January 25, 2022

"Do you think inflation is a political liability in the midterms?"/"It’s a great asset. More inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch."

The conversation everyone's talking about. A question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy, and an answer from President of the United States Joe Biden.

Do you have a problem with any of it? It all makes sense to me. All I can see is that if anybody has a problem with it, but they also called out Donald Trump, in his presidential days, for his lack of "civility" when he made equivalently rough statements, then it's an occasion for my "civility bullshit" tag. Otherwise it's idle chitchat. Don't be distracted.

I need to give a link for the statement. I saw it yesterday multiple places, but I'm reviewing it at 4:45 in the morning at "Caught on a Hot Mic: Biden Uses a Vulgarity to Insult a Fox News ReporterThe president later called Peter Doocy and 'cleared the air,' Mr. Doocy said" (NYT).

Doocy didn't need an answer to that question. He was just publicizing an issue that obviously hurts Biden. Biden was presidential enough not to say "Fuck you," which would have been a completely justified and normal response. And if I am to believe the NYT, both men are engaged in a lengthy political dance:

Mr. Doocy is a reliable needler of Mr. Biden, although the president often appears more amused than angered by their jousts. Their sometimes spiky exchanges have become a regular feature of Mr. Biden’s public appearances.

Here's the video:

ADDED: As tim maguire says in the comments, since Donald Trump was criticized for lacking civility, it becomes necessary to criticize Biden too, in order to avoid using the kind of hypocrisy I call "civility bullshit." I still want the tag "civility bullshit," because it's a discussion of the problem of the double standard, and because I don't think Biden is roundly denounced for lacking civility, for degrading the public discourse. I think his roughness is largely tolerated, and it isn't characterized as a deplorable trend.

115 comments:

tim in vermont said...

For four years, almost the entire press corps, well during the era of the eriudite Mr Obama, it was the press corpse, but I digress, for four years... well you know the rest.

I liked Glenn Greenwald's tweet, that had this been a CNN reporter, he would have sulked for a week on TV and written a best selling book which the members of the Democrat cult would have lapped up. Well, Greenwald didn't say "cult" but he sure implied it.

Lucien said...

Thanks to Aaron Sorkin “The West Wing” has taught us that Presidents don’t speak into hot mic’s by accident.
(Except maybe Obama with that Russian guy).

rhhardin said...

Son of a bitch isn't even a vulgarity. Stupid cunt would have been better for the feeling, in the British sense of unpleasant or unreliable person of either sex, but with positive points for a bad word in America, which adds a deal with it jibe at women and hence at superficial politeness.

Mary Beth said...

"Fuck you" would have been better. I don't like "son of a bitch" because although he intends to insult the man who made him angry, it's really an insult against the man's mother.

tim in vermont said...

That was pretty funny when Obama got caught on a hot mic colluding with Putin (you help me get re-elected and I will give you concessions on missile defense) and the whole press corpse ignored it. And Obama was as good as his word for getting rid of those pesky missiles in Poland Putin found so objectinable!

tim maguire said...

But, of course, they did call out Trump, so consistency requires that they also call out Biden. Meanwhile, we let the childish use of a vulgarity cast a shadow over the real problem with Biden’s statement: inflation is good and it helps Democrats. Biden’s such a senile old fool that people can’t keep up with his demented ramblings.

wendybar said...


Glenn Greenwald
@ggreenwald
"They should spend 6 days crying about it, declaring a national emergency, seeking therapy for their trauma, and then write a best-selling book about how much danger they're in, like CNN and Jim @Acosat did."

Ann Althouse said...

@tim maguire

Right, they need to call out Biden to negate the charge of civility bullshit.

wendybar said...

Poor pitiful little Biden. Attacking Fox News journalists because they are asking him questions that should be easy for him to answer. Instead he called Jacqui Heinrich question to him STUPID the other day. Remember when he was running against the big bad orange man, and he said this?? Joe Biden in January 2021: "If you are ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect... I promise you I will fire you on the spot." Good times, Good times. What a fecking liar.

rhhardin said...

Biden was in fact saying it was a stupid question, not being willing to take it as a jibe at him. Inflation is great for us, is sarcastic.

Rhetorically it moves the problem to the reporter, admits that inflation is a problem as it is always a problem, what do you think, stupid.

Still, it's Biden's inflation, though I think it's mostly supply chain driven.

Sally327 said...

