CNN’s Dana Bash and JD Vance clashed on Sunday during a contentious interview as the GOP vice presidential candidate accused Bash of giving Gov. Tim Walz and Vice President Kamala Harris “multiple choice answers” during her interview with them in August, as well as letting the vice president “coast.”
“Dana, would you like to ask me questions and then let me answer them or would you like to debate me on these topics?” Vance asked, after repeatedly insisting his constituents in Springfield, Ohio, were the ones who told him migrants were “eating the pets.”
The interview focused on the claim, which Donald Trump also honed in on during the ABC News debate on Tuesday. The former president claimed Haitian migrants were eating cats and dogs, though Ohio officials have said there were no credible reports of such behavior.
“I noticed that when you have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you gave them multiple choice answers to the questions that you asked, and you allow them to answer the questions. I‘m happy to be here to talk about policy, but if you’re going to interrupt me every single time that I open my mouth, then why am I even doing this?” Vance continued.
CNN’s Dana Bash and Sen. JD Vance clash during an interview on Sunday focused on Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs. (Screenshot/CNN)
“I think that if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz were making unsubstantiated claims that had racist undertones about people eating dogs and cats, I would, and they didn‘t answer the questions about that, then I would have similar interactions with them. As you know, I am very grateful that you come on the show, as I am for other Republicans. But this is something that you’re hearing from constituents. I did a lot of reporting. I’ve talked to people in Ohio over the weekend, and they’re really worried about these claims,” Bash responded.
“The policies, yes, I am agreeing with you, that what I heard is that there is concern that these migrants, there’s a lot of them and the integration isn‘t being done fast enough and well enough, and that’s a totally legitimate conversation,” she added.
Thousands of Haitians have arrived in Springfield since the COVID-19 pandemic, and residents have been pointing to an uptick in crime, mayhem and car crashes due to the massive influx of new residents. In a town of 58,000 people, about 20,000 Haitians have arrived, according to city officials.
Bash pressed Vance on their claim again and insisted the media did not start reporting on the impact the migrants have had on Springfield until he and Trump brought it up.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference held at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 13. (AP/Jae C. Hong)
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“The evidence is the firsthand account of my constituents who are telling me that this happened and, by the way, I‘ve been trying to talk about the problems in Springfield for months and the American media ignored it. There was a congressional hearing just last week of Angel Moms who lost children because Kamala Harris let criminal migrants into this country who then murdered their children. The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I start talking about cat memes. If I have to, I mean, create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast,” Vance said.
He further accused Bash of not pushing back on Harris for casting the deciding vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which he argued “is why a lot of Americans can’t afford food and housing.”
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Bash pressed further on his comment about him creating stories, asking him again about the story’s accuracy.
Vance shot back and argued the claim came from his constituents.
“I say that we’re creating a story, meaning we’re creating the American media focusing on it. I didn‘t create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris’ policies. Her policies did that, but yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris’ policies,” Vance responded.