Republican Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger accused CNN anchor Jim Acosta Monday of being “disrespectful” toward former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
Acosta appeared to get testy with Yang in a Sunday interview about the former candidate’s newly formed political party, the Forward Party. The CNN anchor told Yang his party needs to have “policy positions,” then accused him of being part of a “fill-in-the-blank party.”
Kinzinger criticized Acosta for his approach toward Yang and his political party.
“I watched @Acosta interview Andrew Yang and I’ve gotta say, was one of the more disrespectful interviews I have seen,” Kinzinger said. “Acosta gave him no chance to answer, scowled the whole time, and wasn’t listening. Our system is failing, maybe hear the guy out?”
I watched @Acosta interview @AndrewYang and I’ve gotta say, was one of the more disrespectful interviews I have seen. @Acosta gave him no chance to answer, scowled the whole time, and wasn’t listening. Our system is failing, maybe hear the guy out?
— Adam Kinzinger🇺🇦🇺🇸✌️ (@AdamKinzinger) August 15, 2022
The CNN anchor pressed Yang on the Forward Party’s position on Roe v. Wade. The former presidential candidate answered that his party has a “forward” stance on divisive issues.
“But what does that mean?” Acosta asked. “Don’t you have to take a position on something? You can’t just say ‘well, this is a hot button issue so I’m not going to take a position on it. [If] you want to run the country, you have to make some hard decisions, Andrew.” (RELATED: ‘Ashamed Of Themselves’: Kinzinger Blasts Dems For Funding Republicans They Claim Are A ‘Direct Threat To The Democratic Party’)
“Again, the Forward Party is about that common sense consensus majority view, which is very clear on abortion, it’s clear on—”
“What about guns? What about assault weapons?” Acosta interjected. “Should 18-year-olds be able to buy AR-15s?”
Yang said there should be extended background checks, then argued the two-party system is preventing any common sense reforms from getting passed. The CNN anchor accused him of refraining from taking “hard positions.”
“If somebody wants a party with no clear policy positions, you’re it,” Acosta told Yang. “But unfortunately in the real world, you have to take a position on something.”
Jim Acosta: “How does the “Forward Party” feel about Roe v Wade?”
Andrew Yang: “The “Forward Party” has a—not left or right- but “forward” stance on even the most divisive & contentious issues.”
Jim Acosta: “What does that even mean?!” pic.twitter.com/JqHKQdBs1x
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) August 14, 2022
Yang announced the creation of his new party in October 2021, just one month after leaving the Democratic Party with the slogan, “Not left. Not right. Forward.” He blamed “incentives” of the U.S. political system for polarizing the current two-party system.