'Siri, what is white privilege?' CBS News' Kathryn Watson catches major heat from tolerant liberals for 'having friends across the political spectrum'

A recent survey found an interesting difference between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to friendships:

https://twitter.com/DKThomp/status/1419327749508972545

CBS News digital White House reporter Kathryn Watson couldn’t help but be struck by that:

This is so wild to me. I can’t imagine not having friends across the political spectrum. https://t.co/CMpiUIEmNp

— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) July 25, 2021

We’re guessing that Watson couldn’t imagine people getting upset over her suggesting that friendships can transcend personal politics, either.

And yet, here we are.

It’s hard to be friends with intolerant and irrational people

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 25, 2021

(The irony of Rupar’s statement is not lost on us.)

Can not be friends with people who support Trump.

— Survivingnsweatpants (@Mominsweats) July 26, 2021

And others can't imagine being friends with someone who openly supports a party that's actively built on white supremacy, misogyny & homo/transphobia. Some people can't imagine being friends with someone who would vote for a person who actively wants to discriminate against them.

— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) July 26, 2021

Also, you make the mistake of thinking the Republican Party is still built on political principles. They're no longer the "political spectrum." It's actively built on discrimination and hatred now.

— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) July 26, 2021

It must be nice not to have to worry about others denying your humanity and trying to criminalize your existence.

— Leah McElrath 🏳️‍🌈 (@leahmcelrath) July 26, 2021

The official position of Republicans is it should be legal to discriminate against people like me in employment/housing/healthcare/public accommodations. Also, that I shouldn’t be allowed to use public restrooms. Can you blame me for not exactly wanting to hang out with them?

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) July 26, 2021

Hey Kathryn, I don't want to be friends with someone who sees me as a fundamental flaw of humanity and votes for policies that ensure I have less rights. Hope that clears things up.

— Robin LeBlanc, from work (@TheThirstyWench) July 26, 2021

It's a matter of basic morality. I don't want to be friends with the type of people that think I don't deserve to vote freely,my friends shouldn't be able to get married,or that my sisters and I shouldn't be allowed bodily autonomy.
They aren't good people.

— She Who Remains (@ehs06702) July 26, 2021

Tell me you’re a straight white without telling me you’re a straight white https://t.co/ng9pm8hVEI

— Simone Biles stan account. (@more_moxie) July 26, 2021

“Siri, what is white privilege?” https://t.co/HToxWYTcQh

— Craig is still Masked (@Jersey_Craig) July 26, 2021

It's hard to be friends with bigots, Kathryn. https://t.co/cnGQvU0veu

— Evil Stepmother PhD (@attemptingcalm) July 26, 2021

Try being a Black queer woman. You'd imagine it real quick, Kathryn. Recognize the privilege in that "being so wild" to you. Or just shush cuz y'all make me sick. https://t.co/EoPSWHBHKP

— Acey Deecey liebt kleine Brüste 🚀🚀 (@mcgarrygirl78) July 26, 2021

I don't consider people friends when they happily deny others their rights to exist and live their lives. https://t.co/xXh1BhIDZZ

— Riath *Wayward AF* Lirael (@Riath84) July 26, 2021

I don’t have friends who deny the fundamental humanity of any of my other friends, because I wouldn’t be a very good friend if I did.

— Tom Hilton (@TVHilton) July 26, 2021

Sorry, forgot to mention that I’m also not friends with fans of plague and insurrection.

— Tom Hilton (@TVHilton) July 26, 2021

I don’t want to be friends with racist, anti-science people who support a police state. But that’s just me 🤷🏻‍♀️ https://t.co/suFLxtBj9Y

— Masked lady carpenter (@MaskedCarpenter) July 26, 2021

i guarantee you don't have any antiracist leftist friends, cos your willingness to endanger marginalised lives by keeping company with fascists would be intolerable to them

no, you DON'T have friends "across the political spectrum," you just have different flavours of right wing https://t.co/dPxomn2q8i

— fuck around and find owls (@makokaazo) July 26, 2021

Hard to be friends with people who'd rather see you dead than them being slightly inconvenienced…..

— 🇺🇸🍓 Strawberry (@StrawberryVotes) July 26, 2021

I guess I'm not open-minded enough, but it's hard for me to imagine being friends with someone who supports white nationalism or opposes democracy.

— Louis Eisenberg (@Loumanji) July 25, 2021

"I've got Klan friends and non-Klan friends!" https://t.co/XHpcjxvgxr

— ⚖️Powerful Mel Ankoly 🦈 #ForThePeople (@Mel_Ankoly) July 26, 2021

I guess you're cool with people who support racists and fascists.

I'm not.

That's kind of against everything I am.

— Leia (@TheSWPrincess) July 26, 2021

Would you like his number? pic.twitter.com/GBupAT9XQI

— Sarah Waites (@Addicted2Poli) July 26, 2021

I'm black so i can't really have klan friends.

I understand it works for you though.

— SeaBloo (@bloo_sea) July 26, 2021

So, Kathryn Watson is fine with the KKK because she might like some people who happen to be Republicans?

Guess “tolerance” just doesn’t mean what it used to.

Liberals in the comments are angry at this suggestion, and do not realize how insane they sound. https://t.co/5ZjfdTG8QJ

— Dan 🇺🇸 (@danieltobin) July 26, 2021

It’s almost as if Kathryn Watson isn’t the one with the problem.

Me neither. I still feel guilty about the way I treated a few people back in the Trump era. Like I was better or smarter than they were. It was wrong. Kind of like the tweets I read if my opinion doesn’t jibe with the Twitter bubble groupthink. I fell victim to that groupthink. https://t.co/zn2QHP0Oz1

— Nonpartisan Classical Liberal (@Moderateleft) July 26, 2021

Sadly, I've legitimately lost friends when they became aware of my political beliefs. People I'd been cool with for years just instantly hated me. I still don't understand what would allow people to just hate someone on a dime like that.

— Danny (@SWolf712) July 25, 2021

Newsflash:

I know people that I have never had a political conversation with and have no clue what party they belong to. Its called being a grown up.

— Virginia Kneib (@VKneib) July 25, 2021

It’s called being a grownup. The liberals disgusted with Watson for not automatically hating someone with different political beliefs should try it sometime.