White House press secretary defends President Biden on economy, impeachment inquiry
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Bidenomics is working in western Pennsylvania as inflation comes down, job opportunities increase, and wages go up.
That's what the White House press secretary told KDKA political editor Jon Delano in an exclusive interview in which the press secretary was also asked about House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's impeachment inquiry.
KDKA spoke to Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, early Thursday morning before the president's latest speech on Bidenomics, so she was asked about the two hot topics of the day, the economy and impeachment.
For months, President Biden has proclaimed a robust economy with more construction, technology, and clean energy jobs than ever through his infrastructure bill and his American Rescue Plan, and a declining inflation rate because of his Inflation Reduction Act, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was quick to cite success.
"Inflation is actually down 60% than it was last summer. It's at 2.4%, which is the lowest that it's been in the last two years. All these things are important to note because the data does matter. The numbers are there," Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre says the prices of core grocery items and gasoline prices are dropping despite world challenges like Russia's war on Ukraine.
As for wages?
Jean-Pierre: Wages has come up. Wages has come up because of what this president has done, because of Bidenomics.
Delano: Here's the problem, Karine. You may cite what you say is reality, but perception is not the same. And there's a perception in western Pennsylvania, at least, that wages have not kept up with inflation. Is there a way the president is addressing that part of the equation?
Jean-Pierre: So, here's the thing. I want to respect how voters and Americans in western Pennsylvania what they're feeling and we understand that because we know people are still feeling the pandemic. We're not saying that Americans are still not feeling it. We know what the reality are for western Pennsylvanians, [and] for Americans across the country. What we're saying is we're laying out what the president is doing and why it has had some effect.
And Jean-Pierre says while the president is focused on jobs and the economy, some House Republicans are creating distractions over unfounded impeachment claims.
Delano: Did the president benefit in some way, direct or indirect, from whatever Hunter Biden was doing?
Jean-Pierre: So, here's what I'm going to say. We have the White House counsel. We're happy to put them on with you. They can answer any specific questions that relate to this impeachment inquiry. What I can say is lay out, and folks can see for themselves that House Republicans, many of them have said, the president hasn't done anything wrong. It does not exist.
Jean-Pierre says the president's focus remains on making lives easier for Americans, not on what she calls baseless and illegitimate charges from certain Republicans.
As for the charges themselves, KDKA has put a call into both White House counsel and Speaker McCarthy's office.