Making his return to the White House Briefing Room on Monday for the first time since January 26, the Fox News Channel’s Peter Doocy sparred Press Secretary Jen Psaki over concerns about laid off energy workers and then a possible Biden administration directive to bar ICE from deporting illegal immigrants for crimes such as DUI and simple assault.
Doocy didn’t mince words, first asking Psaki about “when is it that the Biden administration is going to let the thousands of fossil fuel industry workers, whether it’s pipeline workers or construction workers who are either out of work or will soon be out of work because of a Biden, when it is and where it is they can go for their green job” seeing as how it’s “something the administration has promised.”
Psaki had zero remorse, seeming to suggest that such workers were concocted by Doocy’s imagination: “Well, I certainly welcome you to present your data of all of the thousands and thousands of people who won't be getting a green job, maybe next time you're here you could present that.”
Despite Twitter’s attempted clean-up on aisle 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Doocy came prepared.
Along with quoting AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka from his Axios interview and numbers on job losses from the axing of the Keystone XL pipeline, Doocy laid out the facts, but left Psaki exhibiting nothing but signs of disgust (click “expand”):
DOOCY: But you said that they would be getting green jobs, so I'm asking when that happens. Richard Trumka, who is a friend — longtime friend of Joe Biden, says about the day one Keystone deal, he said “I wish he,” the President, “had pared that more carefully with the things that he did second by saying, here's where we're creating the jobs.” So, there's partial evidence from Richard Trumka.
PSAKI: Well, you didn't include all of his interview.
DOOCY: Okay. How about — okay —
PSAKI: Would you like to conclude the rest?
DOOCY: — so, so, how about this, the Labor International Union of North America said the Keystone decision will cost 1,000 existing union jobs and 10,000 projected construction jobs.
PSAKI: Well, what Mr. Trumka also indicated in the same interview was that President Biden proposed a climate plan with transformative investments in infrastructure and laid out a plan that will not only create millions of good union jobs but also help tackle the climate crisis. And as the President indicated when he gave his primetime address to talk about the American Rescue Plan, he talked about his plan to also put forward a jobs plan in the — in the weeks or months following. And he has every plan to do exactly that.
Before asking a final stimulus question (which then led into a softball on universal basic income from CBS News Radio’s Steven Portnoy), Doocy offered this respectful but stinging follow-up.
“But there are people living paycheck to paycheck. There are now people out of jobs once the Keystone pipe — will be out of jobs once the Keystone pipeline stopped construction It's been 12 days since Gina McCarthy and John Kerry were here. It's been 19 days since that EO, so what do those people who need money now — when do they get their green jobs,” he asked.
In a total non-shocker, Psaki refused to answer other than saying both parties “believe in investing infrastructure, international interest that boosts the U.S. economy, creates good-paying jobs here in America, and advances our climate and clean energy goals.”
Afterwards, Twitter’s far-left curators sided with Psaki, offering up some revisionist history: “White House press secretary Jen Psaki corrected Fox News journalist Peter Doocy after he truncated a quote from AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka while questioning her about Biden’s plan for ‘green jobs.’”
Someone have spa workers on hand to account for all the Twitter leftists (such as serial leftist hack Aaron Rupar) twisting themselves into pretzels for having through the above exchange was one of Psaki’s finest hours. Take that as a good sign that Doocy’s questioning was spot on.
Towards the end of the briefing, Doocy was given a second go-around and after inquiring about when the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers would visit the White House, he turned to disturbing news on immigration:
And on immigration, there's some new reporting that ICE is going to get some new guidance to no longer focus on deporting illegal immigrants who have been convicted of DUI, simple assault, solicitation, drug-based crimes among other things and I’m curious how that is in the interest of public safety?
Psaki didn’t shoot down the reporting, only to say that while “[n]obody saying DUIs or assault are acceptable behavior,” such crimes wouldn’t fall under what will be the lone priority for deportations, which will be if someone’s “posing a national security threat.”
And when asked whether this was an example of an immigration “change” Biden had hoped for, Psaki replied in the affirmative as it’s part of a “modernization of immigration is long overdue.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, one reporter lobbed a invitation to attack Floridians as reckless proles for going about their lives. Of course, Psaki took it and ran.
Also on the left, PBS’s Yamiche Alcindor pleaded for the White House to give a message to those who’ll be “traumat[ized]” by the Senate trial, and CBS’s Weijia Jiang wondered if the FBI and Justice Department would intervene to protect Asian-Americans after more viral videos attacking them over the coronavirus’s Chinese origin.
To see what went down with those softballs, check out the relevant briefing transcript by clicking “expand.”
White House Press Briefing
February 8, 2021
12:23 p.m. EasternPETER DOOCY: Thank you, Jen. I do have a question but first, on energy, when is it that the Biden administration is going to let the thousands of fossil few industry workers, whether it’s pipeline workers or construction workers who are either out of work or will soon be out of work because of a Biden, when it is and where it is they can go for their green job? And that is something the administration has promised. There is now a gap. So I'm just curious when that happens, when those people can count on that.
