Sunday during an interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz, presidential candidate Tom Steyer was questioned about why he is challenging President Trump’s handling of the economy when 70% in one poll describe the economy as “excellent or good.”
MARTHA RADDATZ: Mr. Steyer, you say that you can take on Donald Trump on the economy. But the latest Quinnipiac national poll again released just this week say 70 percent of voters describe the nation’s economy as excellent or good.
So how do you convince them that a change is needed when they think they’re doing so well under Donald Trump?
TOM STEYER: I think if you take a look at what he says, everything he says superficially sounds right but is actually a lie.
So when he says the economy is growing, I can show that, in fact, all the money’s going to rich people. When he says unemployment is low, which is true, I can show that the wages people are getting doesn’t support a family. And when he says the stock market is up, these are his three big statistics, it’s largely because of the huge tax break he gave to big corporations, but it also is — doesn’t matter that much because most of the stocks — 85 percent of the stocks are held by the top 10 percent of — 10 — ten percent of the richest Americans.
RADDATZ: But — but I want to go back to that 70 percent number.
STEYER: So it’s — this has been —
RADDATZ: You talk — you talk about the wealthy. They’re not all wealthy people. Seventy percent say the economy is good and they’re doing well.
STEYER: Well, I’m just saying to you, here we are on a show and you’re standing up for Mr. Trump’s version of the economy. And I’m telling you, what he’s saying is not true. And so —
RADDATZ: I’m telling you about a national poll. I’m standing up for anybody. I’m telling — I’m telling you about a national poll.
STEYER: And what I’m saying is this, there is a different story of this economy and this country that has to be told. Mr. Trump has to be face down about what he’s saying on the economy because he is running on the economy. That’s exactly what he’s going to say. He’s going to say, I’m great on the economy and Democrats stink.
