CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings fired back at commentator Maria Cardona on Monday after she claimed voters view Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump as an “extremist.”
Cardona said on CNN News Central that voters believe they “deserve better” than Trump as they detest his alleged lying and how supposedly misaligned his policies are with the American people. Jennings suggested that the former president would win the electoral college since the candidates were tied nationally in the polls.
“If he does that in the debate, I think that is a wonderful opportunity for the vice president to underscore just how extremist Donald Trump is, just how much he lies, just how much the American people deserve better,” Cardona said. “What was a takeaway for me in the CNN poll was that the vast majority of Americans already believe that Donald Trump’s policies are way too extremist and that it’s the vice president’s policies that are more mainstream and in line with what the majority of the American people value and believe.”
“Maria, if that were true, if people believed he’s extremist, then why isn’t she winning?” Jennings pushed back. “Why is he winning in the New York Times poll? Why is this race tied nationally? I mean, you and I both know a tied race nationally, there’s a 100% chance he’s gonna win the electoral college. If what you said were true, why isn’t she winning by 20 points?”
Cardona argued Trump’s opposition to “bodily autonomy” will impact the election, citing abortion rights as the reason Republicans did not witness an expected major victory in the 2022 midterm elections. Jennings pointed out that many women participate in the polling, which has indicated there is no clear leader in the race.
“What I’m saying is that women can go into a polling booth, with more than one thought in their head, Scott,” Cardona argued. “They can tell a pollster that the economy is their number one issue, while they go into the polling booth and think to themselves because I’ve heard them say this to me, ‘You know what? The economy will come back, and I know that Vice President Kamala Harris is working for to make sure that the economy comes back, but Republicans want to steal my bodily autonomy and the right for me to make decisions about my own body and my family.”
“That is a massively, a hugely potential, potent issue, Scott, that Republicans don’t understand, they’re not counting on it. Donald Trump knows that, and he’s afraid of it, and all of you all should be afraid of it. That’s not showing up in the polls,” Cardona continued, followed by CNN host Boris Sanchez cutting off the segment.
A New York Times/Siena poll released on Sunday found Trump leading Harris 48% to 47%, with him still holding a 46% to 44% when third party candidates are included. The poll surveyed 1,695 registered voters nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 points.
A CBS/YouGov poll released on Sunday fo_und Trump and Harris tied in Pennsylvania, while Harris slightly leads Trump 50% to 49% in Michigan and 51% to 49% in Wisconsin. The poll found Trump leading Harris on the economy 58% to 42% and on inflation 62% to 37%.
Democratic strategist James Carville said in August that Trump has historically outperformed his polling numbers, warning Democrats not to become too comfortable with polls faring in Harris’ favor. CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten said on Friday that Trump could win in November if he exceeds his polling expectations by just one point.
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