CNN Host Begs Pro-Iran War Panelists: ‘How About You Guys Actually Deal With Reality?’

CNN host Abby Phillip on Tuesday tried hard to get her conservative “NewsNight” panelists to explain why President Donald Trump has been unable to get the Strait of Hormuz reopened to U.S. ships if his war with Iran is as strategic as they suggested.

Trump threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran if the strait wasn’t reopened by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, which would have amounted to war crimes under international law. He announced a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire less than two hours before his deadline.

Despite Phillip noting Tuesday that Iran is still in control over the strait, CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings continued to defend the war, and former gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel (R-Minn.) suggested that Iran has no power to keep the strait closed.

“It’s been severely degraded with respect to its missile capability,” Madel told Phillip. “Its army has been severely degraded. When they talk about trying to keep the Strait of Hormuz, that ‘We’re going to keep it closed,’ with their military — what navy? There is no Iranian navy.”

Phillip countered that Iran hasn’t used its navy to keep the strait closed, however.

She was about to inform her conservative guest that Iran has done so with the deployment of mines and low-cost drones when Madel interrupted with a wholly unrelated claim that the U.S. has made Iran “a safer place.”

“The thing that counters your point is that the Strait of Hormuz right now, as we speak, is closed,” Phillip said, prompting Madel to admit that it is, before she added: “So, if you’re saying … they have no power to close the strait, then why is it closed?”

“We are talking about a very temporary situation right now,” Madel responded.

The practicing attorney once again veered off from Phillip’s point that Trump has failed to secure control over the Hormuz Strait, asking the CNN host if she thinks “this is going to continue forever” and then boldly claiming the U.S. can “take the Strait of Hormuz anytime we want.”

“Hold on a second,” Phillip said. “How about you guys actually deal with reality? Five weeks—”

Jennings interrupted to claim he and Madel were actually asking Phillip to deal with reality, when she finished her thought and countered, “No, no, let me just ask you a quick question … Five weeks into this war, first question: Why is the Strait of Hormuz closed?”

Jennings said it’s closed because Iran is “choosing to harass people” mid-passage.