close
close
Harris did not say the “next question” to CNN’s economic inquiry

The claim: Video shows Kamala Harris said ‘next question’ to avoid CNN question on economy

An Instagram post from September 25 (direct link, archive link) shows Vice President Kamala Harris being interviewed by CNN’s Dana Bash.

“I wonder what you would say to voters who do want to come back when it comes to the economy specifically, because your food was less expensive and housing was more affordable when Donald Trump was president,” Bash asks Harris in the video.

In the clip, Harris responds: “Next question, please.”

The title of the post reads: “Always deflecting questions.”

The post received more than 2,000 likes in one day.

More from the fact-checking team: How we screen and investigate complaints | Email Newsletter | facebook page

Our rating: Modified

The clip is edited in a misleading way. Videos and a transcript of the August interview published by CNN show that Harris did not say the “next question” to Bash’s question about the economy. Harris made the comment at a different point in the interview, in response to a question about her race.

The video is misleading by joining separate moments of the interview

The clip in the Instagram post shows Harris and her Democratic presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, sitting with Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent, for an interview that aired Aug. 29.

But video of the interview released by CNN shows that the clip of the post was altered to change Harris’ response to Bash’s question about voters and the economy. Harris didn’t deflect the question by saying, “Next question, please.” Rather, Harris said she and President Joe Biden inherited an economy that had “collapsed” due to Trump’s “mismanagement” of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video and a CNN transcript of the exchange show Harris went on to say, in part:

“When we arrived, our top priority was to do what we could to rescue the United States. And today we know that we have inflation below 3%. Many of our policies have led to the reality that the United States recovered faster than any country rich around the world, but you are right. Food prices in particular are still too high. The American people know this. That is why my agenda includes what we must do to lower food prices. , to address a problem such as price gouging.

Fact Check: Biden and Harris’ net worth is nowhere near that of viral post

Harris made the “next question” comment in the interview, but it was in response to a question about comments Trump had made about Harris’ racial identity. Here’s how that exchange played out, according to the transcript:

“BASH: Speaking of Republicans, I want to ask you about your opponent, Donald Trump. I was a little surprised, people might be surprised to know that you’ve never interacted with him, that you’ve never met him face to face. That will change soon, but I What I want to ask you is what he said last month: he suggested that you recently became black for political reasons, questioning a fundamental part of your identity.

HARRIS: Yes.

BASH: Anyone–

HARRIS: Same tired old playbook. Next question, please. (LAUGH)

BASH: Is that all?

HARRIS: That’s it.

CNN video of the exchange makes clear that this was the part of the interview used in the altered clip to make it appear as if Harris dismissed Bash’s question about the economy.

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who shared the post but did not immediately receive a response.

Our data verification sources:

  • USA TODAY, Aug. 29: As Harris-Walz interview captures nation’s attention, a deeper look at the transcript
  • USA TODAY, July 31, Trump questions Kamala Harris’ racial identity at NABJ, says she ‘turned out to be black’
  • CNN (YouTube), August 29, CNN interview between Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (part 1): Plan for the first day in office
  • CNN (YouTube), August 29, CNN interview between Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (part 2): War between Israel and Hamas
  • CNN, August 30, READ: Harris and Walz’s exclusive joint interview with CNN

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-checking work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.