>> Cenk was on Chris Cuomo's Primetime CNN show last night debating Kaylee McInerney.
That is the the Trump supporting woman who he's debated on the show before. And there
were actually a few topics represented in this segment. The first one had to do with
the economy, and I actually really liked your answer here Cenk.
I thought this was strong, yet calm. >> A rare compliment.
>> So yeah, let's take a look. >> Let's a debate within the administration
whether now is the time to give yet another tax cut. This is a key part of the president
strategy. He's having this debate and he's having a publicly in front of and with the
American people but tax cuts work.
This is the hottest economy on record. No arguing with the Trump economy, it's why we're
gonna win in 2020. >> He says, the economy is fantastic, and
we need to cut interest rates. That actually makes no sense at all, if the economy was
booming you'd be worried about inflation.
And you wouldn't be cutting interest rates, you'd actually be increasing the interest
rates. The reality is that the economy is not booming. Every economist the country's
worried about a recession. And in fact, the Trump administration is deeply worried about
a recession. They just told donors that there was a moderate risk of recession.
And the only reason they're considering your payroll tax cut would should actually go to
the employees. It's [be]cause they know the only thing that actually stimulates the economy
is not supply side economics, but actually getting finally the American workers some
sort of relief. And the reason they're considering that now, and Trump is obviously lying about
that it's not going through the recession, is because they're really, really worried
we're about to hit a recession.
>> Well, look, I mean, >> Haley when we do hit the recession, will
you come back on here admit, the supply-side economics and tax cuts for the rich didn't
work? >> It's really quite disgusting that you're
rooting on a recession. >> No, okay, first of all, you did a great
job.
But we gotta talk about the way that she handled that, because you guys had her cornered the
entire time, right, and she was very defensive, and this is what the right-wing does when
they're cornered. They automatically accuse you of doing something to intimidate you,
or to shut you up, or to stop a very real point that many Americans are feeling right
now.
Just before we went on-air, a story broke from Time that talked about the boom in the
service jobs that are available, and what's the quality of those jobs? Little benefits,
very, very low pay. I mean, the average American is struggling right now. And if you have the
audacity to tell the truth about what's happening with this economy, and what happened with
those Trump tax cuts.
Like with these corporations and the wealthy actually did with those tax cuts. No, no,
no, you're rooting for a recession. You didn't root for a recession, you're just telling
the truth about all the different things that the Trump administration has done, which will
lead to a recession. >> So I was amused by that answer of hers,
as usual.
So interesting, sophisticated, economic point. I will counter with something made up. I never
said I was hoping that a recession would come. I said I was worried that a recession would
come. And in fact, if you watch the young Turks I've said that many times, I think it's
a bad idea when people like Bill Maher say that they're rooting for a recession, even
fact yesterday on the program before I went on CNN.
I said, be careful what you wish for. A recession can turn disastrous, and affect millions and
millions of people. I said, it reminded me of the people rooting for Trump to win, because
then things might get better after they get worse. Be careful on things getting worse.
Unfortunately, whether we want it or not, that recession appears to be headed in our
direction.
And look, a lot of, as I said there are the majority of the economy certainly agree and
are concerned about that. But the economic theory that is been put on cable news over
and over again and never really quite rebutted certainly not of the quantity that the right
wing puts at their message, is that the supply side economics don't work.
The only way to stimulate the economy is actually to get money to average Americans so they
spend it, [be]cause they're not rich they don't save it. They immediately put it back
into the economy that circulates it within there economy and creates a healthier one.
And that's why very high marginal tax rates worked for us in the 1950's and 60's.
We only hear great case of that, every podcast check out Pitchfork economics on our podcasting
network by Nick Hanauer, brilliant businessman capitalists and warning now my god you've
got to watch out if you don't have a better distribution of income our whole economy is
gonna crash. And it's not gonna be good for anyone, including the rich.
And if by the way, if you want to watch the whole CNN appearance, we put it up on TYT.com
you can see it there. And then finally, look, I don't want. We saw the things that she said
wrong. Chris and I agreed that she was wrong because she had the facts.
She missed data of the facts, she missed data of what I said, but Chris doesn't agree with
me very often, including the first comment, which is, it's his right not to agree. That's
why he's in the middle, but it's the thing that I brought up in the beginning is grating.
It's what we talked about yesterday as well. >> Mm-hm.
>> Which is, I mentioned that the President is a Lunatic, and the whole you know, talk
of buying green land and being upset etc and talking about how he's a second coming of
God and Chris dismissed it out of hand like, we're not going to do the 25th amendment.
Let's get real and talking about real policies. Yeah, so that's okay. That's Chris's position.
But you know, he's got his own opinions, but the only times that we say that Kaylee's wrong
together is when she states the facts wrong. >> Right, of course. I mean, and that's what
I mean when I say that both of you had her cornered when it came to the portions of the
segment that I saw.
