Mehdi Hasan reflects on heated on-air exchange and what it symbolises against backdrop of US election

6 November 2024, 01:29

Mehdi Hasan
Mehdi Hasan walked off set of heated CNN discussion panel. Picture: LBC

By Flaminia Luck

Politicals commentator Mehdi Hasan spoke to LBC about his recent heated on-air exchange - and what it symbolises in the context of the US election.

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Last week, CNN has banned conservative writer Ryan Gidursky from the network following a contentious on-air exchange in which he told panellist Mehdi Hasan that "I hope your beeper doesn't go off".

The comment was in reference to attacks in Lebanon and Syria where pagers and walkie-talkies used by hundreds of Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously, killing 39.

Hasan told John Sopel and Shelagh Fogerty that the exchange was "astonishing".

He said he had endured racism and Islamaphobia for many years - but this was different.

He added: "It goes to the heart of where we are in the US right now. We are living in a country where some of the worst elements - Far Right, nativist, demagogic - have been emboldened by Donald Trump, by JD Vance, by Elon musk, by others.

"This is what makes this election today so important."

Join Shelagh Fogarty, Jon Sopel, and our teams across the US for comprehensive election updates and analysis through the night on America Decides. Live now on Global Player

Mehdi Hasan joins Shelagh Fogarty and Jon Sopel | Watch Again

He stressed it's not just about a candidate winning.

"It's about a group of people getting permission to do what they havent been about to do for years - which is be openly racist and violent."

He also stated that the Republican party ran a "openly fascistic, racist, sexist, misogynistic campaign."

Read more: First US presidential election results see Trump take Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, as Harris wins Vermont

Read more: Donald Trump claims 'massive cheating' in Philadelphia before slap-down by city's district attorney

Mehdi Hasan walked off the CNN panel discussion when the comment was made
Mehdi Hasan walked off the CNN panel discussion when the comment was made. Picture: LBC

CNN banned conservative writer Ryan Gidursky from the network following the contentious on-air exchange.

Host Abby Phillip said that Gidursky's beeper comment was "completely out of pocket" and he apologised.

After an ad break, he was gone.

Phillip apologised to Hasan and to viewers. She said Gidursky had crossed a line.

Despite that fragmentation, Phillip said that "we can have conversations about what is happening in this country without resorting to the lowest ... kind of discourse".

CNN, saying there is "zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air", said that Gidursky would not be allowed back on the network.

Gidursky responded in a post on X, saying: "You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi" but apparently cannot "if you make a joke. I'm glad America gets to see what CNN stands for".