“The October Surprise is an advent calendar of racism,” said Ben Collins, CEO of satirical news site The Onion. posted on late Monday evening. Just a week before the US presidential race, the former Republican candidate president Donald TrumpThe party’s campaign has taken back-to-back blows from its own supporters – first a speaker to its gathering at Madison Square Garden on Sundayfollowed by a sympathetic commentator on CNN, both of whom made “jokes” at the expense of minorities that could prove crucial to the election results.

Learn more: How a racist joke about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally could impact the election

During a discussion on the program about the aftermath of Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden NewsNightguest panelist Mehdi Hasan—a progressive British pundit and former MSNBC host—challenged Trump supporters: “If you don’t want to be called a Nazi, stop doing…”

But before he could finish his sentence, another panelist Ryan Girduskya political consultant who publicly supports Trump, told Hasan: “You get called an anti-Semite more than anyone else at this table. »

“I’m a supporter of the Palestinians, so I’m used to it,” Hasan replied, before Girdusky replied: “Well, I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.”

The apparent reference to a recent attack on suspected Hezbollah militants in Lebanon involving exploding pagers and radios sparked an instant reaction from Hasan and the rest of the panel. “Are you a racist and violent person, inciting violence against me? » » asked Hasan. “It’s disgusting,” said another panelist.

Girdusky claimed he misheard Hasan. “I thought he said Hamas. I apologize.”

After a commercial break, host Abby Phillip apologized to viewers and Hasan for the “completely unacceptable” remark made during the previous segment and said Girdusky had been kicked off the panel. “We want discussions, we want people who disagree with each other to talk, but when you cross the line into a complete lack of civility, that’s not going to happen here on this show.” , she said. “We can have conversations about what’s happening in this country without resorting to the lowest of the lowest rhetoric. »

Hasan was also absent in the next segment, although Phillip said in a post on X after the show that he was not asked to leave. Phillip also shared a statement from CNN, which said: “There is no place for racism or bigotry at CNN…Ryan Girdusky will not be welcome on our network. »

In an article on X later Monday evening, Girdusky apparently respondedstating: “You can stay on CNN if you falsely call all Republicans Nazis and have received money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America can see what CNN stands for.

As clips of the incident went viral on social media, officials with the Democratic vice presidential candidate’s campaign Kamala Harris quickly took the opportunity to connect Girdusky to Republican vice-presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.

Ian Sams, Harris spokesperson, shared a clip on from an appearance Girdusky made on NewsMax in July in which Vance was described as Girdusky’s “friend and former boss” with whom he “worked very closely.” Girdusky explained his relationship with Vance in the interview. “In 2020, he reached out to me on Twitter and we struck up a friendship,” Girdusky said. “When Senator Rob Portman announced his retirement, I called him and said, ‘If you’re running, I want to be part of the team.'” Girdusky became an adviser to Vance’s super PAC for the 2022 Senate race, Protect Ohio Values.

James Singer, rapid response advisor to Harris’ campaign, also photos shared on of Vance and Girdusky on the website of American Moment, a group focused on recruiting and training “the next generation of Republican elites,” according to Policy. The organization Girdusky is for listed as an advisor and Vance as a former board member, was a first partner with the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation to help create Project 2025the right-wing presidential transition plan that Trump and Vance developed I tried to distance myself themselves of, despite numerous connectionsbecause of his controversial And extreme agenda.