During a panel discussion on Monday, CNN anchor Abby Phillip faced a challenging moment when a liberal journalist became visibly agitated, nearly cursing on air while debating conservative network contributor Scott Jennings over allegations that Elon Musk secretly harbors Nazi beliefs.
The controversy surrounding Musk’s pre-inaugural remarks has persisted since January 19th, when he addressed a stadium crowd by placing his hand over his heart and extending his arm outward. Critics interpreted this gesture as reminiscent of Adolf Hitler’s infamous ‘Sieg Heil’ salute. Among them was Washington Post opinion columnist Catherine Rampell, who stated on Monday that Musk had forfeited the “benefit of the doubt” regarding accusations of antisemitism.
“The first time that Elon Musk decides to declare that globalist Jews are responsible for the great replacement of brown people into the United States, maybe it was a misunderstanding,” she seethed. “The second time, you know, he said Jews are pushing hate against white people – that’s a quote – you know, that was a little iffy. By the second Sieg Heil, I think he kind of loses the benefit of the doubt to be not accused of playing footsie with these Nazis.”
Phillip then swung it over Jennings, observing that the conservative commentator was rolling his eyes and sighing at several points during Rampell’s rant. “We’ve moved on from Trump Derangement Syndrome to Elon Derangement Syndrome,” he began, but Rampell had already begun to lose her cool. “Oh, I’m sorry, do you want to defend…” she shouted, but as Phillips cut her off, the liberal opinion writer scornfully laughed and shrugged. “I love this game where you talk for two minutes, and I talk for three seconds, and you freak out,” Jennings shot back.
Here’s lefty WaPo op-ed writer Catherine Rampell losing her mind over her potentially defamatory claim that @elonmusk is a Nazi sympathizer in disguise when CNN’s Scott Jennings corrects her.
‘The media’ hasn’t learned jack after Trump’s historic win. pic.twitter.com/cbyejYHkCx
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) January 28, 2025
Regarding Musk, “he has a long record of supporting the Jewish people,” Jennings continued. “Number two, anyone who is asserting that this thing he did on the stage the other day was a Sieg Heil, which I just heard you say – lawyer up, maybe, because it’s an absolutely ridiculous thing to say.” That led Rampell to blow up again. “The Nazis in Germany thought it was a Sieg Heil!” she screamed before challenging Jennings, “Why don’t you do it on TV?”
But Jennings, as he always does, kept his cool and continued. “Number three, I think it is fully appropriate – and I have been the strongest supporter on this network of the Jewish people since October the 7th…” Rampell interrupted, “Is that true?!” Jennings went on: “I’m trying to finish my point. The people who are most concerned about, and who are all over Elon today, have had nary a word for the Nazis on college campuses who have gone crazy for the last year and a half.” Rampell lost it again: “That is bull! That is bull! That is bull!” she yelled while furiously pointing a finger at the conservative contributor.