A CNN panel became heated on Sunday’s “State of the Union” after Kate Bedingfield, President Joe Biden’s former communications director, suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris could claim a campaign victory by promoting the notion that inflation is “down.”

Since Harris stepped in as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal on July 21, there have been reports that she plans to distance herself from Biden’s administration.

During the discussion, GOP strategist Brad Todd criticized Harris for “renouncing everything” associated with the Biden administration, sparking a heated debate as Bedingfield tried to defend Harris’s track record.

“Wait a minute. She’s not renouncing everything the administration has done. She’s talked about the fact that they have been able to bring inflation down. She’s talked about policies that are going to continue to bring costs down. You see her build on that with the price gouging stuff,” Bedingfield said.

“I mean she’s not — it’s just not true that she’s standing up to say, ‘I reject everything we’ve accomplished.’ She’s saying, ‘Here’s how I’m building on it, and here’s how I’m going to make your life better in the next four years,’” Bedingfield continued.

CNN’s Scott Jennings interjected by stating, “inflation is not down,” which led to pushback from Bedingfield and another commentator.

“No, false. The rate of inflation has dropped, but inflation is still going up. So let’s tell the truth about inflation,” Jennings said.

“Okay, the rate of inflation has come down. Wages also continue to outpace inflation, so that is a fact,” Bedingfield responded.

Todd then joined the discussion, criticizing the persistently high prices since Biden took office.

“If you buy a pick-up truck today it’s $40,000 and it was 30 [thousand] when Joe Biden took over. If you get a mortgage it’s twice as high. Prices are up, inflation has caused it,” Todd said.

In mid-August, Vice President Kamala Harris faced widespread criticism from political commentators across the spectrum after revealing her economic plans should she be elected.

Although her proposals included addressing issues like housing, tax credits, and high prices, a key focus of her message was a federal ban on “corporate price gouging” aimed at curbing high grocery store prices. Critics argue that Harris’ approach to targeting grocery stores could inadvertently increase prices further and even lead to the emergence of black markets.

According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, despite Harris having a slight national lead, many Americans remain skeptical of her ability to handle key issues such as the economy, inflation, and immigration. The poll indicates that former President Donald Trump currently holds a nine-point advantage over Harris when it comes to voters’ trust in managing the economy and inflation and a ten-point lead on addressing issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border.