On Wednesday evening, it got heated in the second and final debate between Michigan Senate candidates, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers, over the issue of the Muslim Brotherhood, which many in the liberal media have wrongly claimed El-Sayed has condemned. That exchange was highlighted Wednesday night on CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins, where the host falsely claimed El-Sayed has previously denounced the Muslim Brotherhood, and the term Islamophobia made an appearance.
Before Collins played a clip from the debate, her lead-in included an inaccurate defense of El-Sayed.
COLLINS: Days after we saw Abdul El-Sayed denounce the Muslim Brotherhood with a voter exchange and later with reporters, Mike Rogers sought, again, to tie him to the Islamist movement, prompting El-Sayed to fire back with this.
Presumably, Collins was referring to last Saturday's town hall in Michigan, where El-Sayed was asked whether he would disavow the Muslim Brotherhood, and gave a dismissive answer of, "Sure. Yeah, absolutely". He did however later tell reporters, "I clearly disavow it."
But the definition of disavow is, to deny responsibility for, to refuse to acknowledge or accept. The definition of denounce is, criticizing a person or action severely and publicly because you feel strongly that they are wrong or evil. El-Sayed did not do that in either of the two instances noted by Collins.
And she is not alone on. Previously on CNN, the notion that El-Sayed has condemned the Muslim Brotherhood had been tossed around. The definition of condemned is, declared to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil. He has not done that either.
Part of the debate clip Collins played featured Rogers accusations against El-Sayed's alleged terrorist ties, and the Democrat's response.
EL-SAYED: He keeps raising this question about this association with an organization I've never been a part of because, my mom who is a nurse in Missouri? It doesn't make any sense.
It does if you have seen a report in the Free Beacon, which says, "El-Sayed’s familial ties to the Muslim Brotherhood run through his mother, Elkomy, who at one point worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency, which was sanctioned for funding al-Qaeda." Other connections are cited as well.
Collins never mentioned that, as she welcomed Democrat strategist Ameshia Cross to weigh in.
CROSS: I think that the only thing that Mike Rogers has, and the thing that he thinks that he can latch on to the strongest is a -- him trying to create a connection between someone who is of the Muslim faith, is of the Islamic faith, to terrorist groups.... He should be able to practice his and honor his faith in the way that he is doing it.
However, I think that trying to tie that to something that is terroristic is a real problem.... I think that it's shameful.... and I think that El-Sayed responds every time with the right answer.
That's sloppy spin. Rogers was not confusing the Muslim religion for the Muslim Brotherhood. The question is whether Abdul and his family are "honoring" their faith by supporting terrorist groups.
Collins turned to the former Republican Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu, and it didn't take long for Cross to interrupt with a charge she apparently forgot to level during her turn.
SUNUNU: He is an extremist. There's no doubt about that. So, take all that Muslim Brotherhood stuff aside, whether it's valid or not valid. I just think--
CROSS: It's islamophobia.
Sununu's response was interrupted by former Trump campaign advisor, CNN's David Urban, who set Cross straight.
SUNUNU: Well -- well, no, no--
URBAN: No. Matter of fact, that's not true.
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: No one's saying he can't be Muslim or practice be -- the Islamic faith.
SUNUNU: Right.
URBAN: There's a question about whether his family member was a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization. That's a yes or no answer, which he's never answered. ...All he has to say is, I disavow it. Of course, it's a terrible organization. They're terrorists. I would have nothing to do with it. He has never done that, not once.
That would actually be a condemnation. Urban continued his impassioned response.
URBAN: This isn't about Islamophobia. This is about terrorists who want to do harm to the West. And if Abdul El-Sayed can't condemn that, if he thinks that Iran is a bigger threat to America than Israel, then that's a guy who shouldn't be in the United States Senate.
CROSS: He has said multiple times that he does not support the Islamic -- that he does not support terrorist regimes.
URBAN: But he's not denounced the Muslim Brotherhood.
CROSS: He's called them out.
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: So, it's nothing to do with his faith.
Then Urban said Abdul's candidacy is doomed: "This guy's not gonna win. He's going down, his ship is sinking, fast." Seemingly shocked, Collins asked, "You think he's not going to win"? He said: "No, not close."
No Kaitlan, not even with the false claims of El Sayed having denounced the Muslim Brotherhood, and of Islamophobia from Rogers. This is CNN!
