The White House called out CNN after anchor Chris Cuomo referred to White House principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah as “Raj whatever-his-name-is.”
“.@ChrisCuomo and CNN viewers, it’s Raj Shah,” Shah tweeted Monday.
.@ChrisCuomo and CNN viewers, it’s Raj Shah https://t.co/4kmYYrsHPX via @dailycaller
— Raj Shah (@RajShah45) January 15, 2018
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also weighed in, pointing out that CNN had misidentified Shah when it used a photo of a former Obama administration official when mentioning Shah.
“Last month @CNN put up the wrong picture for WH Principal Deputy Press Secretary @RajShah45 & now they refer to him on air as ‘Raj whatever his name is.’ #ThisIsCNN,” Sanders tweeted.
Last month @CNN put up the wrong picture for WH Principal Deputy Press Secretary @RajShah45 & now they refer to him on air as “Raj whatever his name is.” #ThisIsCNN https://t.co/PnkYDqoCpP
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 15, 2018
Cuomo had been discussing reports that President Trump referred to some foreign nations as “shithole” countries. Shah, who is Indian-American, had issued a statement shortly following the report.
“We went to the White House when it happened and Raj whatever-his-name-is didn’t back off the words,” Cuomo said Monday morning.
Cuomo later referred Shah as just “Raj” on Monday and apologized on Twitter.
Sorry for the mistake, Raj. Won’t happen again. Please know that you are welcome to come on the show anytime. https://t.co/kw669MfP0a
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) January 15, 2018
Cuomo also referenced the mistake later Monday night on air and said “I apologize for that.”
Cuomo previously worked at ABC News before joining CNN and is the younger brother of Andrew Cuomo, Democratic governor of New York.