JEN PSAKI: Well, I certainly welcome you to present your data of all of the thousands and thousands of people who won't be getting a green job, maybe next time you're here —
DOOCY: Well, no —
PSAKI: — you could present that.
DOOCY: But you said that they would be getting green jobs, so I'm asking when that happens. Richard Trumka, who is a friend — longtime friend of Joe Biden, says about the day one Keystone deal, he said “I wish he,” the President, “had pared that more carefully with the things that he did second by saying, here's where we're creating the jobs.” So, there's partial evidence from Richard Trumka.
PSAKI: Well, you didn't include all of his interview.
DOOCY: Okay. How about — okay —
PSAKI: Would you like to conclude the rest?
DOOCY: — so, so, how about this, the Labor International Union of North America said the Keystone decision will cost 1,000 existing union jobs and 10,000 projected construction jobs.
PSAKI: Well, what Mr. Trumka also indicated in the same interview was that President Biden proposed a climate plan with transformative investments in infrastructure and laid out a plan that will not only create millions of good union jobs but also help tackle the climate crisis. And as the President indicated when he gave his primetime address to talk about the American Rescue Plan, he talked about his plan to also put forward a jobs plan in the — in the weeks or months following. And he has every plan to do exactly that.
DOOCY: But there are people living paycheck to paycheck. There are now people out of jobs once the Keystone pipe — will be out of jobs once the Keystone pipeline stopped construction It's been 12 days since Gina McCarthy and John Kerry were here. It's been 19 days since that EO, so what do those people who need money now — when do they get their green jobs?
PSAKI: Well, the — President and many Democrats and Republicans in Congress believe in investing infrastructure, international interest that boosts the U.S. economy, creates good-paying jobs here in America, and advances our climate and clean energy goals are something we can work on together and he has every plan to share more about the details of that plan in the weeks ahead.
DOOCY: And then just a quick one on the stimulus, there's reporting that House Democrats are going to come out with a $3,000 per child stimulus for some eligible families. Is that something that the White House supports making a permanent benefit?
PSAKI: Well, the President talked about this a bit on the campaign trail and the importance of child tax credits to help working families, ensure they can make ends meet. This proposal is emergency funding, as I understand it. It's a central priority of his first legislative proposal to cut child poverty in half in the first — this year, sorry and that's why he included a child tax credit American Rescue Plan. That's but that's, again, emergency funding and help people get through this period of time. Okay — go ahead.
STEVEN PORTNOY: Just a follow-up to Peter’s question.
PSAKI: Sure.
PORTNOY: What’s this white house's stance on universal basic income, the idea of the government giving out regular checks on a routine basis to Americans who might need it?
PSAKI: I know that's been proposed by a number of people, including some on the presidential campaign trail. I don't have anything more for you on it. I will be happy to check with our economic team if that’s something that they’re looking at all.
PORTNOY: As part of that, do you agree with the need that — that man on the Hill and not just Democrats are expressing that there ought to be these enormous — well, I won't say enormous but $3,000, $4,000 per child checks for families right now?
PSAKI: As I tried to just indicate, I mean, the President supports the proposal that Representative Neal and others have put toward to ensure that there is money in the package that helps bring relief to families in the form of a child tax credit. That's something he certainly would support.
(....)
12:27 p.m. Eastern
REPORTER: Also, yesterday, did the President or did the white house have any concern about what we all saw on TV from Tampa about the thousands of people out celebrating and without masks? Any concern there?
PSAKI: Certainly. I mean, the President — I haven't spoken with him specifically about the events of this weekend, but, you know, he did a PSA yesterday with Dr. Biden making clear that social distancing, that mask wearing, that getting the vaccine when you have the opportunity to get the vaccine, are vital steps to keeping more Americans safe and saving more lives. And certainly, we know the Super Bowl looked different from what it has in the past, and he also conveyed that he's hopeful next year will be a moment where everybody can celebrate and party. But he is, of course, concerned when there are pictures and photos — we all are — that show many, many people without masks, in close distance of one another at the height of a pandemic.
(....)
12:40 p.m. Eastern
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: I have two questions. The first is what should Americans take away from the fact that President Biden campaigned on unity, talked about unity, got into office and about two weeks in, has decided — all but decided, it seems, to go with the process where Democrats can pass a $1.9 trillion plan without the support of Republicans? I know that there are Republicans across the country that the White House is pointing out saying they support this bill. But there is this — there is the fact that Democrats don't have to have Republican support in congress for this bill and the President is seemingly to be supporting that process. I wonder what should people should take away from that? And will that definition of bipartisan be the one going forward with this White House?
PSAKI: Well, the President ran on unifying the country, not creating one particular party. But I will note 16 of the last 21 reconciliation bills that have gone through Congress have been bipartisan. And certainly, there's opportunity for Republicans to not only offer amendments as it's going through the House committee process and then through the Senate committee process following that, but they will have an opportunity, of course, to vote for a package that the vast majority of the American people support. So, you know, the President — his first priority is getting relief to the American people. But the vast majority of the public, Democrats, Republicans, independents are with him in that effort. There's a long history of bipartisan support for reconciliation bills. A parliamentary process, again, I don't think the American people are particularly worried about how the direct relief gets to their — into their hands. And if that's the process that it moves forward through, which seems likely at this point, the President would certainly support that.
