Scott Jennings Causes CNN Panel to Implode After Suggesting Dems Think Minorities Are ‘Too Dumb’ To Get Voter ID

Salem Radio Network host Scott Jennings triggered “CNN NewsNight” panelists Charles Blow and Alencia Johnson Wednesday by suggesting Democrats thought black voters were “too dumb” to obtain voter IDs.

The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo ID for voting, on Wednesday by a 216-213 vote.

After Johnson claimed that the legislation was part of a pattern of “racism” by President Donald Trump, Jennings challenged her to explain how the bill would strip voting rights from citizens.

“Wait. What voting rights is he taking away from black voters?” Jennings asked, prompting Blow and Johnson to react.

“The SAVE Act?” Blow asked, with Johnson chiming in with, “Oh, we look at The Save Act, that’s exactly what we’re talking about. That is actually going to continue to disenfranchise overwhelmingly a lot of people of color.”

WATCH: Scott Jennings WRECKS the entire panel over the SAVE Act pic.twitter.com/q68NlTyvtL

— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) February 12, 2026

Jennings pressed Johnson repeatedly how the legislation would strip voting rights from racial minorities, with Johnson finally claiming that voter ID was a form of a poll tax, which was prohibited by the 24th Amendment, which was ratified in 1964.

“Does it — does it concern you that you’re making all these claims, you’ve yet to lay out how it’s hurting anyone, but 76 percent of black voters think we should show an ID to vote, 80 percent of Hispanic voters, 83 percent of the American people?” Jennings asked.

“Are you saying that black voters are too dumb to know what’s good for them? I mean, it sounds pretty condescending.”

After further back and forth, “CNN NewsNight” host Abby Phillip stepped in.

“Just to be clear, the Save Act is not just about IDs. The Save Act is about proof of citizenship. So, it doesn’t — I actually — we talked about this — I was about to say, we talked about this before. It’s not — it actually — there’s an argument to be made that red state voters, women, poor white voters could be —” Phillip said, before Jennings responded with, ““You think they’re dumb, too, don’t you? I mean, that’s the thing. I hear these arguments —”

CNN data reporter Harry Enten noted the high support for voter ID requirements among black voters and Democrats, with at least 70 percent of both subsets of the general population backing the proposal, during a Feb. 3 appearance on “CNN News Central.”

Despite Jennings pointing out the high support, Johnson again played the “race card.”

“There’s a deflection from talking about Donald Trump’s racism right there,” Johnson claimed, with Jennings ignoring her to tell Phillip, “Yeah, I think they’re smart enough to figure out how to register to vote, Abby.”

“Hold on, hold on. Most Americans don’t have a passport. Many Americans don’t have access to their birth certificate,” Phillip claimed.

“Many women, a majority of women who change their names for marriage have to provide additional proof that they’ve changed their names in order to register to vote.”

Jennings didn’t back down, questioning if Phillip thought certain portions of the population were too dumb to figure out how to navigate voting in an election.

“Listen, this — all week long, all week long, I have heard Democrats with the same argument,” he said, with Phillip responding, “So, Scott, why don’t you actually respond to the substance of what I’m saying, as opposed to making this about something that it’s not? It’s not just about voter ID. It’s also about who has access to —”

“You’re saying married women, black voters and rural people are too stupid to figure out how to register to vote?” Jennings responded, adding, “Are you saying they can’t figure out how to vote?”

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.