Topline
President Joe Biden called Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy a “stupid son of a bitch” live on CSPAN on Monday after Doocy asked Biden a question about inflation rates—the latest jab in what is becoming an ongoing feud between the president and the right-wing reporter.
Key Facts
As reporters were being asked to leave Monday’s completed press conference following the President’s meeting with the White House Competition Council, Doocy asked without a microphone, “Do you think inflation is a political liability ahead of the midterms?”
Biden responded, presumably in jest, “It’s a great asset. More inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch.”
The comments came the same day the Dow plunged as much as 1,100 points —a seventh-consecutive day of decline—amid concerns of interest rate hikes aimed at fighting inflation.
Doocy later said on Fox News’ The Five that he didn’t hear Biden’s comment in the moment, adding, “If I don’t smile, I’m just going to be a ball of tears.”
Appearing on Fox News' Hannity Monday evening, Doocy said Biden called to "clear the air" within an hour and told him the remarks were "nothing personal, pal."
What We Don’t Know
It is unclear whether the president knew his microphone was still on when he made the comment.
Contra
Doocy added on Fox News’ Special Report that Biden "didn't want to take any questions off topic. He was at an event about inflation. I asked about inflation. Now wait to see if the white house has to bleep that on the transcript.” The White House did in fact include the president's quote in the transcripts of the council meeting, uncensored.
Key Background
Biden and Doocy shared another dicey exchange last week. As Doocy prepared to ask Biden a question at last Wednesday’s press conference, the president said sarcastically, “You always ask me the nicest questions,” and added, “None of them make a lot of sense to me.” Doocy followed the comment by asking Biden, "Why are you trying so hard in your first year to pull the country so far to the left?", to which Biden replied, “Well, I’m not.” Doocy is the son of Steve Doocy, the Fox and Friends co-host. Last week, Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked Biden why he was “waiting for [Russian president Vladimir] Putin to make the first move,” in regards to Russia’s looming invasion of Ukraine, to which the president chuckled and said off-mic, “What a stupid question.”
What To Watch For
The Federal Reserve will likely aim to raise interest rates in order to fight inflation, with chair Jerome Powell set to hold a press conference after the Fed’s meeting on Wednesday.The White House told CNN Monday “unlike his predecessor, President Biden does not look at the stock market as a means by which to judge the economy."
Tangent
Biden is not the first political figure to criticize Doocy for his questions. In 2017, he asked the late senator and presidential candidate John McCain, “Has your relationship with [then-President Donald Trump] frayed to the point that you are not going to support anything that he comes to you and asks for?” McCain had a contentious history with the then-President, dating back to Trump’s “He’s not a war hero” comment in 2015. McCain was outraged] by Doocy’s question, retorting, “Why would you say something that stupid? Why would you ask something that dumb? Huh? My job as a United States senator, is a senator from Arizona, which I was just reelected to. You mean that I am somehow going to behave in a way that I’m going to block everything because of some personal disagreement? That’s a dumb question.”
