A discussion about President Trump’s response to the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Va., turned ugly Monday when former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli told Bernie Sanders campaign spokeswoman Symone Sanders to “shut up” during a CNN segment.
“You have white supremacists, neo-Nazi sympathizers in the White House in Sebastian Gorka and Steve Bannon. This is not just rhetoric,” Sanders said.
Cuccinelli said Sanders’ characterization was an “an outrageous overstatement” as the two debated the violent protests during which an Ohio man crash his car into a group of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville on Saturday afternoon.
As the two continued to feud, Cuccinelli told Sanders, “Look at how they got the permit. Can I finish, Symone? Can you just shut up for a moment?”
“You don’t get to tell me to shut up on national television,” Sanders shot back. “I’m sorry. Under no circumstances do you get to speak to me in that matter. You should exhibit some decorum.”
Host Chris Cuomo chimed in, chastising Cuccinelli and called for a “reset.”
“Ken, you don’t want to use language like that when you’re talking to Symone. You can disagree, but don’t talk like this on this show,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo later offered an opportunity for Cuccinelli to apologize.
“I’ll apologize for ‘shut up’ and I’ll accept her apology for interrupting me,” Cuccinelli said.
“I don’t have an apology for you,” Sanders responded. “You will not get one.”
