CNN’s Abby Phillip Asks Vivek Ramaswamy if He Has a Problem With Women
CNN host Abby Phillip asked Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy whether Nikki Haley’s suggestion that he doesn’t like women held any weight on Wednesday.
During a chaotic interview with Ramaswamy on CNN NewsNight, Phillip played a clip of Haley suggesting that Ramaswamy “might have a girl problem,” citing his attacks on her, Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, and NBC News moderator Kristen Welker during the third Republican primary debate.
“Okay, so she’s laying out three different women that you’ve attacked. Why is she wrong?” asked Phillip after playing the clip.
Ramaswamy replied, “Well, she also left off that list Dick Cheney, Lindsey Graham, Karl Rove, John Bolton. The real issue is there’s an old, neocon wing of the Republican Party that I’ve been crystal clear critical of, and what makes me crack me up about Nikki Haley is that she claims to eschew identity politics, yet embraces it when it’s convenient.”
He continued, “So yes, Ronna McDaniel, if she’s lost the last four elections after she took over as chairwoman of the RNC in 2017, and she lost in 2018, and 2020, and 2022, and 2023, I don’t care if she’s a man or woman. She deserves to be held accountable.”
After Phillip pointed out that former President Donald Trump chose McDaniel to serve as chairwoman of the RNC, Ramaswamy said, “Is Ronna McDaniel the best qualified person to be leading the Republican Party on that record when her salary has tripled in the meantime? No, she is not, and I’m not going to apologize for that. And I think it is a shame when those who claim to distance themselves from identity politics wear identity politics when it’s convenient for them.”
He added, “Man or woman, skin color, it doesn’t matter. Speak the truth, and we have to be willing to hold failure accountable. That’s Kristen Welker and her lies that she’s told about the Trump-Russia collusion hoax. It’s Nikki Haley for her corruption.”
Phillip then interrupted Ramaswamy to say, “Mr. Ramaswamy, I’m going to stop you right there because there’s no reason– there’s no reason to bring Kristen Welker into your dispute with Ronna McDaniel.”
Ramaswamy protested, “You literally played tape of Nikki Haley talking about Kristen Welker, so I’m responding to the tape that you just played for your viewers. So give me a break and stop misleading your viewers.”
Watch above via CNN.
