CNN host Jake Tapper lost it on Wednesday and cut short an interview with Trump 2020 campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh after he began listing Democratic presidential Joe Biden’s voting record on issues related to black Americans.
Tapper was visibly frustrated throughout the interview as Murtaugh argued that President Donald Trump has condemned white supremacy many times, including earlier in the day on Wednesday. Tapper tried to shut Murtaugh down, but he failed to do so and eventually ended the interview altogether after the Trump spokesman brought up Biden’s previous links to segregationists and his recent comments about African American voters.
“Which of these two men is better for the black community?” Murtaugh asked. “The president’s record is clear: lowest unemployment ever for black Americans, historical funding to historically black colleges and universities, the First Step Act — letting people out of prison early for nonviolence offenses, giving them a second chance at life.”
“Joe Biden, meanwhile, palled around with racist, segregationist senators to prevent reintegration of schools…,” he added.
“Oh, come on!” Tapper fired back “Come on!”
Undeterred, Murtaugh went on to point out that Biden’s “own running mate [Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)] took him to task for that during a Democrat debate,” referring to the moment she confronted him about his civil rights record earlier this year.
“If you want to talk about what Joe Biden was doing in the 1970s, when he worked with segregationist senators, absolutely, have at it,” Tapper responded.
“Just in this election, [Biden] said that he believes all black people think the same, and he said if you’re not voting for him and you’re black then ‘you ain’t black,'” Murtaugh continued.
It was then that Tapper had enough and proclaimed, “You know what, I’m not Chris Wallace,” as he ended the interview. He was referring to the Fox News host who many say failed to maintain order at the presidential debate on Tuesday night.
Check out the entire interview below. The relevant portion begins around the 5 minute mark.
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