For all intents and purposes Vice President Harris was the incumbent in 2024’s presidential election. So when CNN’s Tuesday night exit polling showed 72 percent of voters thought the country was on the wrong track, it wasn’t a good sign. And when Republican commentator David Urban pointed out that fact to the largely anti-Trump panel, they erupted in outrage and jumped down this throat.
“Listen, 72 percent of Americans think we're on the wrong track? That's devastating, devastating for this campaign. Devastating,” Urban said. “Trump's approval rating going into this election is the highest it's been, retrospectively, Americans think more favorably of him today than they ever did during his entire presidency.”
Liberal commentator and former Obama adviser David Axelrod and faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin from The View started shouting over Urban:
AXELROD: Then why is the race tied, Dave?!
URBAN: Dave, I don't --
AXELROD: Explain why the race is tied!
URBAN: I can't explain it. But these numbers and the economy --
AXELROD: The race is tied --
URBAN: No, no. You're talking about the economy. Right? People – It's nice to worry about the democracy, but if you can't pay for your food --
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: Oh, I totally agree.
[Crosstalk]
URBAN: - wrong track -
AXELROD: I agree with that. I agree with that. And that's why she's spent so much time talking about it.
FARAH GRIFFIN: She closed talking about the economy, not even saying his name. He was talking about Van Jones, among other things.
"Listen, I'm wrapping myself in this poll. Look at this. I’m just going to hold on to this tightly right now. This is great news for the Trump campaign! This is great news for the Trump campaign!” Urban mocked them.
“We’ll see what you're wrapping yourself with it at the end of the night,” Axelrod huffed in response.
Far-left activist Van Jones quipped that “This is what happens when they give us caffeine at the break.”
After some laughs, Jones went on to suggest that a formidable portion of those who said the country was on the wrong track were talking about former President Trump:
Listen, I do see it differently than you do. People are angry and people are dissatisfied, in large part because Donald Trump has created an environment that is so toxic for people. You have people who are literally afraid of whatever happens in this election. There are people who are afraid that if he wins, he's going to do bad stuff to them. And they’re afraid if he loses, his supporters might hurt them.
“So, people's dissatisfaction with the status quo includes dissatisfaction and anger at Donald Trump,” he said.
Urban countered by noting that many people can’t afford to fix their cars. “That right track/wrong track is so bad, because when the check engine comes on in their car, they get pissed off, because they can't pay for it. That's why they're dissatisfied, that’s why they’re angry,” he argued.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Election Night in America
November 5, 2024
5:21:06 p.m. Eastern(…)
DAVID URBAN: Listen, 72 percent of Americans think we're on the wrong track? That's devastating, devastating for this campaign. Devastating. Trump's approval rating going into this election is the highest it's been, retrospectively, Americans think more favorably of him today than they ever did during his entire presidency.
DAVID AXELROD: Then why is the race tied, Dave?
URBAN: Dave, I don't --
AXELROD: Explain why the race is tied.
URBAN: I can't explain it. But these numbers and the economy --
AXELROD: The race is tied --
URBAN: No, no. You're talking about the economy. Right? People – It's nice to worry about the democracy, but if you can't pay for your food --
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: Oh, I totally agree.
[Crosstalk]
URBAN: - wrong track -
AXELROD: I agree with that. I agree with that. And that's why she's spent so much time talking about it.
FARAH GRIFFIN: She closed talking about the economy, not even saying his name. He was talking about Van Jones, among other things.
URBAN: Listen, I'm wrapping myself in this poll. Look at this. I’m just going to hold on to this tightly right now.
[Crosstalk]
This is great news for the Trump campaign!
AXELROD: We’ll see what you're wrapping yourself with it at the end of the night.
URBAN: This is great news for the Trump campaign!
ANDERSON COOPER: All right, Van, let's hear from you.
VAN JONES: Hi.
[Laughter]
AXELROD: That's all that we have time for. It’s not even 6 yet.
{laughter]
JONES: This is what happens when they give us caffeine at the break.
COOPER: You guys are coming in hot!
[Crosstalk]
JONES: Listen, I do see it differently than you do. People are angry and people are dissatisfied, in large part because Donald Trump has created an environment that is so toxic for people. You have people who are literally afraid of whatever happens in this election. There are people who are afraid that if he wins, he's going to do bad stuff to them. And they’re afraid if he loses, his supporters might hurt them.
That is a part of this overall – So, people's dissatisfaction with the status quo includes dissatisfaction and anger at Donald Trump.
URBAN: I think. Listen, Van. You said this before. You said this, so I’m going to steal your own line.
JONES: Please do.
URBAN: People are dissatisfied. That right track/wrong track is so bad, because when the check engine comes on in their car, they get pissed off, because they can't pay for it. That's why they're dissatisfied, that’s why they’re angry.
[Crosstalk]
JONES: Two different things could be true.
[Crosstalk]
AXELROD: Can I just make a point about this? I think the brilliance of the way Harris finished this campaign is, she attached Trump's character issues. The fact that he's absorbed with himself, focused on vengeance, and she really asked the question, who's going to wake up every day trying to address the problems you care about? That guy or me? And I think she's made some progress doing it.
(…)
