MSNBC's Joy Reid invites Christopher Rufo to debate critical race theory, barely allows him to speak

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Media top headlines June 23

The New York Times editing a headline about NFL player Carl Nassib coming out as gay, The Washington Post issuing 'clarifications' on story about Critical Race Theory opponent Chris Rufo, and the media getting slammed for using Dems' talking points after Senate voting bill vote round out today's top media headlines

MSNBC host Joy Reid accepted a challenge from Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo to debate critical race theory but barely allowed him to utter a sentence before cutting him off throughout the interview. 

Following a dustup on Twitter, which Reid admitted was a "hyperbole zone," Rufo appeared on Wednesday's installment of "The Reidout" to discuss his activism against the divisive ideology that's being debated in schools nationwide. 

Rufo told Reid that she had spread "four key false pieces of information" about CRT, listing her claims that it "wasn't being taught in schools," that most American students have been taught what she calls "confederate race theory" and that slavery was "not so bad," that state legislation will "prevent" schools from teaching the history of racism, and that CRT isn't rooted in Marxism. 

"I think that all four of those claims are wrong and I would love to discuss them tonight," Rufo said, not knowing that Reid will avoid addressing them for the rest of the interview.

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Reid kept citing Rufo's "talking points memo" that "definitely seems to be working" within GOP politics, but then listed off various comments Rufo had made she insisted were false and any time he attempted to explain what he said was factual, she refused to allow him to address it at the moment. 

She then went to bat for "How To Be an Antiracist" author Ibram X. Kendi, who Rufo asserted was the "guru" of CRT, by reading a statement he gave to "The ReidOut" saying he doesn't identify as a "critical race theorist" despite his admiration for the ideology. 

"Joy, let me respond," Rufo jumped in. "This is not a monologue. This should be a dialogue, right?"

"Well, it's my show. So it's how I want to do it," Reid shot back before continuing her rant. 

Rufo pointed out how "interesting" it was how advocates in favor of CRT are "running away" from the "label of critical race theory" and attempted to quote "White Fragility" author Robin DiAngelo before Reid interrupted to say she "not a critical race theorist." 

"What you're doing here is you're playing a series of word games," Rufo told Reid before being constantly shouted over by the MSNBC host. "I'm not going to let you keep playing word games."

Rufo complained, "Let me respond at least once! I haven't even gotten a full sentence out!"

Reid replied, "Because I'm not going to let you… I don't allow people to just make up insane lies on this show. It's just not really right to do that."

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The two of them battled over various assertions with Reid not allowing Rufo to explain his points. 

"You've taken sort of all of these ‘wokeness’ moments… the things that annoy conservatives and you stuffed them into the name ‘critical race theory.’ It's really like 'Christopher Rufo Theory," Reid said. 

After Rufo boasted how the American public is becoming more aware of CRT, Reid pushed back, saying they know "Christopher Rufo Theory."

"You made up your own thing," Reid continued. "And I'mma give you credit for one thing. You did create your own thing. Not a lot of guys in their 30s have created their own thing, labeled it something that already existed as a name, slapped that brand name on it and turned it into a successful political strategy. It's creating a lot of hell at school board meetings, but you did accomplish that."

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Before wrapping up the interview, Rufo declared Reid as the "most prestigious Christopher Rufo Theory scholar in the world."

"I hope that next time, you at least give me a chance to complete two sentences," Rufo added. 

In the roughly 13-minute interview, Reid dominated the exchange with at least nine minutes of speaking time and at least 15 interruptions while Rufo spoke for about four minutes.