With crime soaring in American cities across the country as a result of extreme progressive district attorneys turning criminals loose without bail or without charges (including crimes involving firearms), safety is a major concern for Americans who call those places home. So, one would think the Biden White House would have a serious answer when asked if they think “America’s big cities are safe?” But, of course, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was as unserious as ever as Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked the simple question.
Putting off Doocy to near the end of the Q&A portion of the briefing, he asked the question as simply as possible: “Does President Biden think America’s big cities are safe?”
Jean-Pierre was rendered confused by the simple premise of the question, asking in return, “Can you say more?” “Well, we know that thefts and robberies are up about 20 percent in the first half of this year. So, I’m wondering if he thinks America’s big cities are safe?” he elaborated.
Still, Jean-Pierre felt like she was blowing in the wind in need of more solid information. Of course, Doocy obliged with more examples of runaway crime:
JEAN-PIERRE: Are you talking about The New York Times story specifically? Or, is that what you’re referring to?
DOOCY: Yeah, they had some stats: the murder rate is still 30 percent above its 2019 level. They’re all from the Council on Criminal Justice. So, we’ve seen some high-profile examples of this the Washington Commanders running back was being mugged, he got shot. Karen Bass, member of Congress, had her house robbed. These are high-profile people. So, should everyday Americans who are not in the public eye feel safe? In American cities.
“So, I’ll say this: that same story also stated that the crime is complicated and multifaceted,” she initially deflected.
She proceeded to suggest Biden had “secured historic funding” for local police “in the face of opposition from Republicans.” She also blamed former President Trump, saying Biden “inherited a rising crime rate from the previous administration,” despite the fact the rising crime was in predominantly liberal jurisdictions.
“So, I guess, just the original question: Does President Biden think America’s big cities are safe?” Doocy plainly asked again in the face of her non-answer. “It is not – it is not a – um – It is not a yes or no question,” Jean-Pierre stammered.
For his final question, Doocy invoked comments from Jean-Pierre’s predecessor behind the podium. “Jen Psaki says that crime is a huge vulnerability for Democrats. Why would she say that?” he wondered.
Looking to avoid the topic of America’s rising crime epidemic, Jean-Pierre ranted proudly about how “we’ve been able to do is create a pretty much clear split screen of what we are doing to deliver for the American people and what Republicans refuse to do.” She then rambled on about Medicare, Social Security, and the deceptively-named Inflation Reduction Act.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
White House Press Briefing
September 26, 2022
2:04:21 p.m. EasternPETER DOOCY: Does President Biden think America’s big cities are safe?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Can you say more?
DOOCY: Well, we know that thefts and robberies are up about 20 percent in the first half of this year. So, I’m wondering if he thinks America’s big cities are safe?
JEAN-PIERRE: Are you talking about The New York Times story specifically? Or, is that what you’re referring to?
DOOCY: Yeah, they had some stats: the murder rate is still 30 percent above its 2019 level. They’re all from the Council on Criminal Justice. So, we’ve seen some high-profile examples of this the Washington Commanders running back was being mugged, he got shot. Karen Bass, member of Congress, had her house robbed. These are high-profile people. So, should everyday Americans who are not in the public eye feel safe? In American cities.
JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’ll say this: that same story also stated that the crime is complicated and multifaceted. Look, this is a president who has secured historic funding to make sure that law enforcement has what it needs. Especially – and he was able to do this in the face of opposition from Republicans during a time when he inherited a rising crime rate from the previous administration. The President put forth the American Rescue Plan.
And in that very plan, there was more than $300 billion to go to local –to local states and local cities to make sure that they able to hire law enforcement officers. They were to hire, you know, firefighters. They were able to hire people that were critical to their needs as they were dealing with a pandemic. Tsk, Republicans voted against that.
DOOCY: So, I guess, just the original question: Does President Biden think America’s big cities are safe?
JEAN-PIERRE: It is not – it is not a, um – It is not a yes or no question. It is very much a question of: what has he done. That is how we see the question. Is what has he done to make sure that cities and it doesn’t matter if it’s a big city or a small city. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a red state or a blue state. What matters is: is that we have the funding and we have done the work, put the policy forward to make sure that these cities whether it’s big or small have what they need to protect their community. And that’s what this President has done. Again, without the help of Republicans.
DOOCY: And my last one on this. Jen Psaki says that crime is a huge vulnerability for Democrats. Why would she say that?
JEAN-PIERRE: so – you know – um, again, I can’t do electoral politics from here. As you know. But I – I – I kind of – I don’t agree with your characterization of what she actually said. But I’ll say this – and I’ve already – I’ve already said this already. The past few months, what we’ve been able to do is create a pretty much clear split screen of what we are doing to deliver for the American people and what Republicans refuse to do.
We are making sure that – that – that we have Medicare and Social Security and we make sure that the – the pharm—the Big Pharma is – is not – a – upping cost for our seniors. Right? And making sure that – a – we give them a little bit of breathing room.
And, you know, you have Republicans who want to cut Medicare. They want to sunset Medicare. They want to sunset Social Security. You have this GOP agenda that was put out by the House where they want to go after the Inflation Reduction Act, which will have an effect that will actually hurt Americans.
And so, I think there is a stark contrast here – uh – that we’ve seen the past several months. I would argue the past 19 months.
(…)
