A debate on inflation and grocery prices turned contentious on CNN’s NewsNight with Abby Phillip as conservative commentator Scott Jennings clashed with co-panelist Bakari Sellers.

The argument escalated when Jennings, responding to a physical gesture, told Sellers, “Don’t touch me.”

The panel discussion revolved around the impact of inflation and energy prices on working families, with Jennings attributing much of the blame to the Biden-Harris administration. “There was anger at Biden and Harris for their policies that caused inflation,” Jennings said. “Trump is saying, ‘I would like to bring prices down,’ during the election. But the real anger in the electorate was and will remain with the administration that oversaw the huge inflation in the first place.”

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Jennings argued that Trump’s proposed policies could help alleviate economic pressures, stating, “If he brings energy prices down and if he keeps — if he extends the tax cuts, and he generally implements an economic climate in which incomes can rise and certain things do come down, and he tells the American people the truth about what he’s doing the entire time, I think, politically, it will be okay.”

Jeff Bartos, a former senior adviser to Trump’s campaign, supported Jennings’ claims, highlighting the achievements of Trump’s first term. “Real wage growth under the first Trump administration was the best we’d seen in 50 years,” Bartos said.

“Working families did better, even than higher-income families, under the first Trump administration, and they will again under the second Trump administration.”

Bakari Sellers challenged Jennings’ assertions, accusing Trump of misleading voters. “Can we level set just for a moment? All right, Donald Trump lied. That’s first,” Sellers said.

He claimed that Trump contradicted his campaign promises by acknowledging the difficulty of reducing grocery prices.

However, Trump’s remarks in a recent Time Magazine interview paint a more nuanced picture.

Trump stated, “It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard… But I think that they will. I think that energy is going to bring them down. I think a better supply chain is going to bring them down. You know, the supply chain is still broken.”

Sellers conceded that Democrats face challenges in effectively addressing inflation in their messaging. “Scott was 50% correct,” Sellers said, before turning to address Jennings directly.

While Sellers was speaking, he placed a hand on Jennings’ shoulder, prompting a sharp reaction. “Don’t touch me,” Jennings said.

“I can’t touch you?” Sellers responded, seemingly taken aback.

Moderator Abby Phillip quickly intervened, telling the panel, “All right. Everyone, keep your hands to yourself at the table.”

CNN’s Scott Jennings is not amused when Bakari Sellers puts his hands on him, “Don’t touch me!” after Bakari insults Scott, and host Abby Phillip steps in and tells everybody to keep their hands to themselves.

Sellers: “What Scott was not accurate about which kind of happens… pic.twitter.com/6mYb0tylSs

— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) December 13, 2024

Jennings’ reaction, coupled with his body language, suggested he was not amused by the interaction.

As the debate concluded, the broader discussion on inflation and energy prices remained unresolved, reflecting the ongoing political divide over economic policy in the United States.