ALCINDOR: I also have one on impeachment, I know the President you say isn't going to be watching it but there are going to be millions of Americans who will be watching it. I wonder what the President's message is to Americans, especially the ones mourning the loss of people who died in the Capitol, who are still wondering whether or not the President — and former President Trump will be possibly acquitted in the trial, even if he — even if Biden doesn’t — President Biden doesn't want to say whether or not President Trump should be convicted? I just wonder if the white house has any message to Americans for gearing up to be a tumultuous and traumatic two weeks?
PSAKI: Well, the President's focus is on delivering what those millions and millions and millions of Americans care deeply about, which is getting the pandemic under control, putting ten million — you know, millions of Americans back to work, getting vaccines in the arms of Americans, reopening schools. And he has been clear that he views the events of January 6th as a horrific attack on our democracy. He put out a statement. We put out a statement from him, I should say, when the House voted but he’s going to leave it to the Senate to determine the path forward here. That doesn't change, in his view, is that he was elected to deliver upon the promises he made on the campaign trail. So that's what he's going to keep he's focus on in the weeks ahead. Go ahead. Oh, go ahead, Yamiche.
ALCINDOR: Saying the GOP can offer amendments, that doesn't mean they have to listen or accept them, so I wonder then if Republicans have to just accept what the Democrats have approved? I just wonder if you could talk a bit more about this definition of bipartisan cause there is this — I think you're saying the Democrats are giving Republicans an opportunity but there's still this — this idea the Democrats are — two weeks in are going it alone.
PSAKI: This again, 16 of 21 reconciliation bills in the past received bipartisan support. And the ideas in this package, the proposals in this package, have broad support from Democrats, Republicans, and independents across the country. So I would pose the question back to Republicans: why aren't you supporting what the vast majority of the public support? I'll leave it at that.
(....)
12:46 p.m. Eastern
DOOCY: Two quick ones. One, news of the day: Has President Biden reached out to anybody from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? And if not, is that something that's going to happen today?
PSAKI: It’s very exciting, the outcome of the Super Bowl, I guess, if you're a fan of the Buccaneers, but we will be inviting — I don't have an update if it happened yet but I have an update that we look forward to inviting the Buccaneers as well as the 2020 NBA champions, Lakers, to the White House when it is COVID safe. But I don't know when that will take place yet.
DOOCY: Thank you. And on immigration, there's some new reporting that ICE is going to get some new guidance to no longer focus on deporting illegal immigrants who have been convicted of DUI, simple assault, solicitation, drug-based crimes among other things and I’m curious how that is in the interest of public safety?
PSAKI: Well, first, it's guidelines that would be put out by the Department of Homeland Security, and I’d certainly would send you to them. They have a confirmed secretary now. But the priority for the enforcement of immigration laws will be on those who are posing a national security threat, of course, public safety threat and on recent arrivals. Nobody is saying DUIs or assault are acceptable behavior and those arrested for such activity should be tried and sentenced as appropriate by local law enforcement. But we're talking about the prioritization of who is going to be deported from the country.
DOOCY: And more broadly, would this be what Biden was talking about in the debate where he said in the Obama administration they didn't do enough to reform the immigration system, because he was just Vice President. But that if he was President, things would change. Is this the kind of change he was talking about?
PSAKI: Well, I think the kind of change he was talking about was putting forward an immigration bill at a time where modernization of immigration is long overdue, that addresses not only a pathway to citizenship but puts in place smart security measures and addresses the root causes of these issues in the countries in Central America. So, I think that's what he was referring to. But also prioritization, which, again would be up to the Department of Homeland Security, to ensure our focus is on the individuals who pose the greatest national security threat is also something he's long supported.
(....)
12:49 p.m. Eastern
WEIJIA JIANG: I do have a COVID crisis related question,
PSAKI: Go ahead.
JIANG: — because the attacks on the Asian-American community continue to rise, and over the weekend, there are some videos that went viral because elderly Asian-Americans were really attacked in a way that is difficult to watch, and I wonder, other than the presidential memorandum, is President Biden going to take any further actions to address this problem and has he seen the videos?
PSAKI: I'm not aware that he's seen the videos, but he is concerned about the discrimination against, the actions against the Asian-American community, which is why he signed the executive order and why he has been outspoken in making clear that, you know, attacks — verbal attacks, any attacks of any form are unacceptable and we need to work together to address them. But obviously, the executive order is something he did very early in his administration, it's still early, but even earlier, because he felt it was so important to put a marker down.
JIANG: Is there anything more that can be done, like offer DOJ or FBI assistance to local law authorities?
PSAKI: I — I’d certainly defer to, you know, we would support, of course, additional action on a local level or a federal level, but I would send you to DOJ or FBI for any further specifics on that.
