Scott Jennings Blows a Gasket at ‘Condescending’ Neera Tanden: ‘Let Me Educate You!’
Scott Jennings lost it on former Biden administration official Neera Tanden on Tuesday’s edition of CNN NewsNight.
The panel discussed the scattered incidents of vandalism against Tesla dealerships and Tesla products in recent weeks as CEO Elon Musk continues to make legally questionable spending and personnel decisions in his role as White House adviser to President Donald Trump, who, along with Attorney General Pam Bondi has deemed the acts “domestic terrorism.”
Jennings voiced support for that view.
“The other night, Donald Trump said these are domestic terrorists,” he stated. “I mean, it’s obviously an organized, coordinated effort – however people are communicating with each other to do this to people around the country who chose to buy a Tesla at some point in the past, many of whom I’m sure were Democrats who bought them in the first place – all because their entire political worldview is ruled by their emotions. And that’s the American left right now. It is one angry mob after another willing to take things into their own hands, up to and including keying, firebombing, and otherwise vandalizing cars and car dealerships and charging stations.”
Jennings’ remarks prompted the following response from Tanden about the 2021 Capitol riot and subsequent contentious exchange:
TANDEN: So, when they do it to a Tesla dealership, it’s really bad. But when they do it to the halls of Congress, we should pardon them? Is that your position?
JENNINGS: No. I’ve never.
[CROSSTALK]
JENNINGS: I know you haven’t been around for a while, so let me educate you about my position about January 6th.
TANDEN: [sarcastically] I’m so sorry.
JENNINGS: Let me educate. Let me educate you.
[CROSSTALK]
JENNINGS: No, no, no, you don’t need to be condescending to me. So let me educate you about my position! You wanna attack me? Let me. Let me finish. Let me finish it.
JOHN BERMAN: Guys, let’s do this. January 6th. And then Neera.
TANDEN: I’m sorry you’re getting emotional.
JENNINGS: Yeah, I’m sorry you’re a condescending person who hasn’t been paying attention to what I do. So here’s the issue. I didn’t support what happened on January 6th and was one of the first Republicans to call it out. I don’t support the pardons. I have repeatedly, just like my friend Ashley here, said that no violence in our political system is acceptable. But this right here, what’s going on with a guy who helps our country, who runs successful companies, who doesn’t have to be doing this, and now one of his companies is under systematic terroristic threat and violence all over the country. And people seem to be laughing about it or fine with it. It’s outrageous. I’ve sat at this table and had people say we should cut Elon Musk from the government totally. He rescued our astronauts today. Is that what we want? The treatment of this guy is outrageous. These people who are doing this need to be found and put in jail and made an example of. That’s my point.
TANDEN: Anyone who commits violence against Tesla or Congress or anyone else should be put in jail 1,000%, but that should not stifle dissent or opposition from Elon Musk.
JENNINGS: Of course. Give it a little lip service. Give it a little both sides.
TANDEN: There’s no both sides here. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry to say that people are legitimately upset. They are legitimately upset at Elon Musk. And they’re doing it on their own. But there’s no reason to have violence in the country. But I just wish all of us would support criticism of or would support punishing people who are violent wherever they are.
JOSH ROGIN: From what I understand, the Teslas will fall apart if you just leave them alone anyway. There’s nothing really anybody needs to do about it. Just drive them enough.
[CROSSTALK]
ROGIN: From what I’ve read, allegedly.
Watch above via CNN.
