Even in what you might call the mainstream liberal media, you'd have to look far and wide to find outspoken support for the often-violent, blatantly antisemitic, pro-Hamas student protesters that have plagued American colleges in recent times.

But look no further than CNN This Morning and its host, Audie Cornish, formerly of NPR. Last week, reacting to a poll showing a majority of Americans opposing sending more weapons to Israel, and supporting sending humanitarian aid to Gaza, we caught Cornish saying:

"There's a whole bunch of students out there who are probably like, hey, thanks for coming around."

Cornish was back at it on the show's Tuesday episode. As she put it to former George W. Bush aide Ashley Davis:

"Are those students owed an apology, the ones who were out on campuses demanding a ceasefire, saying more needs to be done about the war, and they were societally punished for it?"

Davis responded with a pertinent question: "Apology from whom?" That initially stumped Cornish: "I don't know." The only thing Cornish could eventually come up with was that apologies might be due from people who doxxed the protesters. 

The protesters are entitled to apologies for what, exactly? Occupying campus common spaces, classroom buildings and libraries, thereby preventing students from attending classes? Engaging in often less-than-peaceful confrontations with law enforcement? Ugly harassment of Jewish students?

And only a small fraction of the protesters suffered any significant consequences. For example, of the 46 protesters arrested for the occupation of Columbia's Hamilton Hall, charges were dropped against 31, and prosecutors offered to drop charges against 14 others if they avoided arrest in the following six months.

Davis argued: "There's still a lot of antisemitic happenings on college campuses, especially, and I think that's... I think that's something that has to be dealt with. I'm not saying it needs to be dealt with by signing agreements by the universities and things like that. I mean, we have to deal with this in our country."

Cornish replied: "Well, it'll be interesting to see, especially in the aftermath of the Turning Points USA and the death of Charlie Kirk. There's been a very vicious fight there about the role of Israel and even allegations of antisemitism."

In all logic, the protests did more to delay, rather than advance, a ceasefire. They sent a message to Hamas that there was significant support for their cause in the US. That could only have encouraged the terrorists to be more intransigent.  

Will Cornish continue her campaign of praise for the protesters and their cause? Should we look for Audie to turn up draped in a keffiyeh, sporting a From the River to the Sea headband? Stay tuned!
 
Here's the transcript.

CNN This Morning
10/14/25
6:08 am EDT

AUDIE CORNISH: Ashley, I have one very provocative question, sorry to put it to you. Are those students owed an apology, the ones who were out on campuses demanding a ceasefire, saying more needs to be done about the war, and they were societally punished for it? 

ASHLEY DAVIS: Apology from whom? 

CORNISH: I don't know. 

DAVIS: I mean, listen, I think there's different levels. 

CORNISH: The people who doxed them, you know what I mean? 

DAVIS: There were a lot of protests that weren't peaceful, either. So I think there's two different things here, but I just don't know who's going to apologize. Yeah. I think this is a very emotional issue on both sides, and there's still a lot of antisemitic happenings on college campuses, especially, and I think that's... I think that's something that has to be dealt with. I'm not saying it needs to be dealt with by signing agreements by the universities and things like that. I mean, we have to deal with this in our country. 

CORNISH: Well, it'll be interesting to see, especially in the aftermath of the Turning Points USA and the death of Charlie Kirk. There's been a very vicious fight there about the role of Israel and even allegations of antisemitism. 

CHUCK ROCHA: This is going to play out real time in the Michigan Senate primary for the Democrats. Stay tuned to that. Watch that in this election. 

CORNISH: Well, then we're going to go to that. Thank you for flagging. Okay.