CNN’s Abby Phillip acknowledged the disdain some viewers feel for frequent “NewsNight” panelist Scott Jennings — but also defended the combative, conservative pundit’s presence on her show.
Phillip said Jennings, a former staffer for President George W. Bush who has gone full MAGA in recent years, even appearing on stage with President Donald Trump, represents perspectives that are “pretty widely shared,” even if many people find them “unfounded.”
“I would say that there are views that you don’t like, that you think are unfounded, but that are pretty widely shared. And I think Scott falls into that category,” she explained.
Phillip noted how she sometimes steps in when Jennings or others appear to be playing to social media users instead of engaging in a debate of worth.
“If I detect that what you’re doing is playing a game of, ‘Let me say something that I think is going to go viral, let me misrepresent what’s being said here to try to create a moment,’ I will stop that,” she said.
And Jennings “is often involved in those moments when I say, ‘No, we’re stopping,’” she added.
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