People Are Raging At CNN Over George W. Bush And Ellen DeGeneres Debate Question
Almost three hours into the Democratic debate Tuesday night, neither the presidential candidates nor viewers seemed all too impressed when CNN host Anderson Cooper wrapped up the night with a question about Ellen DeGeneres and George W. Bush’s friendship ― despite not bringing up climate change once.
“Last week, Ellen Degeneres was criticized after she and former President George W. Bush were seen laughing together at a football game. Ellen defended their friendship, saying, ‘We’re all different and I think that we’ve forgotten that that’s OK, that we’re all different,’” Cooper said at the conclusion of the debate. “So in that spirit, we’d like you to tell us about a friendship that you’ve had that would surprise us and what impacts it’s had on you and your beliefs.”
“The Daily Show” was quick to mock the moment with a picture of the faces of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Vice President Joe Biden:
When you're eight hours into the debate and Anderson Cooper asks a question about Ellen pic.twitter.com/19orEhk50U
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 16, 2019
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who was the first to answer the question on stage, tweeted several suggestions for a more useful question:
Three hours and no questions tonight about climate, housing, or immigration.
Climate change is an existential threat. America has a housing crisis. Children are still in cages at our border.
But you know, Ellen.#DemocraticDebate— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) October 16, 2019
California Sen. Kamala Harris, another candidate on the stage, also tweeted to point out issues that were neglected:
Three hours.
Not one question about the climate crisis.
Not one question about LGBTQ+ rights.
Not one question about immigration.
These issues are too important to ignore. #DemDebate— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 16, 2019
And Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year after launching a campaign focused around climate action, chimed in too:
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
Not one single question about the climate crisis.
Not one single question about the climate crisis.
Not one single question about the climate crisis.
This is the existential crisis of our time. Not one single question, and that’s completely inexcusable. #DemDebate— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) October 16, 2019
Viewers on Twitter weren’t too pleased with the question either, given immigration, climate change, housing poverty, LGBTQ issues and various other topics were entirely neglected in the Tuesday night debate:
Hey, let’s do 20 closing minutes on that Ellen/Bush meme thing. Immigration and climate change can wait until the next debate, if the world is still here.
— Nathan P. Ghoul (@nathanpgale) October 16, 2019
Oh, sweet Jesus. Having destroyed this debate, Anderson Cooper is now setting the debris on fire. ELLEN DEGENERES????????????????????
Kill me now.— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) October 16, 2019
I can't believe we're going to listen to a whole slate of answers on Ellen Degeneres when there hasn't been a single question on climate change?
— Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp) October 16, 2019
Really @CNN? Ending on an Ellen related question?!!!
For next debate, please get on the following:
Climate justice
Crisis at the border
Hate crimes
White supremacy
Voting rights#DemDebate— Ify Ike (@IfyWorks) October 16, 2019
CNN thought it was more important to use Ellen hanging out with a war criminal as a jumping off point to ask about bipartisan friendships than ask about the largest existential threat facing humanity
— Brian Kahn (@blkahn) October 16, 2019
My answer to this Ellen question is that Republicans are trying to take your health care away.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) October 16, 2019
Wait... did they really just ask an Ellen question? I can’t. I’m out. #DemDebate
— Steven Canals (@StevenCanals) October 16, 2019
the world: [literally on fire]
anderson cooper: lol did u guys see ellen— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) October 16, 2019
ANDERSON COOPER: Irreversible climate change is going to doom all mankind to a painful heat death if we don't act soon. So, obviously, I've gotta ask: Who's your shittiest friend and why
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 16, 2019
Ellen Degeneres and George Bush at a football game got more air time during the debates than China and Hong Kong. That is all you need to know about the state of American civic affairs. #DemocraticDebate
— Joshua Claybourn (@JoshuaClaybourn) October 16, 2019
Related Coverage
5 Takeaways From Tuesday's Democratic Debate: The Elizabeth Warren Pile-On
The Surprise Star Of The Democratic Debate Was On Stage, But Never Said A Word
Sanders, Warren Blast Joe Biden In First Major Clash Of Front-Runners
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
