Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) put CNN anchor and Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins on the spot during a heated exchange, directly asking whether she considered conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s positions “reprehensible.” The tense back-and-forth took place Friday night on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, as Omar was pressed about her controversial social media activity regarding Kirk.
Omar had recently faced a censure attempt over posts, including one where she shared a video depicting Kirk as being “shot through the neck” by his own “Frankenstein monster.” The measure ultimately failed after four Republicans crossed the aisle and opposed it.
During the CNN interview, Collins confronted Omar about the posts, while Omar attempted to pivot by bringing attention to what she called Kirk’s “reprehensible” views. Their exchange quickly became pointed:
COLLINS: But can I ask you, Congresswoman, because–
OMAR: People are asking, and are getting fired–
COLLINS: Well–
OMAR: –for sharing Charlie’s words.
COLLINS: Well, and some people were celebrating it. That was part of it.
OMAR: I haven’t seen that.
COLLINS: But on that issue–
OMAR: I’ve just seen people sharing his words.
Collins then reminded Omar about remarks she made at a town hall just days earlier. “There was a town hall that you had six days ago. You called Kirk a, quote, hateful man. And you had reposted a video that I’m sure you’ve seen, you’ve taken criticism for. It’s a video that called him a reprehensible human being, and said Kirk was Dr. Frankenstein, and his monster shot him through the neck. Why repost that video?”
Omar defended her decision, explaining: “Because there were a lot of things in the video that I did agree with. Obviously, we share videos. We don’t have to agree with every single word. But I do believe he was a reprehensible, hateful man. Like, that is my view of the words that he has said about every single identity that I belong to. He didn’t believe that we should have equal access to anything. He also just didn’t even believe, I could be smart enough, I could have thoughts that could be equal to a white man. Where are we missing this conversation about who this man was, and the things that he said? How do you not — do you not find that reprehensible, Kaitlan?”
COLLINS: Well, of course, I don’t–
OMAR: Do you — do you think I don’t have–
COLLINS: –I don’t subscribe to that. But I think the argument being made–
OMAR: But do you think I don’t have the brain processing power, like you, or a white man?
COLLINS: Well, of course not.
OMAR: I know, but — but if somebody said that–
COLLINS: And I think it’s very clear here that I’m not sharing his views, and I don’t justify them.
OMAR: –would you say that that would be reprehensible views?
COLLINS: I think the argument that was being made–
OMAR: No, but I am asking you. What I’m asking you–
COLLINS: –and what we have heard is–
OMAR: –is would you say that as–
COLLINS: Yes, I understand what you’re asking me.
OMAR: But you’re asking me how could I find him reprehensible?
COLLINS: I understand what you’re asking me, Congresswoman.
OMAR: Like, that is reprehensible.
COLLINS: No, I’m not–
OMAR: You said, it is reprehensible yourself, that it’s vile, it’s reprehensible, and it is hateful.
COLLINS: No, no, I’m not asking why you think he’s reprehensible. I think — you’re obviously allowed to have your own views. That’s why we have you on here so often–
OMAR: Yes.
COLLINS: –because we like to hear your views and what you think on something. I just think it was the video, where it called him Dr. Frankenstein, and said his monster shot him through the neck. I mean, obviously this is a person, and looking at this, this is someone who was a husband and a father, and in the days after his shocking death, that happened as a result of his views, or happened as a result as he was sharing his views, publicly with people, that people found it jarring to hear such criticism of that in the immediate aftermath–
OMAR: What I — what I find–
COLLINS: –of someone’s death.
OMAR: –jarring is that there’s so many people willing to excuse the most reprehensible things that he said, that they agree with that, that they’re willing to have monuments for him, that they want to create a day to honor him, and that they want to produce resolutions in the House of Congress, honoring his life and legacy. It is one thing to care about his life, because obviously so many people loved him, including his children and wife. But I am not going to sit here, and be judged for not wanting to honor any legacy this man has left behind, that should be in the dustbin of history, and we should hopefully move on and forget the hate that he spewed every single day.
{Matzav.com}
