Anchor Abby Phillip admonished conservative guest Ben Ferguson after he defended President Trump’s claim that he 'inherited the worst inflation ever,' arguing the phrase should be taken literally. Richard Quest countered that historical inflation, notably in the 1920s, was higher, prompting Phillip’s remark about 'listening comprehension.' A recent national poll referenced in the segment showed 32% of voters blame Biden for the economy, while 62% blame Trump, who had a 38% approval rating on economic handling.
Abby Phillip Scolds Guest for ‘Listening Comprehension’ After Heated Inflation Exchange
Anchor Abby Phillip admonished conservative guest Ben Ferguson after he defended President Trump’s claim that he 'inherited the worst inflation ever,' arguing the phrase should be taken literally. Richard Quest countered that historical inflation, notably in the 1920s, was higher, prompting Phillip’s remark about 'listening comprehension.' A recent national poll referenced in the segment showed 32% of voters blame Biden for the economy, while 62% blame Trump, who had a 38% approval rating on economic handling.
03:29 PM, 11/21/2025Politics
During a televised panel, anchor Abby Phillip sharply rebuked conservative radio host Ben Ferguson after Ferguson defended President Donald Trump’s repeated assertion that he “inherited the worst inflation ever.” The claim has been broadly challenged as misleading when measured against historical inflation peaks.
A recent national poll cited during the segment found that just 32% of voters blame former President Joe Biden for the current state of the economy, while 62% place responsibility with Trump; the same survey reported a 38% approval rating for Trump’s handling of the economy.
On-air exchange
When CNN International anchor Richard Quest noted that Trump’s phrase “worst inflation ever” is factually incorrect—pointing out that U.S. inflation was higher in other periods, including the 1920s—Ferguson interrupted and argued that, by his own lifetime, the Biden-era inflation felt worst.
FERGUSON: When was it?
QUEST: Sorry?
FERGUSON: When was the worst? Because in my lifetime, it was Biden, by the numbers.
QUEST: No, no, no. 1920s.
FERGUSON: I wasn’t alive in 1920.
QUEST: Neither was I. But 1920s.
Phillip interjected to clarify the distinction: 'Listening comprehension. Listening comprehension, people. “The worst ever” is not “the worst in my lifetime.” Those are not the same thing.' Quest added that the president’s phrasing was a literal claim about historical comparisons, not a rhetorical nod to contemporary viewers.
The exchange underscored a recurring media moment in which panelists parse political language and debate whether broad claims are meant literally or rhetorically. The discussion also highlighted how historical context matters when evaluating sweeping statements about economic records.