Sanders Demands Apology From Biden For Hilary Rosen’s Comment

I didn’t see the clip, but the transcript was so entertaining.

Jonathan Turley: There is a controversy brewing over the comments of CNN contributor Hilary Rosen during a heated exchange with Sanders campaign co-chair Nina Turner. Rosen’s comments have been denounced as racist and her initial apology triggered even more intense criticism. What is most interesting however is what this controversy says about the role of contributors. Rosen has a long history of supporting Democratic establishment figures from the Clintons to Joe Biden. In today’s formulaic media roles, she is viewed as such a de facto voice for Biden that Sen. Bernie Sanders has demanded that Biden apologize for her comments. It is a dispute that directs a bright light on the usually murky roles played by “contributors” on the cable programs as campaign surrogates. The exchange also had some troubling issues when Turner object to Rosen’s contrary interpretation of a Martin Luther King “as a white woman.” As discussed below, Turner was right on the meaning of the quote. So the problem was not that Rosen was white. It was that she was wrong.

Turner and Rosen crossed swords on Thursday night on “Cuomo Prime Time” after Turner invoked Martin Luther King Jr. Rosen objected to the reference, suggested that Turner got the quote wrong, and then said that Turner “did not have the standing” to invoke King in this way. Later Rosen apologized after widespread criticism but seemed to refer to Turner in the apology as an “angry black woman.” Bring Popcorn.