CNN Invited A White Nationalist On Air. The Public Didn’t Take It Too Well

• CNN invited white nationalist Richard Spencer on to talk about President Donald Trump’s tweets.
• The decision sparked outrage among Republicans and Democrats alike.
• “Why does CNN hate black people?” American political activist CJ Pearson tweeted.

Republicans and Democrats are calling out CNN for inviting white nationalist Richard Spencer on air Tuesday to talk about President Donald Trump’s tweets attacking “progressive Democratic congresswomen.”

Spencer appeared on “The Lead With Jake Tapper” Tuesday in a segment with Sarah Sidner, a CNN national correspondent. CNN gave Spencer airtime to talk about his thoughts on Trump’s recent tweets, which were likely aimed at Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

People across political the spectrum expressed their anger at CNN giving a prominent white supremacist airtime.

“Many white Nationalists will eat up this red meat that Donald Trump is throwing out there,” Spencer said Tuesday on CNN. “I am not one of them. I recognize the con game that is going on.”

“He gives us nothing, outside of racist tweets. And by racist tweets I mean tweets that are meaningless and cheap and express the kind of sentiments you might hear from your drunk uncle while he’s watching ‘Hannity.’”

Steve Krakuer, past senior digital producer at CNN, tweeted Tuesday that there was “literally nothing productive” that Spencer “brings to the conversation.”

Today on its valuable airwaves, CNN gave a platform to white nationalist Richard Spencer. There is literally nothing productive Spencer brings to the conversation. Whoever made this shameful decision should be fired. https://t.co/rKTTyc1OUY pic.twitter.com/o060SS47ZD

— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 16, 2019

“CNN has on-air debates among hosts over the journalism ethics of interviewing Kellyanne Conway and other members of the Trump administration, but apparently putting Richard Spencer on the air is a no-brainer,” Krakuer also tweeted.

Carlos Maza, an American video producer who works at Vox, also tweeted to condemn the network. Maza has been vocal in the past about “milkshaking” all conservatives.

CNN first showed an ADL representative saying that “prominent white supremacists, neo-Nazis and anti-Muslim bigots” have been embracing “Donald Trump’s recent tweets.” The recent tweets told the four Democratic congresswomen to “go back” to their home countries and fix them, and then return to the U.S. to show people how it’s done. (RELATED: House Passes Pelosi Resolution Condemning Trump For ‘Go Back’ Tweets)

Then, CNN cut to Spencer, who has been a big voice in white nationalist circles, The Hill reported. He helped to organize the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, where one person died after a fellow white nationalist ran through a crowd with a car.

A professional MMA fighter tweeted about CNN’s decision, complaining that she has been “thrown off PayPal and Venmo, suspended from Twitter, and threatened & doxxed by Antifa” because she supports Trump.

Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko tweeted “Great work, morons” with a clip of Spencer speaking on CNN.

CJ Pearson, an American political activist and commentator, stated that it was “disheartening” to see CNN allow a white supremacist onto its platform.

“Why does CNN hate black people?” Pearson tweeted at Brian Stelter, CNN’s chief media correspondent.

CNN did not respond to a request for comment.