Conservative commentator Scott Jennings clashed with fellow CNN panelist Ashley Etienne on Tuesday night after insisting he was “really outraged” by Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff’s remarks about presidential aide Natalie Harp.
The heated exchange unfolded on “Laura Coates Live,” where Jennings accused Ossoff of insinuating that Harp was romantically involved with President Donald Trump. Etienne, a former communications director for Kamala Harris, pushed back and characterized Jennings’ reaction as “fake outrage.”
Jennings argued that Ossoff’s comments suggested Harp’s position and proximity to Trump were the result of an inappropriate relationship.
“You heard the crowd. They were in there clapping like seals,” Jennings said.
Jennings then accused Democrats of hypocrisy when it comes to their treatment of women, arguing that Harp was being publicly smeared despite having gone to work in government.
He called Ossoff’s remarks “disgusting” and accused the Georgia Democrat of refusing to defend them when later questioned on MS NOW.
“He was a coward for not defending it,” Jennings said. “He’s willing to do it in a scripted rally, but he’s not willing to defend it after the fact. It’s despicable.”
Etienne immediately challenged Jennings’ characterization.
“I mean, just all this sort of fake outrage just really infuriates,” she said.
“It is not fake. I can assure you,” Jennings fired back.
After the two talked over each other, host Laura Coates intervened and allowed Etienne to continue.
Etienne argued that Ossoff never explicitly claimed Republican women receive jobs because they are sleeping with their bosses. Instead, she said, Ossoff merely pointed out that Harp and Trump appear together frequently.
“What he said was that they seemed to be together quite often, which is a statement of fact,” Etienne said.
Etienne then suggested Republicans were taking the remarks personally because they believed there could be “some level of truth to it,” before shifting attention to conditions faced by sailors at sea.
She criticized the White House’s level of outrage over comments about a staffer while arguing there had not been comparable outrage over sailors who have spent months at sea.
Ossoff sparked anger among Trump supporters Sunday after mentioning Harp during a campaign rally while criticizing Trump.
Ossoff accused the president of sleeping through meetings, golfing and trading stocks while sailors aboard the Lincoln “fight his war.”
“He doesn’t want to do the job,” Ossoff said.
The Georgia Democrat then claimed Trump instead wanted to “build his ballroom and travel with Natalie” aboard what Ossoff described as an “apparently defenseless flying palace” gifted by the Emir of Qatar.
Those remarks quickly became the center of the controversy, with Jennings arguing Tuesday that the implication behind them was unmistakable and Etienne maintaining that critics were reading something into Ossoff’s words that he never explicitly said.
[READ MORE: ABC Sues FCC, Accuses Trump Administration of ‘Retaliatory Campaign’ Against Network]
