In what was one of the few educational and entertaining moments on CNN in the past few years, CNN attempted to school Trump supporters but got schooled in return when, on Thursday, September 19, a field reporter interviewed a shirtless man drinking a beer at a pro-Trump boat parade.

That field reporter was CNN correspondent Elle Reeve. Elle approached a man named Joe Harner, who, hilariously, was shirtless with a beer in hand and red solo cup in the other when she approached him. She asked him to speak about the most important lessons going on during this election, and ended up getting schooled on inflation, particularly as regards how stubbornly high prices impact everyone.

Beginning the interview, the field reporter asked, “What’s your most important issue?” Responding, Mr. Harner noted how, thanks to rampant inflation and high interest rates, life in America is getting too expensive, telling her, “The economy. Getting interest rates down. Getting it where we can afford to live in America. Right now it’s too expensive.”

Following up. Reeves asked him about affording things like a boat as he complains about life being too expensive, asking him, “Ok, now, let me maybe ask a slightly impolite question. But, you know, if you can afford a boat, you’re not hurting so bad, right? Because a boat costs a lot of money and it’s a lot of upkeep —”

Very funnily, Mr. Harner wasn’t having it. He fired  back, interrupting her,  “Listen, nobody gave me s***! I earned everything that I’ve got. I’m retired military, retired power plant, and I am successful and retired with boats, jet skis, because I did it right, and everybody has that chance. Whether they choose or not, that’s up to them.”

The CNN correspondent backed off a bit and tried again, asking, “I would never try to take anything away from you in that way. What I’m asking is … groceries are probably a smaller part of your budget than, say, you know, someone who’s like, a little worse off. I think it’s interesting that people who are a little bit more comfortable are still so concerned about the economy.”

Harner still wasn’t having it. Staring at her in an awkward, for her, silence from behind his mirrored sunglasses, he got her to ask, “Do you see what I’m saying?” He told her, sounding off on the ill effects of inflation, “Because I want my money to go further. I want inflation to go down, I want interest rates to go back down, I want all that, but that covers everybody in the economy. Not just me, not just the poor, not just the rich, it covers everybody.”

Trying yet again, the CNN field reporter asked Mr. Harner, “Now something that I’ve heard from some people, tell me if this applies to you, is like, they’re worried their kids aren’t able to afford a house or a car.” He shut her down flat. He said, “No. I trained my kids, and taught my kids properly. They have great educations and they’re both successful in their careers. Actually, they’re doing better than me.”

Watch their exchange here:

 

 

Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video