President Biden, who once vowed to “take responsibility instead of blaming others,” insisted in an interview that inflation couldn’t be placed at his doorstep.
Biden’s comments came when an Associated Press reporter, during a sit-down interview, asked the President about the effect his $1.9 trillion COVID relief package had on inflation.
The President said there is “zero evidence” it started with that.
“You could argue whether it had a marginal, minor impact on inflation. I don’t think it did,” he said. “And most economists do not think it did. But the idea that it caused inflation is bizarre.”
While he’s right that it didn’t cause inflation – which is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon, as pointed out by Milton Friedman – it most certainly didn’t help.
Had he read left-leaning Politifact, he would have learned “the general consensus is that it (COVID relief package) was a contributor” and that “some economists estimate that it added two percentage points to the rate” while others, “say it added up to four percentage points.”
In the AP interview, Biden claims it’s “bizarre” to think his $1.9 trillion spending package “caused inflation.”
Here’s Biden in November saying it did. pic.twitter.com/bTVODMndMn
— Vince Coglianese (@VinceCoglianese) June 17, 2022
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Biden: Inflation Isn’t My Fault
Associated Press reporter Josh Boak continued to press Biden, asking who the American people should believe – analysts warning the economy is headed toward a recession or the President who says “it’s the best look we’ve had in decades.”
The President wasn’t about to accept any blame and insists a recession is “not inevitable.”
“First of all, it’s not inevitable,” he said. “Secondly, we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.”
Pres. Biden says a recession is “not inevitable” as the Federal Reserve works to bring inflation under control. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are hitting their highest level since 2008. pic.twitter.com/WJfvvl6SwA
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) June 16, 2022
That’s when he shrugged off blame with an easily refuted statement.
“Isn’t it kind of interesting? If it’s my fault, why is it the case in every other major industrial country in the world that inflation is higher?” Biden wondered.
“I’m not being a wise guy,” he added. “Someone should ask themself that question.”
Biden falsely claims “inflation is higher around the rest of the world”
The U.S. has one of the highest inflation rates in the developed world. pic.twitter.com/s8PK8ndAYd
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 16, 2022
Well, someone did ask that question, and the numbers don’t square up. According to Trading Economics, the United States – at a 40-year high of 8.6% inflation in May – sits higher than 16 other industrialized nations or areas.
Lower inflation rates can be found in China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Switzerland, Indonesia, Australia, France, Singapore, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Italy, India, Mexico, Germany, and the Euro area.
As Agent 86, Maxwell Smart once said, “Missed it by that much.”
VOX: Biden’s American Rescue Plan worsened inflation. The question is how much.https://t.co/8H70oTIs0N
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2022
RELATED: CNN’s Latest Analysis: Biden ‘Can’t Do Much’ About All The Crises He’s Facing
Called Out Over the False Claim
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy got into a bit of a testy exchange with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre over Biden’s claim that every other country has higher inflation rates than the United States.
“Why is the president saying that inflation is worse everywhere but here?” Doocy asked.
Pierre pointed the finger at the pandemic and, of course, “Putin’s price hike.”
Doocy: “He says…inflation is worse everywhere but here. That’s not true. U.S. has worse inflation than Germany, France, Japan, Canada, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia…Why is he saying that?”
KJP: “Well, I think what we are saying is…it is a global thing…everyone is feeling” pic.twitter.com/FW46GK1LH0
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) June 16, 2022
All of this finger-pointing is odd coming from a President who made accepting responsibility a cornerstone of his campaign.
Here was his pledge:
Here’s my promise to you: If I’m elected president, I will always choose to unite rather than divide.
I’ll take responsibility instead of blaming others.
I’ll never forget that the job isn’t about me — it’s about you.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 16, 2020
Here we are nearly two years later, and the nation is further divided, he doesn’t take responsibility for anything, and, as he heads off for his fourth straight weekend in Delaware, Biden has definitely forgotten about you.
Joe Biden is taking off at 11:00AM tomorrow for a weekend at his Delaware beach house.
It will be his fourth straight weekend in Delaware. pic.twitter.com/6JC5wcmg93
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2022
President Biden, in his interview with the AP, also retold the “good people one both sides” story …
… explained that Americans are “really down” because they’re mentally unwell …
We’ve seen a lot of Democrat excuses for why people are unhappy with the direction of the country, but never before have I seen a politician suggest voters are just mentally unwellhttps://t.co/dnwBjDIeTE pic.twitter.com/n0MNaaJkyc
— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) June 16, 2022
… and falsely claimed he was “teaching” at the University of Pennsylvania after he served as vice president. The Austin American-Statesman reveals that Biden was paid over $900,000 during two years as a “professor” at Penn, but his job “involved no regular classes and around a dozen public appearances on campus, mostly in big, ticketed events.”
Biden says once again that he was “teaching” at UPenn after he was vice president.
REMINDER: HE DID NOT TEACH A SINGLE CLASS. pic.twitter.com/LNR8sWDQJK
— Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) June 17, 2022
“I’ll take responsibility instead of blaming others.”
I rate that claim: False.
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