Liberal radio host Mark Thompson on Tuesday scolded gun-control activist David Hogg for feeding "Republican demonization and propaganda" after the teenager made disparaging remarks about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) in a recent interview.
Hogg, 18, survived the February mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, and he has since co-founded a gun-control political action committee called Never Again MSD. In a New York Magazine profile published Sunday, the outspoken Hogg castigated the advanced age of Democratic leadership and singled out Pelosi as "old."
"The reason Republicans are successful right now is because they're empowering young people," Hogg said. "Older Democrats just won't move the f—k off the plate and let us take control. Nancy Pelosi is old."
MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing asked Thompson if Hogg had a point, and the SiriusXM Progress host quickly replied "no."
"I'm surprised and a little disappointed that David would say that," he said. "This is the year of the woman. This is going to be as much of a pink wave as there is a blue wave, and I just don't think it's a good idea to demonize women. [Republicans] would scandalize whoever was a Democrat out in front ... I don't agree with that. I think we have a process. It's a fair process. She's not even been elected [House] speaker yet, and people are already doing that. Democrats cannot feed into that Republican demonization and propaganda."
Hogg has not been shy about using strong rhetoric to make his views known. Of Florida Gov. Rick Scott's (R.) run for Senate in the Sunshine State, he said in March that "we're not going to let that f—king happen," and he has said that the National Rifle Assocation and the politicians who support it are "pathetic f—kers" who would not take action if they had "blood from children splattered all over their faces."
Hogg did not come out of left field with his remarks about Pelosi. She is facing the most serious challenge to her leadership since Republicans took the House in 2010, with more than 50 Democrats running for Congress saying they will not support her.