That the President of the United States isn't capable of handling a throwaway question from a member of the press without resorting to an angry expletive isn't "civility bullshit". This is his job, he called the press conference for the express purpose of doing his job and being seen as doing his job. He should have served up a clever word salad answer that would have made him look like smooth and in control, like he was capable of doing his job. Instead, he looks like an old geezer yelling about the nursing home assistant who asked him how he's doing today.

I get asked lots of questions, many of them inane and pointless, all day long as part of my job and I would be terminated if I said this about another employee or a customer. But maybe law professors get to respond this way when students ask silly questions?

P.S. This reminds me of Dick Cheney who was caught muttering to George W. Bush that some NY Times reporter was "a real a-hole" on the campaign trail back in 2000.

John henry said...

Could someone provide similar examples by Trump?

Any on YouTube?

I wonder if they really are comparable. If like top see for myself.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

exhelodrvr1 said...

Biden and crew have been saying, and acting as if, inflation is just temporary and is not a big deal. Doocy was addressing that attitude with his question.

Mike Sylwester said...

The purpose of the rhetorical question was to provoke and embarrass President Biden.

In other words, it was similar to many reporters' questions to President Trump.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Biden/Harris was a judgement call. That speaks for itself.

tim maguire said...

Ann Althouse said...
@tim maguire

Right, they need to call out Biden to negate the charge of civility bullshit.


Maybe it would be best to not call out either (as it doesn't matter, nobody really cares), but if they start being consistent, that is at least an improvement over what they've been doing.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Jethro Tull coined it years ago... "Thick As A Brick".

rehajm said...

I like the idea of tossing him out based on the Trump set of rules…

rehajm said...

…show of hands- who’s with me?

tim maguire said...

John henry said...Could someone provide similar examples by Trump?

I doubt there are examples of Trump using obscenities, but there are plenty of examples of Trump being insulting to reporters who asked questions he didn't like.

rehajm said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rico said...

Biden did call Doocey to apologize, which is to his credit. I’ve read where some read it as a non-apology apology, but Doocey took it as such, apparently, so there’s that. I can’t imagine Trump doing that, but maybe he did in a similar circumstance and I missed. FWIW, I voted for Trump (against Biden).

tim in vermont said...

"I can’t imagine Trump doing that,"

Well, Trump never made a promise to fire any person who disrespected the press, the way Biden did. In fact several statements that Biden made, if taken literally, would require him to resign, have been roundly ignored by the press. But in this case the hypocrisy became white hot, I mean, CNN made a living out of selling outrage on this kind of stuff, what were they supposed to do? Refund they subscribers' time?

rehajm said...

Then:
WASHINGTON — Of all the rough numbers for President Trump in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, these might have been the roughest: The current president trails his opponent by 32 points (!!!) on who has the right presidential temperament.

Now:
WASHINGTON: Biden hits out as Fox reporter asks him about inflation: ‘What a stupid son of a bitch’

Some people made a grave error in judgement. How will you make amends?

Ann Althouse said...

"Could someone provide similar examples by Trump?"

From Sharyl Attkisson's book:

"At a news conference on January 11, 2017, CNN reporter Jim Acosta tries to ask a question and persists when Trump doesn’t call on him. “You are fake news,” Trump declares, pointing a finger at Acosta. “It’s all fake news. It’s all fake news,” Trump tells reporters at a February 16, 2017, news conference. A week later, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he tells the cheering audience, “I want you all to know that we are fighting the fake news. It’s fake, phony, fake.”"

michaele said...

The difference between Peter's Doocy's affability in being interviewed by colleagues about this insult and CNN's Jim Acosta is striking. Acosta would swath himself in his umbrage suit when he was on the receiving end of a Trump jab. It was obvious how much Acosta enjoyed the follow up attention as he played his "journalist under attack" role. Doocy laughed it off and jokingly wondered if his SOB status would be fact checked.

rehajm said...

Thanks to Aaron Sorkin “The West Wing” has taught us that Presidents don’t speak into hot mic’s by accident.

When the media makes a fuss over a candid comment in a hot mic comment I always assume it’s the phony President Bartlett stunt (the phony stunt not the phony President). Problem is this response is Biden’s stock and trade, perhaps his only verbal defense now that his mind is gone…

Ann Althouse said...

I offer that as a "similar example," but it's not exactly the same. Trump was more substantive, criticizing the journalists for not being journalistic enough. Biden could have said something more like: "You're not seriously asking that question, you're just grandstanding for the Fox News audience." It was childish to say that Doucy is "stupid." He could have said: "That's a stupid question and you know it."

Really, the better approach would something more like: "This isn't about what's good or bad for one political party or another. This is about what hurts the American people, and inflation hurts. I get it. And I am doing everything I can to build back this economy better. And better means no inflation."

rehajm said...

