Wajahat Ali says using the word "monkey" is terrible regardless of intention
Wajahat AliHost of The Left Hook, replying on X
Two days after the episode, Wajahat Ali, the host of The Left Hook, wrote on X that using the word "monkey," "regardless of intention or a slip of tongue," is terrible because of its racist history, and said the program had addressed it with the audience.
“I agree that using the word monkey, regardless of intention or a slip of tongue, is terrible due to its racist history. That's why we addressed it with the audience.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
Were Rula Jebreal’s remarks about Hakeem Jeffries racist?
During a September 2, 2026 appearance on The Left Hook, Rula Jebreal described House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries as a “bought and paid by AIPAC monkey” and “basically an errand boy,” while immediately denying racial intent. Jebreal later apologized for the terms. The Congressional Black Caucus and several lawmakers characterized the wording as racist, while Wajahat Ali and Joy-Ann Reid emphasized intent and surrounding context while also criticizing the language.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Wajahat Ali's own reply on X to an account that had posted the clip of Rula Jebreal's remarks on his program, The Left Hook.
Before the quotation
On The Left Hook on September 2, 2026, Rula Jebreal called House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries a "bought and paid by AIPAC monkey" and "basically an errand boy," and said she did not mean it in a racist way. Ali, the host, raised the term's racial connotations on air. On September 4 an X account posted the clip, tagging Ali and Jebreal, with the words "Tell me you are anti-Black without telling me you are." Ali replied with a clip of the on-air exchange.
After the quotation
Ali's reply continues: "Maybe we can agree to stop racism, Islamophobia, and Israel's genocide." Jebreal apologized on X later that day.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether Jebreal's remarks about Jeffries were racist. In this reply Ali says the word is terrible because of its racist history whatever the speaker's intent, which rejects the language Jebreal used, so we labeled it Condemned. Mixed or conditional loses here: unlike his on-air response of September 2, which weighed her stated intent, this post sets intent aside. Defended or excused loses because his defense of how the show handled the moment is not a defense of the remark. Evidence level: the speaker's own reply on X.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Rula Jebreal
More from this case
Read the full caseMehdi Hasan defends Jebreal: "she is not a racist or bigot"
“Rula offered an unconditional apology... Anyone who knows Rula... knows she is not a racist or bigot.”Read statement
Symone Sanders Townsend says Jebreal's apology ignored anti-Black history
“Without acknowledging that history, that is not an apology.”Read statement
Peter Beinart calls Jebreal's language racist, defends her wider record
“Rula Jebreal used racist language to criticize Hakeem Jeffries. Her comments were clearly wrong.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Wajahat Ali says using the word "monkey" is terrible regardless of intention
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/4804-two-days-after-the-episode-wajahat-ali-the
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Wajahat Ali says using the word "monkey" is terrible regardless of intention". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4804-two-days-after-the-episode-wajahat-ali-the