CNBC’s Jim Cramer called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “Crazy Nancy” during a “Squawk on the Street” interview about coronavirus stimulus money Tuesday.
“What deal can we have, Crazy Nancy?” the longtime host asked.
He went on, quickly correcting himself and adding, “I’m sorry. That was the president. I have such reverence for the office. I would never use that term, but it is hard –”
Pelosi cut him off: “But you just did! But you just did.”
“You know what I mean,” Cramer, host of “Mad Money,” said.
Cramer used Twitter to clarify further after the segment aired, writing, “It disgusts me that she is called ‘crazy Nancy.’ She has spent her whole life in public services. My critics didn’t listen to why i mentioned it-because it is horrifying.”
The clip picked up steam on Twitter as viewers expressed distaste for Cramer’s use of President Donald Trump’s nickname for the Democratic leader, who is third in the line of presidential succession.
Numerous observers hit him for his stock picks, which they said were ill-informed and “wild,” while others called on CNBC to fire him. A representative for CNBC did not immediately return a request for comment on the moment.
Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of women’s advocacy group UltraViolet, released a statement calling for Cramer’s firing.
“Jim Cramer’s blatantly sexist and wholly inappropriate attacks on Speaker Pelosi, are deeply troubling and raise serious concerns about Cramer’s objectivity when covering women in positions of power. Make no mistake, Cramer used his position on CNBC to laugh in the face of the highest ranking woman in the United States, while she was explaining the need for additional coronavirus relief for America’s families,” she said, adding that “to remove toxic misogyny from its airwaves,” CNBC should fire Cramer.
Other observers, of course, reveled in the use of the Trump moniker, posting gifs of the president celebrating or branding the segment “awesome.”
Pelosi said during her interview that that she is still opposed to GOP efforts to pass a smaller version of the Democratic coronavirus stimulus plan.
Stay classy, Jim Cramer.
He just called Nancy Pelosi, “Crazy Nancy” – to her face, during an interview. https://t.co/pzQmCG6Cnb
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) September 15, 2020
By Tuesday evening, Cramer had apologized, calling his remark a “very stupid comment.” He said it was a “tongue-in-cheek attempt to make a point about the harsh tone of the negotiations in Washington. But it fell completely flat, and I apologize for that.”
