In an epic back and forth between Fox News Channel Senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre, Doocy held KJP’s feet to the fire in demanding answers on the White House’s rhetoric after the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. KJP responded by having a bit of a melt down and calling the wording of his question “dangerous.”
Beginning, Doocy asked her, “Thank you, Karine. It’s been only two days since somebody allegedly tried to kill Donald Trump again, and you’re here at the podium in the White House Briefing Room calling him a “threat.” How many more assassination attempts on Donald Trump until the president and the vice president and you pick a different word to describe Trump other than “threat”?”
Responding, KJP first said that she disagreed entirely with his question and that his wording was dangerous, saying, “Peter, if anything from this administration, I actually completely disagree with the premise of your question. The question that you’re asking, it is also incredibly dangerous in the way that you’re asking it, because American people are watching.”
Continuing, she accused Republicans of being the ones behind the heated rhetoric, saying, “And to say that — to say that from a administration who has consistently condemned political violence; from an administration where the president called the former president and was thankful, grateful that he was okay; from an administration who has called out January 6th, called out the attack of Paul Pelosi, called out and said we need to lower the temperature after the Butler incident — and now for you to make that kind of comment in your question — because it — your question involved a comment and a statement — and, you know, it is — that is also incredibly dangerous when we have been very clear in — in condemning political violence from here.”
She then blamed Trump, saying that his questioning of the 2020 election is the problem, saying, “What I have said about the president — the former president about January 6th is facts that you all have reported. It is fact when you have a former president who basically says that the election wasn’t — the — the results of the election were not the results of the election, when dozens — dozens of — more than 60 Republican judges said that it was a free and fair election. Six- — more than 60 said it was indeed a free and fair election.”
She added, “You had more than 2,000 people who were told to go to the Capitol. It was one of the darkest days of our democracy. One of the darkest days. There were people who — law enforcement officers who died because of what happened at the Capitol. And they were there because the former president told them to go there. I mean, I don’t know if that’s not — if that’s not a threat on our democracy when it was one of the darkest days of our democracy — January 6th, one of the darkest days —”
After Doocy tried to interject and ask a follow up, she said, “Now, we can have a disagreement on policies — we can — on issues. That is what we should do. It is important to have those disagreements. It is welcome to have those dica- — disagreements on the economy, on health care, on foreign policy. But when you start bringing political rhetoric — political rhetoric — that is not okay, and that’s what you’ve heard from us too. You’ve heard our differences on policies.”
Doocy, following up, again pointed to the rhetoric about Trump, saying, “But to your point, there are people watching at home who might miss the part where you say, “Let’s lower the temperature,” and they’re just — there are mentally unstable people who are attempting to kill political candidates, attempting to kill Donald Trump, and they are still hearing this White House — refer to him as a threat.”
KJP, in response, brought up January 6, saying, “We’re using examples. We’re not just saying that just to say it. January 6th, Peter. January 6th. Wait — January 6th — how many times do I have to — January 6th, 2021. That is a — that is a fact, what was reported that happened on that day by some of your colleagues. I mean — and we have, at the same time, denounced political violence over and over — political rhetoric over and over again — over and over again. But I know your focus has to be on this side of the house. It can’t be on your side of the house. I get that. I get that. But we also have to be careful on how you’re asking me these questions.”
She added, “People are watching. And is — what you are saying about us raising political violent rhetoric, whatever — however you just formulated it is — this is an administration that has denounced and condemned any type of political rhetoric or violence. It is the reason why this president decided to run in 2020. That is why the president decided to come back. He believed that it is important to save the soul of America, of our nation. And he believed it was important that we f- — continue to fight for our democracy, fight for our freedom. That’s what you see from this administration.”
Watch their spat here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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