On Friday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre got into another battle with Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy because of her apparent inability to answer simple questions put to her.
The first question from Doocy came in light of comments made by the former chief editor of the Chinese state media outlet the Global Times, who suggested China would shoot down House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plane if she visits Taiwan.
This is extremely grave. so Doocy attempted to get a response from the White House: “an official who is associated with Chinese state media is suggesting that if Speaker Pelosi tries to go to Taiwan her plane could be shot down. Does the President have a response to that?”
Jean-Pierre’s response was that this was “something that we’re just not going to speak to” adding that it’s “a hypothetical, we are not we’re just not going to speak on her schedule.”
Since China would have to shoot down the plane belonging to the second woman in the presidential race, it is reasonable that the White House will make some statement on the topic.
Realizing he’s not going to receive an answer from Jean-Pierre, Doocy switched gears to the news that the Biden administration quietly approved construction of former President Trump’s border wall in Arizona asking “why is the Biden administration building a border wall in Arizona?”
Jean-Pierre claimed “we’re not finishing the wall. We are cleaning up the mess the prior administration left behind in their failed attempt to build a wall.”
Doocy responded: “President Biden when he was a candidate said that there will not be another foot of wall constructed in my administration. So what changed?” Jean-Pierre continued flailing around and wailed “we are not finishing the wall.”
“If walls work in that part of Arizona, is this the administration trying to get migrants to cross somewhere else? What about Texas? What is the point?” Doocy asked.
Jean-Pierre angrily shot back and set off this exchange (click “expand”):
JEAN-PIERRE : No, we aren’t building a wall. The mess left by the previous administration is being cleaned up. We want to save lives. These are the things that were left by the previous administration and we’re now trying to clean them up.
DOOCY: By finishing the wall, is this—
JEAN-PIERRE
Do you want to fill in the form? Finishing?
JEAN-PIERRE
Doocy came prepared as always because he dug up comments made by Jean-Pierre from 2019 in which she called the border wall racist, and now three years later she’s in an administration that is attempting to finish building part of the wall:
“Is this racist? It was because in 2019, the guy who proposed a wall was racist. How is that any different from the previous guy’s proposal for a wall? I’m just having a hard time understanding how this is any different” Doocy asked.
Jean-Pierre falsely claimed, “A border wall is [an] ineffective use of taxpayer dollars so it’s ineffective of taxpayer dollars” and reiterated “we’re not finishing a wall. We are cleaning up the mess that the last administration made.”
To read the transcript of this exchange click “expand”:
White House Press Briefing
June 29, 2022
Eastern, 2:25:30PETER DOOCY – Thanks Karine. A Chinese official is suggesting that Speaker Pelosi’s plane might be shot down if she attempts to travel to Taiwan. Is there a President’s response?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: You know, I’ve been asked about–-I know you’re asking specifically about the rhetoric that we’re hearing from China. But as it relates to the Speaker’s travels, it’s something that we’re just not going to speak to. Right now that’s a hypothetical, we are not we’re just not going to speak on her schedule. Our advice and guidance is available to members of Congress wherever they are traveling to the region. This has been repeated multiple times. They can provide advice about the regional or national geopolitical situation and other security matters that may arise. However, this is a hypothetical.
DOOCY
JEAN-PIERRE The mess that the previous administration created in its failed attempt at building a wall is being cleaned up. Let me be clear. The $8 billion dollar that our previous administration stole from the military, was returned to us on the first day. That money went to our military, including military families and schools. It was also used for base operations. This was how the money was used. This is what the money was used for. So, we are attempting to clean up the mess left by the previous administration.
DOOCY What has changed since then?
JEAN-PIERRE
DOOCY – If the walls in Arizona work, does this mean that there is an administration trying to encourage migrants to come from other parts of Arizona? What about Texas? But what’s the point?
JEAN-PIERRE : No, we aren’t building a wall. The mess left by the previous administration is being cleaned up. We want to save lives. These are the things that were left by the previous administration and we’re now trying to clean them up.
DOOCY: By finishing the wall, is this—
JEAN-PIERRE
Do you want to fill in the form? Finishing?
JEAN-PIERRE
Do you want to fill in the DOOCY? This is racist? It’s racist because, in 2019, the guy who proposed a wall was you. This is a completely different situation. This is just what I am having trouble understanding.
JEAN-PIERRE It’s a border wall, I will answer your question. I’m answering your question. The border wall would be inefficient use of taxpayer funds, so it is not cost effective. Dollars actually spent on the military. The previous President took money from the military, which was taken away from schools and military bases by the former administration.
This is what he took from the money he borrowed to construct this wall he desired. This is not effective, and I have just mentioned that CBP recently reported that the southwest border’s new bollard fence was breached 3272 times in fiscal years 2019-2021. The cost of repairs to the wall was 2.6 million. It’s ineffective. We are not building a wall. The mess left by the previous administration is being cleaned up.
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