Joe Manchin Battles With Fox News Anchor in Testy Interview On Inflation: ‘The Facts You Have Are Completely Wrong’

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner sparred on Tuesday over whether or not his landmark bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, will actually reduced inflation.

“Everybody’s focused on inflation right now. Every poll shows it. So, you know, I’m looking at the Penn Wharton budget model, which you, senator, have been known to watch, it examined the details of the Schumer-Manchin deal,” Faulkner began questioning after an introduction.

“And actually, it said something very different than you just said. It said that the impact on inflation, this is a quote, ‘The impact on inflation is statistically indistinguishable from zero through 2031.’ Penn Wharton modelers are saying we don’t agree with those who think deficit reduction will lead in a straight line to lowering future inflation,” Faulkner added, asking Manchin:

But that’s what the Democrats claim for their bill. So it can’t, so both things can’t be true. And this is something that they’re studying. So are you wrong or are you not giving all, all of the hard truth to Americans about what this is going to cost them in?

“Let’s say maybe they’re wrong,” Manchin responded, noting that Moody’s has assessed the bill will in fact lower inflation. He argued that economists are not always right, noting “17 Nobel laureates last year, when I said inflation is real, it’s going to be here and it’s going to hurt us immensely. They said, Oh, no, no, it’s going to be transitory and 17 of the brightest in the country.”

“So, let me ask you specifically what cuts inflation in this bill?” followed up Faulkner.

“Let me ask you this. How in the world could it be inflation when you’re cutting? My Republican friends always said we got to start paying down debt. I’ve been a budget hawk my whole life. We’re paying down $300 billion,” Manchin continued.

“You asked me a different question, so I’m going to answer you,” Faulkner shot back.

“So how is it not a straight line? Because I’m not saying. And even Wharton isn’t saying that it won’t eventually get there in a jagged line. But you know how it doesn’t, because we are cooking a higher rate of inflation right now ahead of wages. And even if everybody were to go out and get a job or two or three jobs right now, their wages can’t keep up with what the cost of milk, bread, gasoline? Don’t you think,” Faulkner asked.

“We ought to get those costs down? How do you do that? By producing. You’ve got to produce your way out of this. You can’t sit back and wait your way out,” Manchin fired back.

Faulkner and Manchin then tussled over building new pipelines, which Manchin argued is already a part of the legislation and is backed by President Joe Biden.

“It’s part of the deal. It’s part of the bill. All you have to do is read the bill, Harris, and you’ll see you’re not going to be able to do any more offshore wind or offshore or onshore solar and wind unless we’re absolutely doing more production with drilling and extraction,” Manchin argued.

“It’s all part of a balanced approach. We need more energy today. So we also need to invest in the energy for the future. This is a balanced approach,” he continued before repeating the line he used regularly while on all five Sunday shows: “This is not a Democrat bill. This is not a Republican bill. All right. This is not a green deal. This is a red, white and blue deal.”

The conversation later turned to taxes and Faulkner asked Manchin to address criticism from Sen. Mitch McConnell that the bill will raise taxes.

“Totally, absolutely wrong. Totally wrong. And here’s the thing. They’re looking at it through political lenses. Look at it through the American lens,” Manchin said.

“I’m just asking questions,” Faulkner hit back. “I’m just answering questions, Okay,” Manchin replied. “I’m going to answer these questions because what you’re asking and the facts you have are completely wrong.”

The two continued to spar over the details in the bill and the exchange got tense at times as Manchin asked Faulkner if she is “scared” of Congress actually getting things done.

“Of course not! My father served! Are you kidding?! Service is in the Bible! That’s what we do, we serve our fellow man and woman! … Don’t make this personal,” Faulkner replied.

The interview ended cordially, although Faulkner did go into the next hour a bit.

Watch the full interview above via Fox News