Now one of those portions actually happened to be on gun control as well. So let's discuss
that a little bit. >> So the topic of Donald Trump flip flopping
on possible gun control legislation came up during this interview. And of course McInerney
is going to defend Trump and pretend as though he never flip flopped.
But you really held her feet to the fire so let's take a look.
>> Background checks. Is there an appetite or is the Atlantic reporting right that the
president told the NRA "Don't worry about it it's not going to happen."
>> Well, I don't believe that Atlantic reporting or so called sources, but this President is
the one who fix the criminal background check system with the fix next act.
He wants solutions, but he wants solutions that work.
>> What is the physician Kaylee? >> He said he wants meaningful background
checks. We're talking with congress, but you are doing a disservice to everyone in this
country by not focusing on the real problem here, which is mental illness and red flag
laws.
>> Mental illness is not the root of our gun violence.
>> Ridiculous. >> And you know it.
>> And we could've kept the gun out of a hand. We could've kept the gun out of the hand of
the shooter- >> He's not gonna do it, right?
>> If he seized a weapon from a mentally ill individual.
Red flag laws work better than >> He said he would do federal background
checks, he is not going to do it, right, Kelly? 90% of Americans want federal And we cannot
get it in a so-called democracy because of corruption. Donald Trump got $30 million from
the NRA, and he serves the NRA, and
>> He was stupid enough to admit it. He came out and he said, they were very strong backers
of my rights, they were very strong backers. >> Let's leave it here
>> That is, they gave me money and I did what I wanted. What they wanted that's called the
swamp.
>> Let's leave it here. >> All these mass shootings to happen over
and over again. >> That's ridiculous.
>> So, okay, we'll get to the substance in a second, but you did the Trump impression,
which I don't think I've ever seen on cable news. I mean, I don't watch it 24 seven.
I'm sure it's happened at some point, but we were all kind of gathered around a TV in
the studio watching you. >> That's cool.
>> Yeah, not all, a few of us, I guess >> Okay.
>> So anyway, when you started doing the impression, we all erupted. It was funny.
>> It's really funny [be]cause I got a bunch of comments obviously on Twitter, which always
happens, but and some people are like, it's cool that you did and other people were like
hey, you know that's unbecoming on cable news. >> Come on, come on.
>> Hold on, hold on.
The funny thing is, I didn't even notice I was doing it. People think I planned it out
and stuff. I just do it naturally, I do it at home. Now whenever anybody says anything
stupid, I do it in the Trump voice. That's a very strong dinner you make.
Well that would be me saying something stupid about my wife. I even do it to myself. So
I didn't, it wasn't like planned or anything. I just naturally did it because that's Trump
and he's an idiot. >> It was funny. It's for anyone who says
it's unbecoming. I mean, we're talking about Trump.
Trump is unbecoming everything about him. Top it like head to toe is unbecoming. But
let's talk a little bit about the point she brought up, and I think you made a great point,
but at the same time I wish every single time a right winger brings up mental illness they're
immediately met with, alright we'll mass shootings have been happening for years now.
So where's the fighting for mental illness? Do you guys only care about mental illness
after a mass shooting happens so you guys can deflect? And use, you know, mental illness
is the scapegoat? >> Yeah
>> But the point that you did make was good. So I thought it was strong and I love that
you had an opportunity to talk about corruption.
>> Yeah, you know, so that apparently was somewhat controversial, because that also
got some play afterwards. I love what you're saying. And I you know, I wish I'd said that
too, because they've never introduced a bill to increase mental illness funding. So they're
totally full of it on that.
But, again, I said corruption as a matter of course because it's obviously the reality
of why he does what he does, and why a lot of the politicians do it. But afterwards you're
like whoa, calling Trump corrupt, I'm like- >> Really?
>> Like what, whoa, isn't it super obvious?
And I guess it's not super obvious to a lot of people, because people don't often say
yeah, if you take $30 million from somebody, and then they tell you what to do, and you
do it and you admit, publicly, he came out of the meeting with Wayne LaPierre.
And Trump said, well, they were very strong backers of mine.
>> Right. >> And so I I changed my position and now
I'm against background checks. It doesn't get any more clear than that. That is a stunning
admission of corruption. They gave me money. I changed my position.
That's called bribery. It's legalized in this country, but it's still bribery.
>> I mean, all you really did was articulate what's evident if you connect the dots. Not
only did Trump say the quiet part out loud, you know, in saying that they're backers of
his. But Wayne Lapierre's Tweet about his meeting with Trump was pinned on the NRA Twitter
account.
Because it's a sign of, or its messaging indicating no we own him. He's gonna say he wants gun
control after these mass shootings happen. And then we're gonna have a meeting with him,
and remind him, no, no, no you are out puppet because we're funding you. And then he's gonna
go ahead and change course.
That's exactly what happened. >> Yup.