NEW YORK –
CNN says a right-wing commentator will not be welcomed back on air after he made a racist remark on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.”
On Monday’s prime time show, after Muslim journalist Mehdi Hasan stated that he supports Palestinians, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky responded, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.” The comment referenced the thousands of pager explosions in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants. CNN has learned the attacks were carried out by Israel.
Hasan then asked Phillip, “Did your guest just say I should be killed on live TV?” Girdusky responded by falsely equating Hasan’s Palestinian support with the terrorist group Hamas.
“That is completely out of pocket. You know that,” Phillip told Girdusky. Phillip apologized to viewers for his statements. Girdusky said he apologized because he thought Hasan said he supported Hamas, a claim Phillip and Hasan …