CNN’s Smerconish lauds Trump on $2,000 relief checks: ‘Most effective thing he’s done’ post election

CNN’s Michael Smerconish on Tuesday said that President Trump’s call for $2,000 coronavirus stimulus checks is “politically speaking, the most effective thing that he has done since losing the election.” 

Trump on Tuesday said in a video posted on Twitter that the $2.3 trillion package Congress passed Monday, which includes stimulus checks of $600 and $900 billion in coronavirus relief, is “a disgrace,” though he did not explicitly threaten to veto the package. 

“Despite all of this wasteful spending and much more, the $900 billion package provides hardworking taxpayers with only $600 each in relief payments, and not enough money is given to small businesses, and in particular restaurants, whose owners have suffered so grievously,” Trump said in his remarks. 

Later Tuesday, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that he thinks Trump will sign the stimulus after a congressional override of his veto.

However, Smerconish responded by saying he believed Cuomo and Scaramucci were “underestimating the president.” 

“I don’t think the perception of him being ‘the Grinch Who Stole Christmas’ is accurate,” Smerconish continued. “I think this is the arguably, politically speaking, the most effective thing that he has done since losing the election.”

“It is him, frankly, laying back on those arguments that first put him in office, that he’s the champion of a working person and he wants two grand in everybody’s pocket,” the television and radio host continued. “I think it’s very effective for him.”

Cuomo then said that while he agreed with this analysis, he said there is a cost if Trump delays signing the bill. 

“Every day that is delayed because we’re seeing whether or not he is going to be Robin Hood or not, people are starving in this country, and the check’s not going to come,” Cuomo argued. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who spent months pushing for a larger COVID-19 relief bill, quickly responded to Trump’s tweet Tuesday, saying she was in full support of increasing the size of the stimulus checks. 

“Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” she tweeted.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged Trump to sign the bill at hand, suggesting that more aid could be added later.

“Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we’re glad to pass more aid Americans need,” he tweeted.

Schumer on Wednesday signaled to the president on Twitter that he was “in” on increasing the amount in stimulus checks.

“Whaddya say, Mitch?” Schumer asked, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). “Let’s not get bogged down with ideological offsets and unrelated items and just DO THIS! The American people deserve it.”