CNN panelist and Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton greatly upset author and activist Jay Michaelson on Friday’s edition of CNN NewsNight when he said that one reason Kamala Harris lost is because the left has gone too far left on social issues, mainly allowing boys to compete in girls’ sports. While Michaelson falsely accused Singleton of using a “slur,” host Abby Phillip demanded that Singleton be “respectful” to Michaelson in discussing the issue.
Michaelson didn’t agree that the issue swung the election, “Obviously, the anti-trans ads, which I found absolutely deplorable, I worked as an LGBTQ activist for ten years, I think it's outrageous and I'm terrified for my trans friends and family members. Those ads were for the base, right? That was to motivate the base to get out there... but I don't think that that is what motivated the swing voters to vote for Trump.”
After some crosstalk at the table, Singleton replied, “I think there are a lot of families out there who, you know, don't believe boys should play girl sports.”
Michaelson then lost his mind, “They're not boys. I'm not going to listen to transphobia at this table. I am not going to listen to you call a trans girl a boy, that is just not how it is.”
After yet more crosstalk, Singleton asked, “Will you allow me to finish my explanation?”
Michaelson would not, “When you use a word that's a slur, I'm going to interrupt. That's not how it is. They're not boys... I'm not going to sit there and listen to that.”
Despite Michaelson’s childish behavior, Phillip demanded Singleton change his tone, “Let's reset for a second because, look, this is a really heated issue, right? And, Shermichael, I know you. I know that you understand that people have different views on this. I think out of respect for Jay, like, let's try to talk about this in a way that is respectful.”
Clearly annoyed by the whole thing, Singleton began, “Okay. So, let me rephrase this since I'm being targeted here.”
Phillip interrupted, “I don't. You're not. Just to be clear, you are not being targeted. I'm specifically saying that I know that you are not intending to be transphobic.”
Singleton was not being “transphobic,” intentional or otherwise, as he tried one more time, “So, the way regular people interpret it—”
Again, Michaelson cut him off, “That's not regular people. That's not regular people. There's no consensus that these are actually boys. This whole thing about trans girls is a is a canard. It's we're talking about a tiny, tiny sliver of the population and we're using that to take away health care.”
As if she and Michaelson had not spent the last several moments interrupting Singleton, Phillip pleaded for him to get to his point, “Hold on. Just get to your point.”
Singleton was finally allowed to explain, “My point in terms of its effectiveness, regular people with children look at these things and they say, 'You know what? This is a bit too far. I do not agree with this. I don't like this. I think Democrats are going way too much to the left on social issues.' They're uncomfortable with it.”
He added, “A lot of people believe that. A lot of families believe that. You may disagree with that reality, but that's why Republicans kept running those ads over and over and over again because they saw the metrics suggesting that they were working.”
Michaelson jumped in again, “And lying in those ads over and over again and using rhetoric like you just used saying this is boys playing girls sports.”
Singleton shot back, “What's the language you would prefer?”
Michaelson replied, “We're talking about trans girls playing—playing, being allowed to play with the people who are in their gender. And if you don't believe, you don't have to listen to me. Listen to the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association.”
Singleton rolled his eyes and said in the tone of voice that indicated the AMA has been corrupted by the politics, “Oh, the American Medical Association—” before he was cut off again as Phillip tried to move on.
Republicans didn’t lie. Michaelson is just upset they don’t conform to his perversion of the English language. This year alone, biological males, or “trans girls,” or whatever Michaelson wants to call them, have won middle school shot put competitions, high school track championships, and disrupted NCAA Division I volleyball.
Here is a transcript for the November 8 show:
CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip
11/8/2024
10:28 PM ET
JAY MICHAELSON: Well, but there's the base and there's the swing, right? So, obviously, the anti-trans ads, which I found absolutely deplorable, I worked as an LGBTQ activist for ten years, I think it's outrageous and I'm terrified for my trans friends and family members. Those ads were for the base, right? That was to motivate the base to get out there. And that base, that sort of that MAGA base and the sort of, I would call Christian nationalist base, they did show up, but I don't think that that is what motivated the swing voters to vote for Trump.
I do think there's a mismatch between -- you know, Democrats are really good at offering a lot of solutions.
ABBY PHILLIP: Are you sure?
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON: I don't think that's just for the base.
ERIN PERRINE: Yeah, not in the closing message of the campaign.
SINGLETON: I would disagree a little bit with that.
[crosstalk]
PHILLIP: I'm not so sure, personally.
SINGLETON: I think there are a lot of families out there who, you know, don't believe boys should play girl sports.
MICHAELSON: They're not boys. I'm not going to listen to transphobia at this table. I am not going to listen to you call a trans girl a boy, that is just not how it is.
[crosstalk]
SINGLETON: Will you allow me to finish my explanation?
MICHAELSON: When you use a word that's a slur, I'm going to interrupt. That's not how it is. They're not boys.
PHILLIP: Jay, give him, Jay, just give him one second.
MICHAELSON: They're not boys, but they're not playing girls’ softball. I'm not going to sit there and listen to that.
PHILLIP: Let's reset for a second because, look, this is a really heated issue, right? And, Shermichael, I know you. I know that you understand that people have different views on this. I think out of respect for Jay, like, let's try to talk about this in a way that is respectful.
SINGLETON: Okay. So, let me rephrase this since I'm being targeted here.
PHILLIP: I don't. You're not. Just to be clear, you are not being targeted. I'm specifically saying that I know that you are not intending to be transphobic.
SINGLETON: He should know that I'm not. I mean, he wants to sit here and blame me –
MICHAELSON: I'm saying that you're using a phrase that you know –
SINGLETON: So, the way regular people interpret it –
MICHAELSON: That's not regular people. That's not regular people. There's no consensus that these are actually boys. This whole thing about trans girls is a is a canard. It's we're talking about a tiny, tiny sliver of the population –
SINGLETON: That maybe the case but my point in terms of its effectiveness –
MICHAELSON: --and we're using that to take away health care.
PHILLIP: Hold on. Just get to your point.
SINGLETON: My point in terms of its effectiveness, regular people with children look at these things and they say, “you know what? This is a bit too far. I do not agree with this. I don't like this. I think Democrats are going way too much to the left on social issues.” They're uncomfortable with it.
A lot of people believe that. A lot of families believe that. You may disagree with that reality, but that's why Republicans kept running those ads over and over and over again because they saw the metrics suggesting that they were working.
MICHAELSON: And lying in those ads over and over again and using rhetoric like you just used saying this is boys playing girls sports.
SINGLETON: Oh, which is -- what's the language you would prefer?
MICHAELSON: We're talking about trans girls playing -- playing, being allowed to play with the people who are in their gender. And if you don't believe, you don't have to listen to me. Listen to the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association.
SINGLETON: Oh, the American Medical Association –