CNN hit Kamala Harris senior campaign spokesman Ian Sams with some tough poll numbers during a Monday interview, and Sams’ response was essentially to reject the presented poll out of hand and substitute one that he liked better.
The CNN anchor presenting the poll — recently released by The New York Times and Siena College — conceded that not everyone believed what they saw in the polls but argued that this particular source was one that could be trusted.
WATCH:
CNN: This credible New York Times/Sienna poll — 45% of voters say Trump's policies would help people like them versus just 37% for Kamala. What do you say to that?
HARRIS SPOX @IanSams: *copes and seethes* pic.twitter.com/uBqxE5rrv6
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 23, 2024
“When you look at this latest poll — and again, I know people have their views of the polls, but this is a credible New York Times/Siena College poll,” the anchor explained. “They actually asked voters about policies from both Trump and Harris that they think could impact them in the future.”
“And 45% of voters say Trump’s policies would help people like them versus just 37% for Harris. That’s looking at the future, not just the past here. What do you say to that, Ian?” she pressed Sams to respond.
The Harris campaign spokesman, rather than take the question head on, ignored the New York Times/Siena poll entirely. Instead, he brought up unspecified “Quinnipiac polls just over the last few days,” claiming that they were more favorable to Harris on specific issues.
“Well, again, there’s been some Quinnipiac polls just over the last few days that suggest a different picture of the country, of people thinking that her economic or immigration or reproductive freedom plans would help them more,” he said. “You know, the polls are going to kind of shift around a little bit.”
Of the three issues Sams listed specifically, however, the most recent Quinnipiac poll gave Trump the edge on two. The poll, released on September 18, showed Harris beating Trump in the swing states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan on the abortion issue — but Trump had a clear lead in all three states when it came to both the economy and immigration.
