MSNBC host argues GOP only plays to ‘white, male, cisgender, heterosexual’ constituents

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MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart appeared to call rising state GOP leaders bigots for recent bills that targeted progressive issues on Friday’s "PBS Newshour."

Capehart appeared with his fellow Washington Post columnist Gary Abernathy to discuss both the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and domestic issues, such as rising gas prices. Another issue brought up by host Judy Woodruff included the Florida bill passed on Tuesday that has been falsely labeled the "Don’t Say Gay" bill by Democrats and the media.

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Capehart continued to push the incorrect title, calling the Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed bill "horrendous" and "hideous." 

 "The ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is going to hurt LGBTQ kids and their families," Capehart said.

The bill, officially named Parental Rights in Education, does not specifically reference the word "gay," but instead bans school employees or third parties from giving classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" for students in kindergarten through third grade.

However, Capehart used the bill, as well as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act also pushed by DeSantis and other Republican bills, to claim that Republicans only support white, male, cisgender, and heterosexual voters.

"They talk a lot about freedom and choice and things like that for their constituents, but quite honestly if their constituents aren't white, male, cisgender, heterosexual -- it seems like they have no room for anyone like that in their states," Capehart said. 

Demonstrators protest inside the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla.  (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Abernathy agreed with Capehart’s sentiment, but also explained the bill’s actual contents, warning critics not to push too hard against them.

"I think the critics have to be a little careful not to push back too hard to make it seem like they think that kindergarten through 3rd graders should be discussing these issues when most people think that they should be discussing what I call the four R’s: reading, writing, arithmetic, and recess," Abernathy responded.

Abernathy’s comments echoed DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw, who told Fox News Digital, "The fact that so many corporate media outlets are using the utterly false ‘Don’t say gay’ branding — a Democrat epithet for the parental rights bill — just proves they cannot defend their actual position."

Capehart also commented on Americans’ apprehension over rising gas prices, attacking Republicans for "pouncing" on President Biden. 

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"The American people are always going to blame the president when gas prices go up, so it makes sense that Republicans would pounce on President Biden and try to make him the reason and put the blame on him for what’s happening," Capehart said.

Citing recent polls, he emphasized that most people are fine with paying higher prices to fight back against Russia.

Signage with fuel prices at a Shell gas station in Hercules, California, U.S., on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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"Personally, I am more than happy to pay higher gas prices, to pay more at the stores if it’s because of the actions taken by the United States and by its allies to hold Putin accountable," Capehart said.

Abernathy agreed, though he noted that gas prices were already increasing back in November.

Fox News' Joseph Wulfsohn also contributed to this report.