CNN panelists clashed on Thursday night during a heated discussion about President-elect Donald Trump's waffling over his confidence in his ability to lower grocery prices.
In a recent Time magazine interview, Trump acknowledged that bringing down grocery prices will be "very hard" despite vowing during his campaign to do just that.
"They got them up, I'd like to bring them down. It's hard to bring things down once they're up," he said.
His remarks became the topic of an intense discussion on "NewsNight" with Catherine Rampell finding a familiar foe in Republican strategist Scott Jennings.
Rampell said Trump's eyebrow-raising walk-back was "relatively obvious," and called it "bad faith" for Trump to insist otherwise.
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"There was no plan. There is no plan. There isn't going to be a plan to get grocery prices down," she said. "Grocery price inflation, which is about the growth rate of prices, actually already is down a lot. It's only about 1.5 percent."
She attacked Trump, saying he "lied throughout the campaign" — and then took a swipe at his most vocal supporters.
"Everyone who supported him and was a surrogate for him was lying too that he was going to do this, so I'm glad he finally admitted it," she said.
Jennings pushed back, and said he believes Trump can bring down energy prices, which could alleviate some pricing pressure. As he blamed Democratic policies for causing inflation, and pointed out that anger in the electorate was directed at the Biden administration's policies.
Rampell immediately jumped in, forcefully asserting that Trump's economic promises will only exacerbate inflation. When Jennings shot back, "cheaper energy?" she continued, noting the country is producing more oil now than ever.
As Jennings tried to argue energy production includes other sources than oil, Rampell tried to rebut each point as he talked — which rubbed Jennings the wrong way.
"I know your favorite past-time is to come out here and talk over me, but just, please," he said.
"I care about the facts," she said. "I care about the facts."
"Do they know each other?" quipped former South Carolina state Rep. Bakari Sellers.
"Because he says things that are wrong and I have to interrupt him and correct him because our job is to inform our audience," said Rampell.
Jennings became visibly irritated by Rampell, and threw his hands up. As anchor Abby Phillips tried to regain control of the discussion, a flustered Jennings lost his cool.
"Catherine can — go ahead. No, no, no. I play this game every time we come out here," he said, insisting Trump will unshackle the energy business.
Watch the tense discussion below or at this link.
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