CNN Panel Goes Full Thunderdome in Fiery Clash Over GOP’s ‘Anti-Muslim’ Attack on El-Sayed

CNN NewsNight’s panel erupted on Monday night as MAGA pundits ganged up on one co-panelist for accusing Republicans of dredging up “anti-Muslim, anti-Arab sentiment” by using Michigan senatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s full name to attack him in political ads.

The clash came after guest host Jon Berman ran back a clip of Senator Tim Scott defending the ad campaign, and dismissing the use of El-Sayed’s full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, as no different than people calling him “Timothy Scott.”

As the clip ended, The Hill’s associate editor Niall Stanage quipped: “I mean, look, I don’t know how he says that with a straight face.”

“Honestly, the idea that using Tim Scott’s full name unabbreviated is equivalent to using El-Sayed’s full name is just ludicrous,” he continued. “It is obviously, in El-Sayed’s case, an appeal to anti-Muslim, anti-Arab sentiment.”

He added: “I just want to pick up on something [Democratic strategist and co-panelist Yemisi Egbewole] said there because she rightly talked about the fact that El-Sayed has some work to do. Had Haley Stevens won that primary, she would also have had work to do, particularly with Arab Americans in a state that has the highest per capita population of Arab Americans in the country who believe that the Biden administration disgraced itself on Gaza.”

“She would have less work to do because she’d have all the moderates working for her!” Manhattan Institute’s Jesse Arm exclaimed.

“Forfeiting concerns for human rights, all the while shoveling weapons to Mr. [Benjamin] Netanyahu with which to kill 70,000 Palestinians,” Stanage went on.

Making an apparent quip at Stanage’s Irish identity, for the second time on the show, Arm snapped: “I know you guys are very concerned with-”

“The Jews!” MAGA pundit Jason Rantz cut in.

“Exactly!” Arm said.

“It always goes back to the Jews,” Rantz said. “Like, every single time. It’s like a perfect example of some of what you’re talking about, like the coded language and whatnot. El-Sayed has brought up AIPAC and brings it up absolutely every single time he can because he wants to talk about the Jews.”

“AIPAC? Because they support the most right-wing government in Israel’s history!” Stanage returned.

“My God, chill!” Arm cut in, before returning to his mocking jab a third time: “We understand that Ireland cares a lot about Palestine –”

Stanage turned to Arm: “Because we don’t like people militarily subjugating and occupying people…”

The panel exploded as pundits talked over one another before Berman stepped in to quiet everyone, allowing Arm to speak, at which time he appeared to defend Obamacare.

“People of Michigan are actually scared of Abdul El-Sayed, not because of Israel or whatever. No one cares about Israel. He’s going to rip away Obamacare,” he said. “He’s going to rip away private health insurance from the 66% of Americans who have it. They ran a campaign. Rashida Tlaib was attacking Haley Stevens for collecting support from General Mills and General Motors. Michiganders don’t like the sound of that – anti-business politics.”

“A lot of these claims are made to distract from what El-Sayed is standing for on an economic basis,” Stanage countered, prompting an interruption from Arm before he continued: “Can I finish, please? He stands for Medicare for all, which has pulled well for years –”

“Which would eliminate private health insurance,” Arm chimed in again.

“Let him talk,” Berman rebuked.

Stanage concluded: “He stands for the reduction of money in politics, which people of all kinds of ideology agree with, and those kinds of appeals to improve people’s economic lives. That’s why he won.”

Watch above via CNN.

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