Tensions flared on Wednesday morning when the anchors of CNBC's Squawk Box—Andrew Ross Sorkin and Joe Kernen—began shouting at each other in reaction to the devastating milestone of 100,000 American deaths at the virus that's upended daily life in the United States.
Kernen, a frequent defender of President Donald Trump, chastised Sorkin and others for "panicking" about the ramifications the virus would have on financial markets, given the millions of Americans now unemployed.
Sorkin didn't take kindly to that at all.
Watch below.
Kernen said:
"You panicked about the market...you panicked bout the ventilators, you panicked about the PPE, you panicked about ever going out again...What good is that?"
Sorkin shouted:
"You didn't panic about anything. Joseph, 100 thousand people died! A hundred thousand people died, Joe, and all you did was try to help your friend the President. That's what you did. Every single morning on this show...you abused and abused your position."
Kernen insisted that he was just trying to help investors "keep their cool," and that listening to Sorkin would've had the markets far lower.
He responded:
"I wasn't arguing to go sell your stocks, Joseph. I was arguing about people's lives. People's lives...Cue the news! I'm begging you to do the news, Joseph. I'm begging you. Please."
While Trump's supporters hail the gradual uptick of the markets approaching pre-virus rates, people remain frustrated at the lack of reverence for the 100 thousand Americans who died in just four months and the millions left economically devastated by the virus.
Sorkin may have been frustrated, but people praised his rightful anger.
Others share his frustration as the President congratulates himself.
Unbelievable.
@thekalenallen/Threads
U.S. Mint
