CNN apologizes for banner questioning ‘whether Jews are people’
Blurb quoting white supremacist leader ‘was poor judgment and we very much regret it and apologize’
CNN apologized for a banner flashed onscreen during a segment on white supremacist groups which read, “Alt-right founder questions whether Jews are people.”
The segment was aired Monday on “The Lead,” which was being guest-hosted by Jim Sciutto.
On Tuesday, CNN said in a statement concerning the banner, known as a chyron: “It was poor judgment and we very much regret it and apologize.”
The Monday segment concerned statements made over the weekend by Richard Spencer at an event of his white supremacist think tank National Policy Institute. Spencer suggested that the news media had been critical of presidential candidate Donald Trump in order to protect Jewish interests. “One wonders if these people are people at all, or instead soulless golem,” Spencer said.
Sciutto referred to Spencer’s remarks as “hate-filled garbage,” and the rest of the panel also expressed disgust after seeing a clip of Spencer’s remarks.
The Lead’s regular host, Jake Tapper, who was on vacation, criticized the chyron in several tweets.
He also tweeted in response to a complaint that the alt-right was given a platform on CNN: “they were not given a platform. The chyron was, however, unacceptable and will not happen again.”
yes, I'm off this week and I'm furious about that chyron and my staff has heard from me. Unacceptable.
— Jake Tapper ???? (@jaketapper) November 22, 2016
they were not given a platform. The chyron was, however, unacceptable and will not happen again.
— Jake Tapper ???? (@jaketapper) November 21, 2016
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