Right-wing commentator asked to leave guest panel on CNN

A conservative commentator was fired from CNN mid-show after a “totally unacceptable” attack on a fellow panelist.

“I hope your pager doesn’t go off,” right-winger Ryan Girdusky told Mehdi Hassan after Hassan said he supported the Palestinian people.

Last month, hundreds of pagers belonging to suspected Hezbollah militants across Lebanon exploded in an attack widely believed to have been carried out by Israel. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and thousands were injured.

“Did you just say that I should die?” – Hasan asked incredulously. “Did you just say I should be killed on live television?”

“No, I didn’t say that,” Girdusky said.

“You said you hoped my pager wouldn’t go off,” Hasan said.

Girdusky asked Hassan if he supported Hamas.

“I said Palestinians,” Hassan said.

“Then I apologize, I apologize,” Girduski said. “I thought he said Hamas, I’m sorry.”

“This is America in 2024,” Hassan said. “Forget about racism. It is I who must die.

When Girdusky said he didn’t say that, Hassan pressed him to explain what he meant by “beeper”:

CNN

After a commercial break, Girdusky walked away and host Abby Phillip apologized to Hassan as well as CNN viewers.

“We want discussion. We want people who disagree with each other to talk to each other,” she said. “But when you cross the line of no civility at all, that’s not going to happen here on this show.”

She called for conversations “without resorting to the lowest of the low types of conversations.”

CNN

CNN released a statement saying there is “no place for racism and bigotry” on the network and that Girdusky will not be returning.

“We are committed to fostering thoughtful conversation and debate, including between people who deeply disagree, to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding,” the statement said. “But we will not allow guests to be humiliated or to cross the line of politeness.”

After the speech, Girduski was much less apologetic.

“You can stay at CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and take money from the Qatari-funded media,” Girdusky grumbled to X. “Obviously, you can’t work at CNN if you make jokes. I’m glad America will see what CNN stands for.”

Critics slammed Girduski for his “vile” and “disgusting” attack on Hasan:

Ezra Levin

Rashida Tlaib/CNN

Maya Contreras/CNN

Brian Normoyle/CNN

Scott Goldstein

Jennifer Schulze

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Mike Madrid

Tim Onion/CNN

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.