Doocy’s brain teaser: The transcript

The White House has posted the transcript of new press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s briefing yesterday. I posted a video clip of Peter Doocy’s “brain teaser” of a question along with the nonanswer Jean-Pierre read in the adjacent post before the transcript was available.

The transcript lets us widen the focus to the entire exchange. The view afforded by the widened focus is even worse than the single exchange in the video. She clarified and clearly understood the question to which she purported to respond. Here is the whole thing:

Q The President’s Twitter account posted the other day, “You want to bring down inflation? Let’s make sure the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share.” How does raising taxes on corporations reduce inflation?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, are you talking about a specific tweet?

Q He tweeted, “You want to bring down inflation? Let’s make sure the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share?”

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, you know, we have talked about — we have talked about this this past year, about making sure that the wealthiest among us are paying their fair share. And that is important to do. And that is something that, you know, the President has been, you know, working on every day when we talk about inflation and lowering costs.

And so it’s very important that, you know, as we’re seeing costs rise, as we’re talking about how to, you know — you know, build an America that is safe, that’s equal for everyone, and doesn’t leave anyone behind, that is an important part of that as well.

Q But how does raising taxes on corporations lower the cost of gas, the cost of a used car, the cost of food for everyday Americans?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I think we encourage those who have done very well — right? — especially those who care about climate change, to support a fairer tax — tax code that doesn’t change — that doesn’t charge manufacturers’ workers, cops, builders a higher percentage of their earnings; that the most fortunate people in our nation — and not let the — that stand in the way of reducing energy costs and fighting this existential problem, if you think about that as an example, and to support basic collective bargaining rights as well. Right? That’s also important.

But look, it is — you know, by not — if — without having a fairer tax code, which is what I’m talking about, then all — every — like manufacturing workers, cops — you know, it’s not fair for them to have to pay higher taxes than the folks that — who are — who are — who are not paying taxes at all or barely have.

Q But was does that have to do with inflation? The President said, “You want to bring down inflation? Let’s make sure the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share.”

Jeff Bezos came out and tweeted about that. He said, “The newly created disinformation board should review this tweet.” Would you be okay with that?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, it’s not a huge mystery why one of the wealthiest individuals on Earth — right? — opposes an economic agenda that is for the middle class, that cuts some of the biggest costs families face, fights inflation for the long haul — right? — and that’s what we’re talking about; that’s why we’re — we’re talking about lowering inflation here — and adds to the historic deficit reduction the President is achieving by asking the richest taxpayers and corporations to pay their fair share. That is what we’re talking about.

Jean-Pierre announced in her opening remarks: “I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman, the first of all three of those to hold this position.” No one asked her what a woman is, so she dodged that particular brain teaser.

It’s not her fault that there she cannot answer Doocy’s brain teaser. The underlying problem is the line peddled by the White House (tweet below) and the senescent dolt trying to deflect blame for the mess he has created.

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