Top CNN political commentator Maria Cardona was adamant that all Vice President Kamala Harris needs to do in order to easily secure the 2024 presidential election is to sell the notion that Harris’ agenda aligns more with the mainstream that her actual left-leaning record.
It’s a slam dunk, right?
According to Cardona, during a segment aired Monday evening, she said referencing a recent CNN poll:
“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 much more mainstream and in line with what the majority of the American people value and believe.”
However, her counterpart Scott Jennings quickly threw cold water on that statement.
“If people believe he [Trump] is an extremist, then why isn’t she [Kamala] winning?” asked Jennings. “If it’s a tied race nationally, there’s a 100% chance he’s going win the Electoral College.”
Jennings was referencing a recent New York Times poll that actually has Trump winning.
Well, this sent Cardona into a complete on-air tailspin.
Take a listen:
.@ScottJenningsKY goes SCORCHED EARTH on this CNN political commentator:
"If people believe [Trump] is an extremist, then why isn't [Kamala] winning…?! If it's a tied race nationally, there's a 100% chance he's gonna win the electoral college!" pic.twitter.com/F9NZNcUL8L
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 9, 2024
Unfortunately for Cardona, the numbers do not play in her favor when it comes to the argument about Trump being viewed as more “extreme” than Harris.
In fact, the New York Times poll that Jennings referenced actually shows voters saying that Harris is considered more extreme than Trump in their eyes.
As Kamala Harris gears up for tomorrow's debate against Trump, it's a key opportunity to make a statement on her policies and values.
Half of voters think that Harris is 'too progressive', according to a new @nytimes poll; can she change their minds?https://t.co/J6fezb9d58 pic.twitter.com/21QREGOQUh
— Alicja Hagopian (@HagopianAlicja) September 9, 2024
Even renowned pollster and data guru Nate Silver noted that Trump is winning:
#Latest @NateSilver538 Forecast (9/9)
🟥 Trump: 64.4% (new high)
🟦 Harris: 35.3%
——
Swing States: chance of winningPennsylvania – 🔴 Trump 65-35%
Michigan – 🔴 Trump 55-45%
Wisconsin – 🔴 Trump 53-47%
Arizona – 🔴 Trump 77-23%
North Carolina – 🔴 Trump 76-24%
Georgia – 🔴… pic.twitter.com/Cw23W9WmSK— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) September 9, 2024
The moral of the story?
The majority of Americans simply don’t believe that Donald Trump is more “extreme” than Kamala Harris.
It’s perhaps time for CNN to fully admit that this race is closer than they’d like to believe.