Dems getting blamed for inflation because of voter 'feelings,' not 'facts': MSNBC's Ruhle
Stephanie Ruhle and Al Franken pointed to inflation rates in Hungary to defend Democrats
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle once again defended the Biden White House and Democrats from scrutiny over sky-high inflation and gas prices this week, saying voters were trusting their "feelings" over the "facts."
During Wednesday's "The 11th Hour," guests Al Franken and Michael Steele discussed each political party's messaging to voters this November. Former RNC chairman-turned-MSNBC political analyst Steele emphasized how voters were concerned about gas prices and inflation.
But Franken, the former Democratic senator from Minnesota, suggested voters were missing the bigger picture because inflation was higher in some countries.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Inflation rose to a 40-year-high in May in the United States. (istock)
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"What’s the inflation rate in Hungary?" Franken posed to Steele.
Inflation topped 10% in May in Hungary, according to a report by Bloomberg, while it was 8.6% here. However, Steele replied it was about the same as America’s. Franken and Ruhle were quick to correct Steele.
Ruhle, who is also a senior business correspondent for NBC News, told Franken he was "absolutely right" and the inflation talking point was one that she frequently tried to address on the show.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, the "problem," she argued, was that "feelings" trumped the "facts" at the voting booth.
MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle discusses the rising inflation rate on "Morning Joe," Jan. 7, 2022. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
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"But the problem is, when your neighbor goes to the grocery store. They’re not thinking about what eggs cost in Hungary. Just like they're not thinking about it at the gas pump. So, you have the facts on your side, but people vote based on how they feel and so you got to address that," she told Franken.
While the Democrat empathized with Americans hurting from the cost of rising prices, he suggested voters didn’t understand the complexities of how the war in Ukraine affected the cost of oil and President Biden had no other choice.
Steele responded by saying this focus on the economy was just part of the GOP playbook for November.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Democrats have ruined the economy, that’s why you’re paying higher prices at the gas tank [sic]," he said, referring to Republican messaging.
Ruhle interrupted to declare that this just wasn’t true. Steele said "it didn’t matter" because that was what the GOP was selling to voters.
President Joe Biden speaks about gas prices from the White House campus, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Later in the segment, Ruhle complained that worries about voting rights weren't a "kitchen table issue" like high gas prices.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The MSNBC host has repeatedly downplayed inflation concerns, earning her the moniker Stephanie Antoinette last fall.
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In May, inflation rose to a 40-year high, with the Consumer Price Index 8.6% higher than it was in May 2021.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release June's CPI report measuring inflation rates on July 13.
Gas prices, grocery prices, housing, and other costs of living have all been affected by inflation, leading it to become the top concern for most voters this November, according to several surveys and polls.