attendees complaining about President Donald Trump and DOGE czar Elon Musk are Republican.
Republicans have faced raucous and hostile constituents at town halls in red states, with voters angry about job cuts and the economy getting outsized media attention. Democrats have also face constituents angry at what they see as insufficient puchback against Trump.
On Monday’s edition of CNN NewsNight, guest anchor John Berman hosted a panel that included Cross, Dan Koh, Jennings, Joe Borelli, and Leah Wright Rigueur.
Cross got frustrated after she said there are Republican voters expressing anger as well, and Jennings kept interrupting her to declare “There are none!”:
BORELLI: I agree with Scott. I feel like, to quote, Zoolander, “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills” because the Democratic Party on one hand can’t seem to figure out how to get the poll numbers right. But on the other hand, they’re actually organizing. And I’m saying they’re organizing because you heard Chuck Schumer himself said go out and protest — protest some of these town halls. That’s what he said.
So, these are organized events by Democratic Party members, whether it’s sponsored by the congressman or just like this group did where they’ve held their own event absent the member of congress. But they’re organized events. They’re not there to actually meet with the member of congress and get a — a genuine dialogue. They’re there to get the viral moment.
BERMAN: Well, the member of congress is not there, to be fair.
BORELLI: Even when — when they’re there, they’re there to get the viral moment. They’re not there to have a genuine dialogue. They’re there to just raise a ruckus, and just show the world they’re protesting, which is their right to do. But the Republican member of congress doesn’t have to be a party to their own dopey viral moment.
RIGUEUR: But I — I —
CROSS: That’s — I think it’s a misrepresentation of what happened because it’s not —
BORELLI: But Chuck Schumer said do this.
CROSS: Well, what you’re saying is a misrepresentation of what happened. And I’m so happy to hear you, Scott, be so against vandalism because, certainly, the January 6th people completely vandalized not only our — our capital, but also this —
JENNINGS: Opposed to — opposed to today?
CROSS: Yeah. Good. I’m glad to hear that because not a lot of people on your side of the aisle do. But I think these are not just Democrats — I know these are not just Democratic voters. These are actually a lot of Republican voters. And respect to my sister Leah here because —
JENNINGS: They’re not. They’re not Republicans.
(CROSSTALK)
JENNINGS: They’re not. A hundred percent false.
BORELLI: If you can find me — I’ll give you every dollar in my pocket if you find me one Republican in —
CROSS: Wait, well, let’s — we have to agree — let me — for professional courtesy, let me finish my point. They are.
JENNINGS: No.
CROSS: According to the reporting, they are.
JENNINGS: No.
CROSS: According to videos, they are.
JENNINGS: No.
CROSS: You’re saying don’t believe your eyes and ears. I have seen with my eyes and ears.
JENNINGS: Who — would know more about Republicans? Me or you? They are not Republicans in that meeting.
CROSS: Well, between the two of us, who’s more trustworthy? I would argue me. I’m not here defending this ridiculous administration, but I would can I can I just say though quickly? I would not conflate January 6th protesters with George Floyd protest.
I think that is completely different. These were people who were trying to overthrow elections. I think there was a legitimate protest. The Republican voters who do exist, who are there, to confront their —
JENNINGS: They’re not, they’re not. They’re literally not.
CROSS: They are. They are. We can agree on basic facts. JENNINGS: No way, literally not.
CROSS: They are. They are.
BORELLI: I’ll give you a hundred bucks right now.
(CROSSTALK)
CROSS: I would say that they – I would –
(CROSSTALK)
CROSS: — If I can have the professional conversation, my point, I would –can I —
BERMAN: I want to give the professor the last word here, end on academia.
CROSS: Can I finish my quick point? I just think the people who voted for this and are unhappy with it, of which there are plenty people —
JENNINGS: They are not. There are none.
CROSS: Okay. There are plenty people — there are plenty of people who are not happy with this. I do feel a certain sense of live in it and sit in it because you all did the effing around, and we are doing the finding out. So I’m not — I don’t have any a lot of empathy for —
Watch above via CNN NewsNight.
The post ‘Let Me Finish!’ Tiffany Cross And CNN’s Scott Jennings Go At It In Heated Brawl Over Anti-Trump Town Halls first appeared on Mediaite.
