MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle Confronts DNC Chairman: Why Does it Seem Like ‘Democrats Continue to Just Be Running Against Trump?’

MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle pressed Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison over his party running as if former President Donald Trump is still in office and the party not getting major legislative items passed in Congress.

On Tuesday’s Stephanie Ruhle Reports, Ruhle called next week’s Virginia gubernatorial election “the first big test for Democrats” and asked Harrison, “Why is it that it seems like Democrats continue to just be running against Trump? He’s not in office.”

Harrison responded:

I wouldn’t say this is the first big test. We had to fight back and push back against recall in California. We got a race in New Jersey right now and Virginia as well.

And this is the thing, Donald Trump, if you ask the Republicans, he’s still the head of their party. [Republican National Committee Chairperson] Ronna McDaniel has said that often. We see that in terms of how the Republicans react.”

And he has endorsed [Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee] Glenn Youngkin six times in this race. And so his presence is looming still in American politics. And so therefore, it’s important that the voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia understand that Youngkin is a Trumpacolyte.

Ruhle replied that “Trump is a looming threat but he’s not in power and Democrats are.”

“Right now, Democrats have not gotten anything done on infrastructure, voting rights, gun reform and police reform,” she continued. “How do you get voters energized in Virginia for Democratic ideals, not just against Trump?”

“Well, this is the thing, Stephanie. With all of the issues you mentioned, those are things that are in progress, right,” said Harrison. “It’s been nine months since Joe Biden has been president of the United States. And what has he gotten done?”

Harrison went on to tout the American Rescue Plan, which passed and was enacted earlier this year that addressed coronavirus relief and other issues.

Regarding the ongoing negotiations in Congress to spend trillions of dollars in expanding America’s welfare state and seeking to address climate change, Harrison said, “This process ain’t a fast one.”

“I know we all sort of have the McDonald’s, Burger King mentality where you can go through fast drive-through and get something done and get it done in a hurry, but that’s not how the legislative process works,” he continued. “You got to do negotiations and move things forward. And we’re on the brink of doing just that. So I’m proud of what we’ve done so far. I know we’re going to continue to deliver for the American people moving forward.”

Ruhle then asked Harrison if the Democrats “overpromised.”

“That $3.5 trillion human infrastructure bill had tons of great things in there, but at the end of the day, you’re not going to be able to deliver on a lot of it. And best case, even if you only get the trillion dollar bipartisan infrastructure deal, that’s a huge win. But at this point, did Democrats feel like it’s a win? They were promised a lot more.”

Harrison replied that “the folks on main street, people and the beauticians and in the barber shots … at the end of the day just want to see that Congress is working for them, is trying to get things done.”

He acknowledged that not everything can get done in one piece of legislation and cited that the Democrats hold narrow majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate whereas former Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt – both of whom were Democrats – both had huge majorities in the House and Senate.

Harrison said that Democrats are working on behalf of the American people. “On the contrast, there’s not much going on with the Republican side. They’re trying to hide from the insurrection. They’re trying to avoid this and that and block things instead of actually delivering for the American people. So I’m proud of our folks. It ain’t easy all the time. But I’m proud of them because they’re working on behalf of the American people.”

“It never is,” replied Ruhle. “Those beauticians and barbers, you know what else they care about? Inflation, prices going up.”

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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