It’s not uncommon for CNN panelists to struggle with basic concepts of right and wrong. The fact that Republican strategist Scott Jennings was generous enough to provide them with a uncomplicated diagram to explain things is a nice touch.
Jennings had to help the latest panel figure out why Daniel Penny – who heroically subdued Jordan Neely on a New York subway in May, detaining a man with a lengthy criminal record who had threatened to kill people – and Luigi Mangione – who allegedly ambushed, shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as he walked down the street are two very different people.
Journalist Audie Cornish, filling in for “NewsNight With Abby Phillip,” asked an initial question with an obvious answer.
“I want to bring politics into this because when I hear legislators celebrating Penny as a hero, as a good Samaritan who really gets promoted, can you help me understand the mindset?” she asked, adding: “We started at the top of the show and talked about how the murderer of the UnitedHealthcare CEO was being celebrated with similar words.”
Jennings designed a diagram that would make Karl Rove and his whiteboard proud.
“Yeah, I just want to help you understand,” Jennings said. “If you’re on the American left tonight, here’s my chart. The good guys today: Daniel Penny. The bad guys: Luigi Mangione.”
@ScottJenningsKY needs to show CNN a chart to explain why Daniel Penny is a hero and Luigi Mangione is a murderer.
About Penny says, “I think you should build a statue of this guy in New York City.” pic.twitter.com/0Hg7ekeQZz
— Rusty (@Rusty_Weiss) December 10, 2024
Simply. Simply. Even a toddler could understand it.
Cornish responded by asking Jennings where his victim file was. This also seems pretty obvious. The guy walking down the street minding his own business shouldn’t have been executed. The man with a criminal history and a documented mental illness who threatened the lives of subway passengers had to be subdued.
“People on the left can’t tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys,” Jennings said.
Cornish then asked whether the sole Republican on the panel agreed with Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), who was planning to do this submit a resolution To award Daniel Penny the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest civilian honor.
Here’s the path: Lawmakers want to award Daniel Penny with Congress’ highest civilian honor
“I think he should get a medal,” Jennings said. “I think they should erect a statue of this guy in New York City.”
Philadelphia Daily News columnist Solomon Jones immediately jumped into the discussion, as is a requirement for any CNN panel regardless of the topic.
“I will say it. “I’m going to say the dreaded R-word,” Jones said. “Race plays a role in this. Correct?”
A skeptical Jennings replied: “Really?”
He mentioned the case of Jordan Williams, who was involved in a fatal stabbing on a New York subway in 2023. Williams stabbed Devictor Ouedraogo after the man allegedly harassed and beat Williams’ girlfriend. However, the charges were dropped because the grand jury decided in self-defense.
A Tale of Two Subways
“What about the Jordan Williams case here in New York?” asked Jennings Jones. “Same situation, an African-American gets on a subway and ends up killing a man, the grand jury dismisses the case at the exact same time as the Penny case.”
“This is different. This is different,” emphasized another panelist.
Maybe it would have been time for Scott to put out another diagram here to explain that the difference in this case is that Williams is black and Penny is white.
Huh. Maybe Jones is right after all. Race plays a role, but not his mindset.
