White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to have trouble answering direct questions about the recent inflation numbers and what President Joe Biden’s administration was doing to provide relief for the American people.
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy hit Jean-Pierre with a series of questions during Monday’s briefing, beginning by asking why — if Biden truly believed that combatting inflation was his primary domestic goal — Americans weren’t seeing any real progress.
WATCH:
DOOCY TIME: "[I]f [Biden's] top domestic priority is inflation, why doesn't he have more to show for it?"
KJP: "So, [he] understands…inflation is an issue…Cost is an issue for the American people, and so he's been very clear about making that his #1 economic priority" pic.twitter.com/jmJXsfAjMQ
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 17, 2022
“Following up on something you said earlier, if President Biden’s top domestic priority is inflation, why doesn’t he have more to show for it?” Doocy asked.
“So, the president understands, and we’ve talked about this many times, that inflation is an issue … high cost … cost is an issue for the American people, and so he’s been very clear about making that his number one economic priority. And he has done the work,” Jean-Pierre insisted.
The press secretary went on to tout the Inflation Reduction Act, claiming that it was “going to lower costs” for seniors across the country by capping Medicare prescription costs and throwing in a dig at Republicans who had not voted for the measure. She then focused on Republicans, claiming that they would move to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act if they could and arguing that would only “make things worse.”
Doocy pushed back, asking, “But who exactly thinks the president is doing a good job on inflation? Because we’ve got a poll that finds he receives his lowest job ratings on inflation, net negative 38 points.”
“We understand that there are challenges that are in front of us here in this country, that is why the president has taken action to lower costs,” Jean-Pierre argued, mentioning gas prices as an example despite the fact that gas prices have been on the rise again in recent days.
WATCH:
Doocy: "Have [Biden's] economic advisors told him the general consensus now is that the American Rescue Plan has contributed to inflation?"
KJP: "Look, Sec. Yellen, who is incredibly well respected…has spoken to this…[His policies] are popular w/the American people." pic.twitter.com/LXLEaymw0Q
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 17, 2022
“Have the president’s economic advisors told him the general consensus now is that the American Rescue Plan has contributed to inflation?” Doocy pressed once more.
Jean-Pierre argued that Biden’s policies were popular with the American people and deflected on the economic question, adding, “Look, Sec. Yellen, who is incredibly well respected as you know in the economic space, has spoken to this so I will leave her words speak to that, to the statement that you just made.”