I’d like to see someone ask Biden to explain what inflation is.

Owen said...

Given how active this discussion of civility bullshit is, and how much it depends on an ability quickly to compare and contrast the verbal infelicities of Briden with those of Trump, it’s a wonder that some enterprising soul hasn’t built a search tool or a database of all the words, gestures, slights and spites committed by each of them. It would be massive; maybe the prototype would only cover Press Conferences; Direct Insults; Inadvertent Hot Mic Moments. But it could be built out from that rich beginning.

Bob Boyd said...

I'm more interested in Biden saying inflation is a great asset in the midterms. Maybe it is, but how so? How do the Dems benefit from inflation? Is Biden right?

Jake said...

Joe Biden calling Peter Doocy a stupid son of a bitch after that asinine inflation question is the most lucid thing he’s said in months.

Bob Boyd said...

It's a much more important story if Biden was caught on a hot mike crowing about inflation and how it benefits him and his party politically. Inflation hurts a lot of Americans. Was Biden revealing a complete cynicism about that? Or is he just a stupid SOB himself?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

My problem with Biden is the deadpan delivery, which leaves me between the “Biden was being snippy and ironic” and realizes Inflation is a threat to DNC electoral dreams OR he’s clueless and really means “what inflation?” when he says it.

richlb said...

"Doocy didn't need an answer to that question. He was just publicizing an issue that obviously hurts Biden."

This could be said about half the questions asked of any President. Doocy isn't unique in this regard, he just personifies it to the Dems and therefore is ridiculed (and now cursed at).

Big Mike said...

P.S. This reminds me of Dick Cheney who was caught muttering to George W. Bush that some NY Times reporter was "a real a-hole" on the campaign trail back in 2000.

@Sally327, my recollection is that it was the other way around — Bush muttering to his running mate Cheney that Adam Clymer was “a major league asshole from the New York Times.” Apparently they thought they were well away from the microphones and their conversation couldn’t be picked up. I also recall that this was treated as a major cause celebre by the press and Democrats for several days, until they realized Bush’s base agree with him regarding anyone writing for the Times of the Post.

The problem for Biden and the Democrats is that inflation is manifestly a problem that can’t be fixed by their standard solution, which is to throw money at it. Hence Slow Joe’s irritation.

richlb said...

I appreciate Ann's answer to the question asked of Biden. Unfortunately all we seem to get are other people's answers to questions of Biden. Or some clarification or walk-back after the fact.

Bob Boyd said...

Perhaps Biden thinks inflation will help Dems pass some bills to give people more money. They can then point to that in the midterms.

Dems approach is to push a person into the deep end then offer them a life line and say I'll save you, but you owe me.
Meanwhile Republicans will argue against throwing a life line saying the real problem is too much water in the pool.

rehajm said...

President Biden warns his incoming
presidential appointees: "If you're
ever working with me and I hear you
treating another colleague with
disrespect, talking down to
someone, I will fire you on the
spot... Everybody is entitled to be
treated with decency



Twitter has the receipts

MartyH said...

Re: the “fake news” example: this was during the time of the Russian Collusion accusations which were created and funded by the Clinton campaign. Trump was 100% right that it was fake news.

Big Mike said...

Take another look at that clip. Does that florid-faced old man look up to the demands of the job?

Browndog said...

The stupid son of a bitch is standing in front of a microphone but doesn't have the mental capacity or self control not to say stupid shit a stupid son of a bitch would say.

boatbuilder said...

Is it really a "stupid question" when Democratic propaganda outlets (not to mention the President's press secretary) have been trying to sell the idea that inflation is good, or at least not so bad?

What is Biden's position on that? (apparently he disagrees, based on his sarcastic response).

gilbar said...

It was his very first day on the job, Inauguration Day, when President Biden laid down the law about treating people nice. He was so serious about it that he threatened to fire the new staffers he was swearing in if they violated the code.

"I am not joking when I say this, if you are ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot," Biden said. "On the spot. No ifs, ands or buts."


Did President Trump ever make any statements like That?

AJ Ford said...

Doocey had a sense of humor when told about it, apparently quipping “he may right - it hasn’t been fact checked.”

DanTheMan said...

Doocey should have replied "It's OK, Mr. President. I think you are a stupid son of a bitch, too."

DanTheMan said...

>>President Biden warns his incoming
presidential appointees: "If you're
ever working with me and I hear you
treating another colleague with
disrespect, talking down to
someone, I will fire you on the
spot... Everybody is entitled to be
treated with decency

He meant Democrats. Punching Nazis is still cool.

