Vice President Kamala Harris pushed back at her MSNBC interviewer Wednesday evening over a controversial claim about former President Donald Trump.
"The 11th Hour host" Stephanie Ruhle grilled Harris about her new economic policy plan in an exclusive interview during which she tried to fact-check Harris — and found herself checked in return.
"Donald Trump," said Harris, "left us with the worst economy since the Great Depression when you look at, for example, the employment numbers."
Ruhle cut it to remind Harris about the COVID-19 global pandemic.
"Unemployment was so high because we shut down the government, we shut down the country," said Ruhle.
But Harris came ready with rebuttal points that have a basis in fact.
"Even before the pandemic, he lost manufacturing jobs by most people's estimates at least 200,000," Harris said.
This number appears in an analysis from the BlueGreen Alliance, a group that represents the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club.
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"Ask the autoworkers how he lost auto plants," Harris continued. "We have grown over 20 new auto plants."
A Politifact fact check confirms auto manufacturing jobs climbed under President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama but stagnated under Trump.
Harris continued to pit her economic plan against Trump's to argue hers was the one that would bring opportunity to the middle class without punishing the rich for being rich.
"The facts remain that Donald Trump has a history of taking care of very rich people, and I'm not mad at anybody for being rich, but they should pay their fair share," she said.
"My perspective, on the economy, is when you grow the middle class, America's economy is stronger. And there's empirical evidence to prove my point correct."
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