MSNBC host deletes Twitter thread scoffing at restaurant owner fretting about 'recession'

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Are we headed toward a recession?

'The Big Saturday Show' panelists react to a new milestone in gas prices as the national average for gas hits $5 a gallon and President Biden's continues his 'blame game' for inflation.

An MSNBC host deleted his own Twitter thread this weekend after receiving backlash for taking shot at a local restaurant owner who felt the economy was in recession.

Left-wing host Mehdi Hasan recounted a conversation he had with a local restaurant owner, where he asked if they were "surviving" due to "pandemic craziness." The owner, according to Hasan, erroneously told him that they were actually struggling due to the "recession."

Hasan then added, "There is no recession. The US has been breaking records on growth and jobs. But, y’know, vibes," he tweeted, with an embarrassed face emoji.

The primetime MSNBC host’s tweet was called out by journalist Siraj Hashmi on Monday, who compiles a popular list of "bad tweets." While the economy is not currently in recession, markets tumbled Monday over fears of a looming one, owing to federal interest-rate hikes to slow the economy amid persistent, record inflation.

Mehdi Hasan during an interview with host Seth Meyers on December 5, 2018 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images) (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

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Many Americans are struggling to keep up as inflation hit another 40-year-high, according to Friday's report from the Department of Labor. Consumer prices for everything from rent to groceries to gasoline went up 8.6% in May from one year ago.

Gas prices also surpassed five dollars a gallon as the national average over the weekend.

After getting criticized for the tweet, the MSNBC journalist admitted to taking it down, two days later.

"Ok I give up. Having been dunked on all weekend for using a badly-told personal anecdote to try & make a point about how widespread misinformation about the economy is right now, which made me come across to some as out-of-touch & insensitive, I deleted the tweet thread. My bad," he apologized.

Gas prices have hit a new high at over five dollars a gallon. (Megan Myers/Fox News Digital)

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Despite admitting he came across as "out of touch and insensitive," the MSNBC host doubled down on his flippant response to critics.

"Yes, inflation is high," he acknowledged but added, "Inflation does *not* equal *recession.*"

Hasan again dismissed Americans struggling due to high prices, arguing there have "always" been people struggling, but that didn't mean the country was going through a recession either.

He also pushed for Medicare for all and raising the minimum wage, before touting job growth as a sign the economy was doing well.

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The inflation rate hit another 40-year high in May, raising the costs of rent, groceries, and gas.  (REUTERS/Hannah Beier)

In a follow-up tweet, Hasan slammed the idea that the economy was worse off than it was two years ago as a "right-wing misinformation campaign."

Hasan isn't the only one to insist the economy is doing well.

Last week, former Alabama Democratic senator Doug Jones also praised President Biden for "saving" the economy during the coronavirus pandemic and claimed it was "really not doing too bad at all."

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A new Quinnipiac University poll ranked inflation as the most urgent issue facing the country today.