Bob Boyd said...

If Biden's answer isn't stupid, the Peter Doocy's question isn't stupid.

wendybar said...

Calling Jim Acosta and CNN "fake news" is WAY more civil than calling Peter Doocy a STUPID SON OF A BITCH. THAT is personal. CNN IS fake news. They prove it everyday.

Browndog said...

It's a much more important story if Biden was caught on a hot mike crowing about inflation and how it benefits him and his party politically.

My take is he was being sarcastic. In my view, he got Biden to admit inflation actually exists and is a political liability. Not a stupid question at all.

Too bad those in charge of Biden/country still either refuse to admit inflation is real, or it's a good thing because it means the economy is booming.

#EmptyshelvesBiden

wendybar said...

It was childish to say that Doucy is "stupid." He could have said: "That's a stupid question and you know it."

He DID say that about Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich when she asked him "Q: Why are you waiting on Putin to make the first move, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) What a stupid question."

Seems like the President doesn't like to answer questions that AREN'T softballs, so he will call anything pertinent STUPID. HE LOOKS STUPID for acting like a 13 year old. So much unity, I feel like puking.

gilbar said...

let's Go To the Video!
from You tube Biden threatens to fire anyone who is disrespectful

Achilles said...

Doocy didn't need an answer to that question. He was just publicizing an issue that obviously hurts Biden. Biden was presidential enough not to say "Fuck you," which would have been a completely justified and normal response.

Wait just a second.

Biden is implementing policies that cause inflation.

Inflation is massively damaging to our lives. Our food bills have almost doubled over last year. It is fucking ridiculous to say Doocy doesn't need an answer to that question.

The Biden Regime is acting just like you would expect an agent of the Chinese Regime to act and Ann doesn't think Biden needs to answer questions?

This is absurd.

RoseAnne said...

Biden calling someone an SOB is classic Biden. My complaint is not with him but with those who sold him as something different in the 2020 election. They are the hypocrites.

I will give points to Doocy, however, for the "fact check" quip.

Temujin said...

The telling part of this is that Peter Doocy and others at Fox News are chuckling, even laughing, about it. Everyone knows Doocy is a needle only in that he's one of only two asking questions that the White House does not want reporters to ask. All of the other reporters submit willingly, agreeably.

But that Doocy and Fox associates are laughing is the thing. Compare it to the breathlessness and horror exhibited by the media, most notably CNN and it's actor/reporter Jim Acosta, during the Trump years. One almost had visions of Marlon Brando's closing seen from "Apocalypse Now". The horror.....the horror.

There isn't a doubt in most of our minds that every President calls many reporters, Senators, Congresspeople and citizens "dumb fuck" under their breath, off-mic regularly. Even the saintly One Himself. (I don't even have to say His name and you know who I mean...see?)

Rico said...

As far as the political dance goes, there's nothing new under the sun here (re: Sam Donaldson and Reagan in the '80's), so I can't get worked yp either way.

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

This is post #1 in the Morning of Progressive Hypocracy Posts.

Or is that every day.

Maynard said...

Doocy is a stupid SOB because he often forgets the script that reporters have in "questioning" Resident Biden.

Browndog said...

Doocey/Fox News: Laugh, joke. move on.

All national media: hold candle light vigils for assaulted reporter as democracy hangs by a thread.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

“He DID say that about Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich when she asked him "Q: Why are you waiting on Putin to make the first move, sir?”

Here I think Biden reveals how out of touch he is because he could have hit it out of the park, like so: Of course we aren’t waiting for Putin’s next move! We have already started moving assets into strategic positions, are delivering Javelin anti-tank missiles right now and NATO members are considering strong sanctions now that can be lifted once Russia backs away from their aggressive stance on the Ukrainian border.

My fake Biden answer is 100% true. All those things were in fact taking place when the question was asked. He could have treated Jacqui with respect AND reassured America AND sent Putin a message all at once. Easily. But he probably had no ready answer so he resorted to being weak and snarky instead of being a leader.

mccullough said...

Trump is better at being an asshole than Biden.

Ahouse Comments said...


Blogger Ann Althouse said...
"At a news conference on January 11, 2017, CNN reporter Jim Acosta tries to ask a question and persists when Trump doesn’t call on him. “You are fake news,” Trump declares, pointing a finger at Acosta. “It’s all fake news. It’s all fake news,” Trump tells reporters at a February 16, 2017, news conference.

So you are saying that pointing out that the media is, to a large extent, fake news is comparable to calling an individual a son of a bitch?

