Watch: 'You're an Absolute Jerk!': Former Obama Adviser Gets Eviscerated Live on CNN
Conservative commentator and CNN contributor Scott Jennings got into a heated on-air disagreement with former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina last week that ended up getting deeply personal.
At one point during the argument, Messina accused Jennings of parroting Republican “talking points,” to which Jennings responded by calling Messina “an absolute jerk.”
“I tell you what, man, do you have a single friend? An absolute jerk” pic.twitter.com/V9CM0iT1bn
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 27, 2022
The exchange occurred on “CNN Tonight” and originally began while the panel was discussing how Republicans have gained ground among Latino voters, according to a transcript of the show.
In particular, they focused on the Arizona Senate race between incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican challenger Blake Masters.
“According to some polling, Masters is close to Kelly,” Jennings said, according to the transcript. “I don’t know if he’s gonna win, but it’s a very close …”
Messina apparently disagreed on how the campaign would turn out and interjected, “Do you want to bet money on that race?”
“Do I want to bet money?” Jennings asked, according to the transcript. “You wanna bet money on the governor’s race?”
“You’re just holding the Republican line in everything you’ve said tonight,” Messina said. “Let’s be in the middle.”
As the transcript showed, Messina then repeated the accusation several times.
“Scott, come on. Enough with the talking points,” he said.
Jennings wasn’t taking it.
“I feel like your debate with Karl Rove that you had before you came here — like, your ears are clogged,” Jennings he said. “I’m telling you…”
“No, I’m just concerned that the RNC gave you the talking points and now you can’t shift,” Messina said.
Jennings appeared visibly frustrated as the conversation became repetitive, telling Messina:
“I tell you what, man, do you have a single friend?”
Then, he added: “You’re an absolute jerk.”
(The CNN transcript leaves out the word “jerk,” though it’s plain enough on the video.)
Jennings then addressed Alisyn Camerota, who was attempting to end the quarrel between the two men.
“I’m sorry, I don’t come on here and read talking points. You know me, and you know me, and you,” Jennings said, pointing to Camerota, co-host Laura Coates and political strategist and “The View” co-host Ana Navarro, who were also at the table.
He added, “I don’t come on here and read talk — I don’t even know you, and you come on here and insult me. I don’t want to be accused of reading talking points.”
Messina served as the White House deputy chief of staff for operations under former President Barack Obama.
Jennings worked for the Bush-Cheney campaign in the early 2000s and was appointed special assistant to then-President George W. Bush in 2006. He also served as deputy director of political affairs.
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