A CNN reporter clashed with a supporter of former President Trump over whether he should have concerns about the economy, in a CNN interview that played on the liberal network on Wednesday.
CNN’s Elle Reeve interviewed Trump supporters at a MAGA boat parade in Panama City, Florida about their most important issues heading into the 2024 election.
At one point, she got into a heated discussion with Trump supporter Joe Harner because he said the economy was his number one concern, telling Reeve that everything was “too expensive.”
She chimed in to lecture him for thinking this way.
“Let me maybe ask a slightly impolite question. But you know, if you can afford a boat, you’re not hurting so bad, right?” Reeve asked.
“Because a boat cost a lot of money, and it’s a lot of upkeep.”
“Listen, nobody gave me s—!” Harner responded.
“I earned everything that I’ve got. I’m retired military, retired power plant, and I am successful and retired with boats and jet skis because I did it right, and everybody has that chance. Whether they choose or not, that’s up to them.”
“I would never try to take anything away from you in that way,” Reeve responded.
“But what I’m asking is, groceries are probably a smaller part of your budget than say, someone who’s like a little worse off.”
“I think it’s interesting that people who are a little bit more comfortable are still so concerned about the economy. Do you see what I‘m saying?” she continued.
“Because I want my money to go further,” he said.
“I want inflation to go down. I want interest rates to go back down. I want all that, but that covers everybody in the economy. Not just me, not just the poor, not just the rich, it covers everybody.”
After Reeve asked Harner if he was worried his kids wouldn’t be able to afford a house or a car, he said he wasn’t worried about that.
“I train my kids and taught my kids properly. They have great educations and they’re both successful in their careers. Actually, they‘re doing better than me,” he revealed.
Though the rate of inflation has subsided to 2.5% as of August 2024, Americans’ budgets are still stretched due to the price increases that have occurred in rcent years.
Compared with four years ago, in August 2020, when the country was in the midst of the pandemic and before inflation accelerated, prices are up just shy of 21%, according to FOX Business calculations.
Overall, food prices have risen about 22.8% in the last four years.
To perhaps the man in the interview’s delight, however, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a point this week, marking the first reduction in four years.
Fox Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.