‘Sorry If That Hurts Your Feelings’: Republican Throws Down With Cavuto After Fox Host Pushes Back on Him Calling Harris a ‘Ding Dong’

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto and Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) got into a feisty exchange on Monday when Cavuto pushed back on Kennedy calling Vice President Kamala Harris a “ding dong.”

Kennedy ripped into Harris to kick off the exchange, saying that she views “our national security as strength through weakness” and believes “that if we just sit down with our enemies and have a cup of hot cocoa and give them a hug, that they’ll be nice to us.”

Cavuto pushed back and brought up some of Kennedy’s other jabs at Harris from earlier in the interview.

“I don’t know she ever suggested a cup of hot coffee. You know, you raised a number of very clear issues, substantive issues that could be debated. I guess all I’m saying, for all the problems and calling her a loon and all that, and I get it. I know it’s political season, and that happens on both sides,” Cavuto began as Kennedy cut in.

“You’re putting words in my mouth. I said, she’s a member, she’s a member of the loon wing of the Democratic Party. And there is a loon wing of the Democrats,” Kennedy retorted.

“What’s the difference between the loon wing and being a loon? The only reason why I’m saying it is if that is so, and you have a lot of American people who have now taken another look at her, and maybe it’s short-lived, to your point senator, she is running even with Donald Trump. And I’m just wondering about the approach you’re taking. And it’s very artful, don’t get me wrong. And you raise a lot of substantive issues. It’s going to come back to bite your hide, isn’t it? Aren’t you concerned about that?” Cavuto pressed.

“I’m telling you what I think the American people think it might not be what I think. And it may not be what you think, but this is Washington,” Kennedy hit back.

“And what do you think of the polls that show that she’s running even with Donald Trump, regardless of what either you or I think?” Cavuto asked.

“Well, the polls that I have seen, the most recent polls, you can’t just look at the top lines, Neil. You’ve got to look at the crosstabs. And if you look at the crosstabs and really drill down and see what people think, let me say that again. The polling that I’ve seen shows that many Americans think that the vice president is not a serious person. As I said, that she’s a bit of a ding-dong,” Kennedy said as Cavuto was clearly dismayed.

“And number two, that she is a member of the loony wing of the Democratic Party. She’s a San Francisco Democrat. She’s just like Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez. Except without the bartending experience. She is not mainstream. That’s the point I was trying to make was that by making her first policy position known on abortion, the idea that we should have a law that says you can have an abortion at any point, no questions asked, even up until the moment of birth, I think for most Americans is a loon wing position? That’s just my opinion. And that’s also what the polls show,” Kennedy claimed.

“No, no. You’re absolutely, fair game to make it. I’m just wondering how you think that will resonate with women when you know she is called nasty and crazy and a ding dong and all in this disrespectful between you and the president, what has been said about her? I’m just wondering, do you worry how that comes across? And maybe you draw no distinction between a female candidate and a male one? That’s fair game, but that this could hurt you with female voters with these types of comments,” Cavuto asked.

“Well, let me let me say it again. The vice president is a candidate for president of the United States. I don’t care about her gender. Neil, maybe you do, but I don’t. I don’t care about her race. I care about her competence,” Kennedy fumed.

“Why call her a ding dong?” Cavuto shot back.

“I’m telling you what the polling shows. I’m telling you what the polling shows, and it does. And I’ll be glad to sit down with you and and and walk you through the polls,” Kennedy hit back.

“Please. Please do. Because I never know when it’s constructive to call people names. You know, Senator, I just don’t know, on the left or the right, Cavuto replied.

“I’m sorry, but I’m sorry if that hurt your feelings. But let me say it again,” Kennedy replied as Cavuto cut in, “Senator, you keep bringing it back to my feelings. My feelings matter little. All I’m telling you is if you think you can gain this November, calling people names. I don’t know how far that goes left or right, but we’ll see. It’s still early.”

“So your feelings seem to me like they matter to you a lot, Neil. And I’m trying to be objective here. Let me let me say it again,” Kennedy replied as Cavuto interjected, “Are you really? Are you really being objective, senator?”

“I just think you got a bash-a-thon, and name-calling at her, if you call that being objective, I don’t know, but, Senator, I thank you. Thank you for coming,” he added, ending the interview.

“Well, thank you for having me, Neil. I hope you have a better day,” Kennedy jabbed in reply.

“Yeah. So do I, hope you have a better day. We’ll have more after this,” concluded Cavuto.

Watch the clip above.