CNN host mocks GOP guest's gushing over Trump's past year — then extracts admission
CNN's John Berman seemed impatient with a Republican congresswoman's detailed accounting of the first year of Donald Trump's second presidency — before finally extracting a concession that he's not focused on the topics voters care most about.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) appeared Tuesday morning on "CNN News Central," where Berman asked her to respond to a preceding segment that showed Republican voter enthusiasm was lagging on the anniversary of the 79-year-old president's second inauguration.
"Look, I think it's nosurprise that the party inopposition is more motivatedbecause they're not happy withthe direction that things aregoing, and that isno matter who's in power, right?" Malliotakis said.
"The thing is that Republicans have to remind thevoters what things were like twoyears ago. You know, under Joe Biden, we had open borders, wehad a record-high 9 percent inflation, gas prices rose to $5 a gallon.Things were not good, and citieslike mine, we had illegalimmigrants wreaking havoc, thesegang members, drug traffickers,etc. Since then, we'vesuccessfully worked with President Trump to secure theborder, we have zero illegalcrossings, we have gotten rid ofthose gangs that were wreakinghavoc on our streets."
"We have asafer country," she continued. "Crime across allsorts of categories havedeclined, and we've deliveredthe record-setting tax cuts,which I think is significantwhen they, beginning next week," she said before continuing with a long list of what she called Trump's successes.
"So there's a lot ofgood things that people will seeeconomically, as well," Malliotakis added. "We'realready seeing trillions ofdollars in private investment, and remember, President Trumpnegotiated a ceasefire thatreleased hostages that werebeing held in Gaza. A lot ofgood things have happened overthe last year, and we're justgetting started."
Berman attempted several times to break into the congresswoman's litany and comment on her recitation, and then he attempted to challenge some of her claims.
"Yeah, almost a day-by-dayrecounting of the last 365 daysin office there," Berman noted. "Congresswomanfirst of all, inflation was veryhigh under Biden, certainlyhigher than used to be, but notanywhere near a record. Ifeverything you say is true, thenwhy, in the most recent CNN – hang on, hang on, hang on, hangon, hang on."
"Highest in four decades," Malliotakis insisted.
"It's not a record," Berman interjected, as the congresswoman repeated her claim. "It's nota record. It's not a record. I'm not denying it wasvery high, much higher thanpeople are used to. But itwasn't a record."
Berman challenged her on how much her constituents care about Trump's threats to splinter the NATO alliance and take over Greenland.
"I don't think it's apriority," she conceded, "and that's kind ofwhat I'm trying to say here, isthat we need to focus on thethings that we've donesuccessfully, like loweringtaxes, bringing down inflationrates, mortgage rates. You havegas prices are down about $2.80here in my district. These arethings that people want to seeand we're delivering on that.
"But when you focus on thingslike Greenland in a way thatcould be hostile, I think thatthat takes away from thesuccesses."
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