Geraldo Rivera caused a bit of a ruckus on CNN Thursday night when he suggested the best way for Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to campaign is with “indisputably white people.”
If El-Sayed is elected, he would become the country’s first Muslim senator.
Although he currently leads Republican opponent Mike Rogers 48.1% to 45.5% according to Real Clear Politics, the election is still weeks away, and the GOP is focused on portraying him as dangerously radical.
That seemed to be Rivera’s concern when El-Sayed was discussed on “Newsnight” Thursday evening, and he suggested ideas to ease the concerns of Michiganders on the fence.
“Well, I’m a pragmatic idealist,” the veteran newsman said before claiming the reality in Michigan is that “people are thinking in the back of their minds that this is a radical Muslim person, and it’s scaring the hell out of Jewish people and others in Michigan.”
Then he continued with the suggestion that set the panel off.
“Why not embrace the mainstream of the Democratic Party and surround yourself with all of these American, indisputably white people that ….” Rivera started to say before a storm of crosstalk emerged from his aghast panelmates.
Host Abby Phillip calmed everyone down, then asked Rivera to clarify his thoughts, and he invoked progressive New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“AOC is my favorite politician in America,” he said. “I’m very proud of her. I’m proud of everything that she’s accomplished. And do you think that the people in northern Michigan are going to look at AOC and say, ’Oh, now I’m more likely to take the chance with El-Sayed than I would be?”
“So you’re suggesting [El-Sayed] should campaign more with white people than AOC?” Phillip asked.
“If you want to be blunt as that,” Rivera replied, before adding, “white people, Black people, American people ….”
“AOC is American!” interjected co-panelist and Democratic strategist Ashley Allison, off camera, right before Rivera said, “I’m a proud Puerto Rican American.”
Phillip responded by saying, “I think I should call a time out,” while co-panelist Charles Blow told Rivera, “I don’t care if you’re Puerto Rican, it’s so offensive. It’s so offensive.”
Blow then explained that when he went to an El-Sayed rally, the vast majority of people in attendance were white.
“That man did not engage in any identity politics, and he was surrounded by white people,” Blow said, before turning his attention back to Rivera. “But why is that still not enough for you?”
The complete segment is above, and, unsurprisingly, people on social media took umbrage at Rivera’s use of the term “indisputably white people.”