During Friday’s Katy Tur Reports, the eponymous MS NOW host asked American Action Forum president Douglas Holtz-Eakins if the Iran war was a ploy to put the economy “into the gutter” to get the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates if the economy was in deep hurt, something she called “cheeky” but a “serious question.” Just 15 minutes later, after she said the crazy thing, she called on the Democratic Party to be the new party of common sense.
The first main discussion focused on the drop of the DOJ investigation into Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, which focused on the overrun costs of Federal Reserve construction. The move made new Fed Chair Nominee, Kevin Warsh, likely to become the new chairman after Powell leaves at the end of his term after Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) threatened put up a roadblock if the Powell investigation continued.
MS NOW's Katy Tur asks if the Iran War is a ploy by Trump to get the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.
— Nick (@nspin310) April 24, 2026
TUR: This is going to sound cheeky, but it's a serious question. Is he trying to drive the economy into the gutter in order to lower interest rates? pic.twitter.com/dKNGSxJh2h
After The Atlantic staff writer and MS NOW analyst Ashley Parker answer to a DOJ question, Tur turned to Holtz-Eakins to ask what she made sure to note was a “serious question”:
This is going to sound cheeky, but it's a serious question. Is he trying to drive the economy into the gutter in order to lower interest rates, because the war in Iran is not doing good things for people's economic, personal prosperity?
The unserious question continued: “I mean, the stock market's doing well. Yes, but people do not feel good if it keeps going this way. And oil keeps being held hostage on the streets, are we going to be in a position where interest rates will get lowered?”
Holtz-Eakins’s answer completely avoided any talk of the Iran war being some sort of ploy, likely because he knew that was nowhere near the truth.
Just 15 minutes after she asked if the Iran War was a conspiracy to hurt the economy for lower interest rates, Tur called on the Democratic Party to become the party of common sense. https://t.co/QzZdvcDRZp pic.twitter.com/4uRVHQ4gqp
— Nick (@nspin310) April 24, 2026
Just 15 minutes later, Parker and Lincoln Project member Stuart Stevens were panelists as Tur discussed Trump approval. Some of the panel discussions involved talk of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and how some of his ideas are insane, but others, like a push for healthy food are good and something Dems should not run away from
After Parker talked about ICE, economics, and war, Tur had an idea for Democrats: “Yeah. And I wonder, Stu, if the real opportunity for a Democrat here is, or the party itself is to be the party of sanity, to be the party of common sense.”
Tur continued as she listed her perfect party of common sense:
Donald Trump and Republicans keep talking about common sense. Well, what about the Democrats coming in and saying, we're going to be, you know, sane about our immigration policy, both at the border and internally sane - and also not cruel. Sane about our food supply, saying about keeping Americans healthy. Sane about the economy. Sane about not going to war. Saying about what we tweet or post on Truth Social, just coming out and saying, we're going to promise you that we're going to be more - more down the middle - not down the middle necessarily, but just more sane, more common-sensical.
As she began to lose her thought, she implored to Stevens: “Take it away from me, please.”
Tur ask of Democrats not to be insane was overshadowed by her stated conspiracy about the Iran war connection to the Federal Reserve and interest rates. If Tur does not want the party to be crazy, she should not say crazy things herself.
The transcript is below. Click "expand":
MS NOW’s Katy Tur Reports
April 24, 2026
2:21:29 PM Eastern(...)
KATY TUR: This is going to sound cheeky, but it's a serious question. Is he trying to drive the economy into the gutter in order to lower interest rates, because the war in Iran is not doing good things for people's economic - personal prosperity? I mean, the stock market's doing well. Yes, but people do not feel good if it keeps going this way, and oil keeps being held hostage on the Straits. Are we going to be in a position where interest rates will get lowered?
(...)
2:37:20 PM Eastern
TUR: Yeah. And I wonder, Stu, if the real opportunity for a Democrat here is, or the party itself is to be the party of sanity, to be the party of common sense.
Donald Trump and Republicans keep talking about common sense. Well, what about the Democrats coming in and saying, we're going to be, you know, sane about our immigration policy, both at the border and internally sane - and also not cruel. Sane about our food supply, saying about keeping Americans healthy. Sane about the economy. Sane about not going to war. Saying about what we tweet or post on Truth Social, just coming out and saying, we're going to promise you that we're going to be more - more down the middle - not down the middle necessarily, but just more sane, more common-sensical. Take it away from me.
STUART STEVENS: Well, you know, back in the day when I worked for -
TUR: Take it away from me, please.
(...)
