WATCH: CNN Hosts Defend Manu Raju, Roast McCarthy Over ‘Dumb Snarky’ Answer to ‘Very Legitimate’ Question

CNN analyst Maggie Haberman and CNN anchors Don Lemon and Kaitlan Collins defended Manu Raju and roasted Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for getting snippy about his bid to become speaker.

On Wednesday, McCarthy jumped all over Raju for asking about the difficulty he’s having securing the votes for his speakership despite ex-President Donald Trump whipping for him:

MANU RAJU: Why has it been so hard for you to get to the votes to become speaker when you had President Trump apparently lobbying on your behalf? He was meeting with members of the Freedom Caucus, but the votes just aren’t there. Why has it been so hard for you?

KEVIN MCCARTHY: Have you spent any time with my conference? But, I mean, you know, what’s amazing to me? Here we are with with the biggest things going on, on the spending. And I can always count on you for the most inappropriate question, but…

On Thursday morning’s edition of CNN This Morning, Collins and Haberman defended Raju while Lemon called McCarthy’s response “dumb” — and all three mocked McCarthy’s difficulty in wrangling his caucus:

KAITLAN COLLINS: The fight that is happening right now is Kevin McCarthy on Capitol Hill who is literally fighting for his political life. There was a moment yesterday where Manu Raju asked him about this, this number, this fight to get to 218. And this is what he said.

(clip)

KAITLAN COLLINS: It’s not inappropriate at all.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: I mean, this is not an inappropriate question. I’m sorry. This is actually a very legitimate question. It was a pretty mild one. And it was asked very politely, this is… The real question is why he can’t get there. He’s going to get asked that question over and over again until he actually does. I am of the opinion he probably will. I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t know what he gives the holdouts. I don’t know if the holdouts just get crushed by the moderates who who McCarthy is sort of quietly leaning on right now. But this is not going well. And he has a very slim majority among Republicans. And so, you know, there’s nothing wrong with what Manu asked.

KAITLAN COLLINS: And even if he wins, yeah, it’s he still has the same caucus that’s incredibly fractious.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: That’s right.

KAITLAN COLLINS: And it’s still it’s not like it’s like a victory. Everything’s done. It’s a victory. It’s like it’s just getting started.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: John Boehner is cackling somewhere. There’s no there is no question that people who have gone through this are looking at this like, well, not me. Good for you. Enjoy this.

DON LEMON: I think that answer shows just how sensitive he is about it. And it was the right question. And you’re right, he’s going to continue to get that. I mean, that was a dumb, that was a snarky answer. And it wasn’t necessary.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: It was it looked as if he was using Manu as a tool, which, you know, I think that we have seen politicians do over and over again. But, you know, we will be we will be in this movie for the next three weeks.

KAITLAN COLLINS: Or eternity.

Watch above via CNN This Morning.

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