CNBC Hosts Throw Down in Wild Brawl Over Big Box Store and Small Biz Covid Standards

CNBC hosts Rick Santelli and Andrew Ross Sorkin engaged in a throw-down on Friday over the logic of allowing big-box retailers to stay open while forcing small business owners to close their doors.

“You can’t tell me that shutting down, which is the easiest answer, is the only answer,” Santelli said during a morning panel discussion.

“Rick, just as a public health and public service announcement for the audience, the difference between a big box retailer,” Sorkin said, prompting Santelli — who was in a different location — to ask who was speaking.

“The difference between a big box retailer, and a restaurant or frankly even a church, are so different it’s unbelievable,” Sorkin responded, as Santelli crossed his arms.

“I disagree, I disagree. I disagree,” Santelli shot back. “It’s not science. Five hundred people in a mall aren’t any safer than 150 people in a restaurant that holds 600. I don’t believe it. Sorry, I don’t believe it. And I live in an area where there are a lot of restaurants that have fought back and they don’t have any problems and they’re open.”

“Well you don’t have to believe it, but you’re doing a disservice to the viewer,” Sorkin responded. Santelli disagreed, saying, “You’re doing a disservice to the viewer. You are. You are.”

“I’m sorry, I would like to keep our viewers as healthy as humanly possible,” Sorkin fumed. “The idea of packing people in restaurants…”

Santelli interrupted, saying, “I think our viewers are smart enough to make part of those decisions on their own.”

Watch above via CNBC.