Scott Jennings lost it with former Biden administration official Neera Tanden after the pair butted heads over the attacks on Tesla dealerships on CNN’s NewsNight.
Jennings was making the point that a series of targeted attacks on dealerships and charging points were acts of “domestic terrorism,” a view echoed by Elon Musk after one of his Las Vegas facilities was struck Tuesday.
He added that that is the sum total of “the American left right now,” adding: “It is one angry mob after another willing to take things into their own hands, up to and including keying, firebombing, and otherwise vandalizing cars and car dealerships and charging stations.”
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“It’s outrageous, it is terrorism,” Jennings said. “People ought to be put in jail and left there for a very long time and be taught a lesson.”
Tanden took issue with Jennings' comments, setting off a meltdown when she said: “So when they do it to a Tesla dealership, it’s really bad. But when they do it to the halls of Congress, we should pardon them? Is that your position?”
“No. I’ve never...” Jennings began, before Tanden shot across him with: “Are we OK with the January 6 pardons?”
Jennings clapped back: “I know you haven’t been around for a while, so let me educate you about my position about January 6th.”
“I’m so sorry,” Tanden, who also worked for Hillary Clinton’s first presidential campaign, sarcastically replied, adding: “You don’t need to patronize me.”
“No, no, no, you don’t need to be condescending to me,” Jennings said, before yelling: “So let me educate you about my position! You wanna attack me? Let me finish it.”
John Bergman, standing in as host for Abby Phillip, attempted to restore some semblance of calm, telling Jennings to explain his position first.
“I’m just asking you a question—I’m sorry you’re getting emotional,” Tanden jibed at Jennings.
“Yeah, I’m sorry you’re a condescending person who hasn’t been paying attention to what I do,” Jennings replied, explaining that he was “one of the first Republicans” to condemn the attack on the Capitol. On the day of the riot, Jennings denounced it as “an insurrection” that Trump had fomented with “his lies and conspiracy theories.”
“I don’t support the pardons. I have repeatedly [...] said that no violence in our political system is acceptable,” he added, before launching into a defense of Musk.
“One of his companies is under systematic terroristic threat and violence all over the country. And people seem to be laughing about it or fine with it. It’s outrageous,” he said, rhyming off what the billionaire Department of Government efficiency chief has “done for” America.
Tanden agreed that anyone who commits violence “against Tesla or Congress or anyone else should be put in jail 1,000 percent,” but that should not stifle dissent or opposition directed at Elon Musk, she reasoned.
“Of course. Give it a little lip service. Give it a little both sides,” Jennings, still fired up, hit back.
Tanden said that people “are legitimately upset at Elon Musk.”
Washington Post journalist Josh Rogin attempted to cool the mood with a joke that doubled up as a Musk critique. “From what I understand, the Teslas will fall apart if you just leave them alone anyway. There’s nothing really anybody needs to do about it. Just drive them enough,” he said. “From what I’ve read, allegedly.”
Multiple reports of Tesla vehicles being vandalized have surfaced in recent weeks—both nationally and internationally.
