Appearing as a guest on Sunday's CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown, former MSNBC contributor Kurt Bardella was like a fish out of water as he appeared outside of his former safe space and was actually challenged by a conservative panel member on his typical trash talk of Republicans.
Bardella -- a USA Today and L.A. Times columnist who is now also an advisor to the Democratic National Committee -- accused Glenn Youngkin of using racism in his campaign for Virginia governor. In spite of all the evidence that Critical Race Theory has had a presence in some Virginia schools, the former MSNBC contributor declared:
But there is zero doubt that Republicans like Glenn Youngkin used the invented issue of Critical Race Theory to try to scare the crap out of parents. Hey, it clearly worked -- there's no denying that. It's a playbook that Republicans have washed, rinsed, rinsed and reused time and time again on a number of issues using the issue of race as a weapon. It is pure racism masquerading as a policy debate because, as you pointed out, Critical Race Theory is not in any K-12 school in America.
He then used the tired "bunch of white people" jab against the Founding Fathers as he essentially argued in favor of Critical Race Theory:
There is no teacher out there that's trying to force people and students to think that there's something wrong with them because they're white. But we also cannot ignore the reality that our country was founded by a bunch of white people -- privileged, rich white people -- and that has colored the way our system has been set up, which is why there are so many black spots in our education and in our justice system. This is just a reality -- it's a fact.
When Scott Jennings -- one of the few conservatives who still works as a contributor for CNN -- had his turn to respond, he argued that parents know what their children are being taught, and took a shot at Bardella's lame arguments by mockingly endorsing him to be the Democratic Party's spokesperson:
Yeah, hey, listen, I don't have much to -- I don't have much to add because I'm for Kurt for Democrat National Committee spokesperson. I hope Kurt gets hired to say this over and over and over again. If you want to tell parents, "Hey, what you're -- you're crazy -- don't believe your own eyes -- don't believe it -- by all means, go ahead. If you want to throw in with Randi Weingarten on the school closings, then by all means, go ahead. I'm for you, brother.
As Bardella obliviously responded that "No one in the Democratic Party is saying teachers [sic] can't be involved in education," Jennings quipped: "Terry McAuliffe was saying it. Terry McAuliffe was saying it explicitly!"
This rare takedown of a liberal spinmeister on CNN which needs to happen more often was sponsored in part by Dell and Zales. Their contact information is linked. Let them know how you feel about their support of such programming.
Transcript follows:
CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown
November 7, 2021
7:45 p.m. Eastern
KURT BARDELLA, USA TODAY COLUMNIST/EX-MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: But there is zero doubt that Republicans like Glenn Youngkin used the invented issue of Critical Race Theory to try to scare the crap out of parents. Hey, it clearly worked -- there's no denying that. It's a playbook that Republicans have washed, rinsed, rinsed and reused time and time again on a number of issues using the issue of race as a weapon. It is pure racism masquerading as a policy debate because, as you pointed out, Critical Race Theory is not in any K-12 school in America.
There is no teacher out there that's trying to force people and students to think that there's something wrong with them because they're white. But we also cannot ignore the reality that our country was founded by a bunch of white people -- privileged, rich white people -- and that has colored the way our system has been set up, which is why there are so many black spots in our education and in our justice system. This is just a reality -- it's a fact.
But there is truth to the reality that Democrats need to understand how you talk to people about education. And I want to tell you something: If in the aggregate Republicans want to make every election going forward about education -- about who's most interested in teaching our students -- in funding our schools -- in narrowing the achievement gaps, we are happy to have that debate because, time and again, Republicans are the ones who are voting against measures that would improve education in America -- that would pay teachers more.
PAMELA BROWN: I got to get Scott in here to reply.
SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah, hey, listen, I don't have much to -- I don't have much to add because I'm for Kurt for Democrat National Committee spokesperson. I hope Kurt gets hired to say this over and over and over again. If you want to tell parents, "Hey, what you're -- you're crazy --
(cross talk)
BARDELLA: Hey, I didn't just say that, Scott... (unintelligible)
JENNINGS: -- don't believe your own eyes -- don't believe it -- by all means, go ahead. If you want to throw in with Randi Weingarten on the school closings, then by all means, go ahead. I'm for you, brother.
BROWN: Hold on, hold on, hold on, really quick. Kurt, hold on one second, and I'll give you a second to say your peace. Really quick, Scott, are you wrapped up? Because I've got to get Kurt in to respond to that.
JENNINGS: Hey, look, here's the deal. Republicans, for the first time in my political career, figured out that education matters to voters, and they were able to talk about it in a way that met voters where they were. Democrats, on the other hand, figured out how to throw in with the teacher's union and all the, you know, the education people who want parents to be treated like common criminals in school board meetings.
And we saw where the voters lined up. And you just interviewed a bunch of moms who were ultra-concerned. And whether you have a kid in the school system or not -- if you're a taxpayer or just a citizen, you have a right to know what's going on in these schools -- what's going on in the classroom -- are they teaching things that shouldn't be taught?
JENNINGS: Okay, quickly. I got to get Kurt in because we are running out of time. Kurt, Scott made some serious claims there, so go ahead, Kurt.
BARDELLA: Well, Scott, not surprisingly is lying and misrepresenting what I said. No one in the Democratic party is saying teachers can't be involved in education. No one in the Republican -- Democratic party is saying that teachers don't...
JENNINGS (jumping in): Terry McAuliffe was saying it. Terry McAuliffe was saying it explicitly!
