Doocy Asks if Biden Owns an EV — Psaki Dodges; Inflation Still “Temporary” After a Year; “Putin Price Hike” Messaging Launched

On 3/10/2022, Peter Doocy asked whether Biden owned an electric vehicle after the administration spent weeks urging Americans to buy EVs as the solution to gas prices. Psaki dodged. Doocy also pressed on how long “temporary” inflation would last — noting the White House had called it temporary since spring 2021. Inflation hit 7.9%, the highest in 40 years, and the White House launched the “Putin price hike” messaging strategy. Psaki refused to say whether Biden would meet with oil and gas producers and again cited “9,000 unused permits."

"Does He Own an Electric Vehicle?”

Doocy caught the disconnect between the administration’s EV pitch and Biden’s personal choices. “You guys are pushing electric vehicles today. This is a president who always talks about the power of our example. Does he own an electric vehicle?” Doocy asked.

“Presidents of the United States don’t do a lot of driving,” Psaki said.

“He posted videos where he’s revving the engine of his Corvette in Wilmington. He owns cars,” Doocy pressed.

“He also has driven electric vehicles as president, to give a model to the rest of the country,” Psaki said.

“Does he own one?” Doocy asked again.

“I think the President’s record on this is clear, Peter. Presidents of the United States, current and when they are no longer, typically you’re not doing a lot of driving,” Psaki said — never answering the question.

How Long Is “Temporary”?

Doocy pressed on the administration’s persistent use of “temporary” to describe inflation. “We just heard you say again that you think inflation is going to be temporary. We’ve heard you say that it was going to be temporary since last spring. So how long do you guys think temporary is?” Doocy asked.

“We rely on the assessments of the Federal Reserve and outside economic analysts,” Psaki said. “The expectations and their assessment at this point continues to be that it will moderate by the end of the year.”

An analyst offered a more candid assessment. “We’re likely to see another year in which 12-month inflation numbers remain very uncomfortably high,” the analyst said.

7.9% Inflation — Before Russia

The inflation numbers released that day showed consumers paying 7.9% more than a year earlier — the highest in 40 years. Critically, the data preceded Russia’s invasion. “The inflation numbers that we received today show consumers paying almost 8% more than a year ago. And this was before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” a reporter noted. “So how much higher does the administration expect prices to climb?”

Psaki pivoted to Putin. “A large driver of these inflationary numbers were from energy prices,” she said. Biden’s official statement blamed “the Putin price hike.”

Doocy called out the shift. “Inflation goes up today. The President’s statement blames the Putin price hike. Are you guys just going to start blaming Putin for everything until the midterms?” he asked. “Last month, the statement didn’t mention the Putin price hike. It mentioned inflation because of the pandemic. Why is that?”

Won’t Host Oil Executives

Doocy asked whether Biden would host oil and gas producers as he had hosted electric vehicle stakeholders. “Would he host oil and gas producers, the people who are the most affected by the Putin price hike?” Doocy asked.

“I have nothing to preview or predict for you in terms of him hosting oil company executives,” Psaki said.

“Is he open to that?” Doocy pressed.

“I don’t have anything planned on the schedule,” Psaki said, adding that oil companies “have the tools they need — 9,000 unused permits.”

An oil industry representative pushed back. “That accusation is a complete red herring. This represents a fundamental misunderstanding as to how this process works,” the representative said. “It’s not truthful. You can get a lease and then they delay the permits.”

Fed Nominees Standoff Continues

A reporter asked why the White House wouldn’t accept four of five Fed nominees — as Senator Toomey had offered — given that inflation was at 40-year highs. “Why wouldn’t you take what Senator Manchin called a win?” the reporter asked.

Psaki insisted all five must be voted on together. Senator Toomey responded: “The Fed is fully functional. The FOMC has nine of its 12 members in place. They could raise rates today if they wanted to."

"Huge Part” Already Working

Psaki claimed the administration had already made enormous progress on inflation. “A huge part of what we’ve done has had an impact already. If you look at shelves at stores right now, 89% of them are stocked. That is a direct result of the supply chain task force and this president,” she said.

Key Takeaways

• Doocy asked if Biden owned an EV after weeks of the administration pushing electric vehicles; Psaki dodged three times without answering.
• Inflation hit 7.9% — a 40-year high — before Russia’s invasion, but Biden’s statement blamed “the Putin price hike.”
• The White House called inflation “temporary” for the 11th consecutive month; analysts said “uncomfortably high” numbers would persist for another year.
• Psaki refused to say whether Biden would host oil executives and again cited “9,000 unused permits”; the oil industry called it a “complete red herring.”
• The White House insisted on all five Fed nominees together rather than accepting four, with Toomey noting the Fed “could raise rates today.”

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

• Does he own an electric vehicle? Presidents of the United States don’t do a lot of driving.
• We’ve heard you say inflation was temporary since last spring. How long do you guys think temporary is?
• Inflation goes up today. Are you guys just going to start blaming Putin for everything until the midterms?
• Would he host oil and gas producers? I have nothing planned on the schedule. They have 9,000 unused permits.
• That accusation is a complete red herring. It’s not truthful. You can get a lease and then they delay the permits.
• A huge part of what we’ve done has had an impact already. 89% of shelves are stocked.

Full transcript: 1436 words transcribed via Whisper AI.