CNN host Abby Phillip on Sunday called out the network’s Republican pundit Scott Jennings as he tried to defend Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s launch of a new reality series on YouTube.
Duffy, a former MTV reality star, recently dropped a trailer for a five-part, road trip-style series with his family that’s sponsored by companies overseen and regulated by his department. He has faced criticism over the promo for the trip that he said was filmed “over the course of seven months,” given his time as secretary has been rocked by soaring gas prices and several high-profile aviation accidents.
Jennings justified the series’ existence by arguing it would “promote American tourism” and the “great” parts of the country. Phillip then tossed to a clip of the GOP pundit joining a choir of right-wing critics who slammed Duffy’s predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, for taking paternity leave in 2021.
“Frankly, you ought to know that [being transportation secretary] goes with some personal sacrifice,” Jennings said in the CNN clip at the time.
As Jennings scrambled to defend his take, Phillip jumped back in.
