“The Five” co-hosts Jesse Watters and Jessica Tarlov exchanged a fiery moment during a live segment on Tuesday while discussing Vice President Kamala Harris’ economic policies which have been criticized by left and right alike as being draconian and “socialist” in nature.
The discussion started with Tarlov highlighting the alleged advantages of Harris’ “opportunity economy,” which features a prominent initiative offering $25,000 for first-time homebuyers. Tarlov argued that this policy would not only increase homeownership but also stimulate community investment, resulting in safer neighborhoods and better public schools.
“And when she talks about home ownership, which is something that we all aspire to… Right, Jesse?” asked Tarlov.
He responded jokingly: “I wasn’t paying attention. What did you just say?” — which immediately sparked a reaction from Tarlov, who responded that “you’re really an incredible jerk sometimes.”
WATCH:
Harris has avoided doing any interviews, holding any press conferences, and rarely speaking to reporters since entering the presidential campaign at the top of the Democrat ticket. Now, fellow Democrats are advising her to continue doing just that rather than reveal more of her policy priorities after the disastrous rollout of economic plans that, to many Americans, look like some hybrid form of Venezuelan communism and Cuban socialism.
Among her economic policies are a Soviet-style price control system for corporations and a housing subsidy that critics say would raise the asking price for houses.
“She doesn’t need to negotiate against herself. We’ve got the biggest possible tent right now,” New Hampshire Democrat Rep. Ann McLane Kuster told Politico. “I don’t think there’s a real strong reason for her to try to weed out any points of view right now.”
“They [voters] have very little knowledge about who she is, what her job has actually been,” one House Democrat from a battleground state said. “They know Trump. They know what his policies are. They don’t know Kamala. And so Kamala has a ton of room right now to define herself.”
That said, The Wall Street Journal noted that Harris’ policy positions are unlikely to have much of a gap from those of President Joe Biden, which is why she wants to hide the details of her plans from the voters.
“Instead, they expect small shifts in emphasis that highlight her résumé and priorities” to keep hidden the details of what her agenda really is “amid concerns from some Democrats that releasing a lengthy plan could open the vice president up to criticism from Republicans and members of her party,” the report said.
“The policy framework is expected to outline broad policy areas she supports while avoiding many of the thorny details. Aides said they want her agenda to provide a contrast with Trump without reading like a think tank white paper,” The Journal said.
“Harris’s ascension to the top of the ticket has energized Democrats, and some allies have cautioned against doing anything that could slow that momentum, including lengthy interviews with media outlets,” it said.
Still, some believe the lack of details could eventually be her undoing.
“There’s already uncertainty with just what does she believe, what she would do,” Jeff Nobers, executive director of Pittsburgh Works Together, said to the Washington Post. “And if she doesn’t support a ban on fracking, what is her energy policy plan?”
Republicans, and the Trump campaign, are pressuring Harris to share details of her agenda because, they believe, the voters will not be fans of her radical ideas.
“Kamala needs to stop insulting the intelligence of voters and speak for herself to explain why she is running from every liberal policy she has ever supported,” Karoline Leavitt, the national press secretary for the Trump and Vance campaign said. “The mainstream media needs to stop being complicit in her lies and demand answers.”