Squawk Box co-host Joe Kernen took issue with a colleague’s coverage of protests at a recent Donald Trump rally in Tucson, Arizona.
CNBC Chief Washington Correspondent John Harwood reported on March 21, that at that rally a Trump supporter attacked a protester who was wearing a KKK outfit, and Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski grabbed a protester by his shirt collar.
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“Now, I understand why Donald Trump is concerned about profanity because that's something that's foreign to his world,” Harwood said sarcastically after airing comments by Trump complaining about protestors using profanity on their signs.
Kernen called out Harwood saying, “That was like just dripping with sarcasm.” Harwood admitted he was being sarcastic, and Kernen complained that Harwood was “Still at it with the Trumpster, are you John?”
Kernen also defended the people mentioned in Harwood’s report. Referring to the African-American attendee who attacked a protester who was wearing Ku Klux Klan attire, Kernen said he could “give him a pass.” He also defended Lewandowski, by mimicking the collar-grab with co-host Becky Quick.
“Watch what I do to Becky here with her collar,” Kernen joked as he grabbed Quick. He claimed he does that to his colleagues often, although Quick denied it.