Keeping with the theme of reviewing Biden’s greatest hits (most facepalm-inducing moments), one of the best came when he was questioned by Fox News Channel’s Peter Doocy about inflation and, in response, called him a “dumb son of a b*tch.” President Biden later called Mr. Doocy to apologize and clear the air.
The incident at hand came in late January of 2022, when inflation was running rampant and had become painful enough that it looked like it would be a major political liability for Democrats in the midterm elections, as President Biden had been in charge when inflation started ticking up and was in charge as it raged at shockingly high levels.
So, Doocy, then a rising star in Fox News as a White House press secretary, asked the aging president about the inflation issue and if he saw it as being a big problem for his party headed into the midterm elections. Biden didn’t respond well, and started cursing at Doocy over the question, caught on a hot mic doing so as he walked away from the press conference.
The incident came at the very end of a press conference, with Doocy calling out, as President Biden left, “Will you take questions on inflation then? Do you think inflation is a political liability ahead of the midterms?” Biden, his mic still on, muttered, “No, it’s a great asset. More inflation. What a stupid son of a b*tch.”
The press conference in which the incident came regarded “competition,” with Biden saying, in part, “My executive order is changing that, as everyone at this table knows. It includes — it included 72 specific actions for federal agencies to take and help restore competition in our economy. It includes creating a Competition Council — you all — and — comprised of Cabinet members and heads of several independent agencies to coordinate and monitor our progress all across the entire federal government.”
Later, FNC host Jessee Watters joked with Doocy about the matter, saying, “So Doocy, I think the President’s right. You are a stupid S.O.B.” Doocy, responding in good humor, joked back that the fact-checkers hadn’t yet chimed in, saying, “Yeah, nobody has fact-checked him yet and said it’s not true.”
Watch the comment from Biden here:
President Biden later called Doocy to clear the air and apologize. Doocy, speaking about the matter on Fox News later on, said, “He cleared the air. And I appreciated it. We had a nice call. He said it’s nothing personal, pal. And I told him that I appreciated him reaching out. Hey, Sean, the world is on the brink of like World War III right now with all the stuff going on.”
Continuing, he said that while he appreciated it, Biden could say whatever he wanted so long as it meant he talked and answered questions. He said, “I appreciate that the president took a couple minutes out this evening … to give me a call and clear the air. But I don’t need anybody to apologize to me. He can call me whatever he wants as long as it gets him talking.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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