‘You’re Being Very Very Generous!’ CNN’s Dana Bash Torpedoes Attempt To Explain University President ‘Genocide’ Moment

CNN anchor Dana Bash torpedoed an attempt to explain — not excuse — the university presidents embroiled in controversy over their answers to a question about calls for genocide.

Controversy has erupted since Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) asked Harvard President Dr. Claudine Gay and the presidents of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Pennsylvania if calls for genocide equate to harassment during a hearing this week. The answers were not a flat “yes,” which has generated significant outrage.

On Friday afternoon’s edition of CNN’s Inside Politics, Margaret Talev tried to contextualize the moment by explaining the hostile terrain of a congressional hearing, but Bash told her she was being “very, very generous”:

DANA BASH: Yeah, go ahead.

MARGARET TALEV: I was going to say, I, I think these three university presidents misunderstood what that moment and that hearing was in the context that this was a political event. And they were clearly trying to to balance in their heads and then say it all at the same time, a way to balance protecting students and being against genocide with protecting academic freedoms, which is the most important aspects of a university, even when it’s very controversial.

I will say this. Not only are these three female presidents, Claudine Gay is also the first Black president of Harvard, but they’re also new in their jobs. Two came into their jobs this year, in 2023 and one in 2022. These are not people who have all had accomplished academic careers, political scientist, scientist, a lawyer. They do not have expertise on the hot seat in one of the biggest political–

DANA BASH: Very You’re being very you’re very, very generous. But like you don’t you have to just live on planet Earth.

MARGARET TALEV: A hundred percent!

DANA BASH: And say that genocide, saying genocide against anybody is is wrong. But I take your point. And the important point.

MARGARET TALEV: I’m not trying to apologize for.

DANA BASH: No, no, no. I know you’re not. I know you’re trying to contextualize there.

MARGARET TALEV: That’s my point.

DANA BASH: Let’s let’s. And I appreciate that. That’s important, Margaret.

Watch above via CNN’s Inside Politics.

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