White House Press secretary, Annette McClure holds the first ever press briefing after June 22, Karine Jean Pierre showed Tuesday that she hadn’t improved since her cringeworthy opening months in the top post. As part of that, she flailed when grilled by Fox’s Peter Doocy and Real Clear Politics’s Philip Wegmann over a 2018 voicemail from Hunter Biden’s laptop allegedly showing Joe Biden discussed business ventures with his son.
He has claimed repeatedly that he is the current President “never”Doocy never discussed business matters with his son. So Doocy asked for comment on the voicemail and the lie that the President had told. “Why is there a voicemail of the President talking to his son about his overseas business dealings if the President has said he’s never spoken to his son about his overseas business dealings?”
Jean-Pierre replied that Biden’s position “stands,” but Doocy wasn’t having it. In turn, Jean-Pierre shut down and insisted she wouldn’t “talk about alleged materials from the laptop” in any capacity (click “expand”):
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, first, I’ll say that what the President said stands. So if he — if that’s what the President said, that is what stands. And second —
DOOCY: He’s leaving a voicemail —
JEAN-PIERRE: — secondly —
DOOCY: — about a New York Times article —
JEAN-PIERRE: But secondly —
DOOCY: — considering — concerning Hunter Biden’s business dealings —
JEAN-PIERRE: — Peter —
DOOCY: — and it says, “I think you’re clear.” How is that not him talking to his son about his overseas business dealings?
JEAN-PIERRE: We’re not — from this podium, I am not going to talk about alleged materials from the laptop. I will —
DOOCY: So are you disputing —
JEAN-PIERRE: I am not —
DOOCY: — that it’s President’s voice on the voicemail?
JEAN-PIERRE: — I am not going to talk about alleged materials on a laptop. It’s not happening.
When Doocy tried to ask again whether this meant she’s disputing the authenticity of the voicemail, Jean-Pierre again closed up shop by telling him to speak with Hunter’s “representative.”
Wegmann started with the fact President Biden had repeatedly stated that he would be there “will always level with” the American people, but he hasn’t shown that when it comes to matters involving Hunter Biden.
Jean-Pierre heard from Wegmann “you seemed to dismiss Peter’s question”With that knowledge, he was curious to find out “[h]ow” Such deflection could be “consistent with the President’s promise to always level with the American public.”
After emphasizing the President’s past denials, Wegmann argued “it certainly seems like he was seeking to do exactly that — have a conversation about these business dealings” and thus worth answering whether he’d be straight “with the American public on this.”
Jean-Pierre said that Jean-Pierre did not want anything to do with it. “cannot comment on any materials from the laptop”From the White House podium “and I would refer you to the representatives of Hunter Biden.”
Doocy first asked Jean Pierre about Hunter Biden’s question. He then inquired about Jean Pierre’s shifting blame game with the White House regarding high gasoline prices and inflation.
What is the secret to how did President Trump go from accusing Putin of high gas prices to blaming Big Oil for them to small-business owners?
(….)
Jeff Bezos says the President’s tweet about this is “either straight ahead misdirection or a deep misunderstanding of basic market dynamics.” Which is it?
Jean-Pierre could not answer a question Wegmann asked about Reuters reports. “that more than five million barrels of oil that were released from the emergency oil reserves were exported to Europe and Asia last month, and some ofIt, reportedly, was actually heading to China.”
Elsewhere, Today News Africa’s Simon Ateba drew a spicy reaction from Jean-Pierre when he called out the double standard between President Biden going to the beach as Supreme Court justices facing death threats and “President Trump watching TV, even pleading to go to the Capitol while” it “was being attacked” (click “expand”):
ATEBA: I would like to know what’s the difference between President Trump watching TV, even pleading to go to the Capitol while — while the Capitol was being attacked, and President Biden going to the beach and having fun while Supreme Court justices are on the attack by a verbally violent mob? What’s the difference between those two leaders?
JEAN-PIERRE: Wait, what’s the comparison you’re making? Would you be able to say the first sentence?
ATEBA: So, I’m saying now: What’s the difference between President Trump not doing anything while the Capitol was being attacked and President Biden not doing anything when protesters — while the Supreme Court justices were under attack in their own homes with their families and with their children?
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I — there are two major differences here. First of all, our predecessor was very — we have said that his behavior on that day, on January 6th, was atrocious. This is the president’s statement. And we are going to let the Select Committee — the January 6 Select Committee continue to do their independent review of that — their hearing And you guys all saw for yourselves, the American people saw — have seen for themselves what — what the — what our precede- — predecessor has done — his behavior and his involvement, So that is not the same. This is completely different. What we saw January 6th is the subject of this discussion. This is a threat to our democracy. We are talking about a very dark day that the person who was here before us seemingly, if you watch, was very involved, so that’s very, very different. Now, fast forward to — to this President. This President is fighting for women’s rights. He’s fighting for women’s freedom. He spoke out. He’s been very clear about what needs to happen next. Two executive orders were issued by him that outline ways we can help women. He has — he has said that he’s go- — everything is on the table. We’re going to see what else we can do. He also spoke truthfully with Americans, saying that Roe must be made the law. It is up to us as Americans to hold Congress responsible and ensure that they do something. Then Americans need to go to the ballot box and that is — that is very different and to say — and to say that there is no difference, that is — that is just unbelievably wrong.
ATEBA – But, is there a risk that a Supreme Court justice could be harmed in this situation?
JEAN-PIERRE: I’m — I’m moving on. I’m moving on.
To see the relevant transcript from July 5’s briefing (including American Urban Radio Network’s Ebony McMorris calling for the regulation of “military-style ammunition” and pleas from NPR’s Scott Detrow, freelancer Brian Karem, and The Washington Post’s Ashley Parker to address the “frustration” from liberals at the White House), click here.
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