I fail to see a comparison. "Fake news" is a fairly objective fact. Does the media report accurately? Does anyone think they do? Do you, Ann?

The concept of fake news, if not the phrase is as old as newspapers. Mark Twain said 150 years ago, "If you don't read a newspaper you are uninformed. If you do, you are misinformed" (Quote from memory) He was hardly the first.

Murray Gell-Mann got a whole meme named after him "Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect", 30-40 years ago.

I find it hard to believe that you really think calling someone a "son of a bitch" is comparable to pointing out the prevalence of "fake news." Not even the same ball park.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

Scot said...

My favorite Presidential response is from Truman. A reporter published an unfavorable review of his daughter's singing. Harry never yammered about civility. He wrote (!) to the reporter:

Mr. Hume:

I've just read your lousy review of Margaret's concert. I've come to the conclusion that you are an "eight ulcer man on four ulcer pay."

It seems to me that you are a frustrated old man who wishes he could have been successful. When you write such poppy-cock as was in the back section of the paper you work for it shows conclusively that you're off the beam and at least four of your ulcers are at work.

Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!

Pegler, a gutter snipe, is a gentleman alongside you. I hope you'll accept that statement as a worse insult than a reflection on your ancestry.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Our preznit is a crook And a jackass. and a disgrace!

Everyone celebrate.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Shorter King corrutocrat: How dare anyone question the great and powerful oz.

Ice Nine said...

>" Ann Althouse said...
I offer that as a "similar example," but it's not exactly the same."<

Nor is it remotely similar.

Bilwick said...

Dementia Joe calling someone stupid: priceless.

wendybar said...

Bumbling Biden has always had a mean streak.... https://twitter.com/i/status/1485820465163689987

Achilles said...

Ann Althouse said...

I offer that as a "similar example," but it's not exactly the same. Trump was more substantive, criticizing the journalists for not being journalistic enough. Biden could have said something more like: "You're not seriously asking that question, you're just grandstanding for the Fox News audience." It was childish to say that Doucy is "stupid." He could have said: "That's a stupid question and you know it."

Really, the better approach would something more like: "This isn't about what's good or bad for one political party or another. This is about what hurts the American people, and inflation hurts. I get it. And I am doing everything I can to build back this economy better. And better means no inflation."


You are almost there but not quite.

Trump's actions and his words were the same. He could say what needed to be said out loud and with full knowledge of everyone.

Biden says one thing and does another. Biden's regime is fundamentally dishonest and that is why he mutters substance free imprecations under his breath.

Mark said...

Doocy is a reliable needler of Mr. Biden

NYT is trying to delegitimize Doocy, one of the very, very few real journalists covering Biden.

Rollo said...

Old man yells at cloud. Naked emperor objects angrily to anyone pointing out that he has no clothes.

Visualize for a minute how a truly decent and compassionate leader responds to questions he doesn't like -- even to questions he finds foolish. Then ask yourself whether Biden has ever behaved that way.

One might hate Trump for a variety of reasons, but there wasn't the pretence that he was better than he was. The reality of Biden and the myth his people stick to diverge so much that I can only bang my head against the wall screaming "Make it stop!"

Not Sure said...

WH staff are probably worried that he might say "Look, fat" to Yamiche Alcindor.

Of course, that would mean that she asked him a tough question, so not a real concern.

victoria said...

Poor Joey B,

I think he's right, maybe not a well timed comment. Peter Doocy, riding on the coattails of his more "talented" father, is an idiot, and not really very intelligent. He is pretty savvy, however, making the most of his very, very limited "talents".

You all go right on thinking Joey B is "demented" "fumbling".

Vicki from Pasadena

Joe Smith said...

'Biden was presidential enough not to say "Fuck you," which would have been a completely justified and normal response.'

The drooling moron is POTUS.

It's become part of his job to answer questions from the press...it's what he signed up for.

RoseAnne said...

Blogger mccullough said...
Trump is better at being an asshole than Biden.


Who has a better sense of humor?

I see both Trump and Biden as thin-skinned and petty.

Occasionally, Trump sees himself that way as well and can laugh at it.

Not Biden.

Sebastian said...

"I think his roughness is largely tolerated, and it isn't characterized as a deplorable trend"

Not just tolerated: when directed at deplorables, it's to be celebrated.

Not a "trend" either: Joe has always been a mean-spirited SOB. Ask Clarence Thomas. Or for that matter the driver involved in Joe's wife's death.

But so far, the media framing, civility BS included, works: the nice women of America revile Trump for his mean tweets and being uncouth; they have yet to reject the Dems as overly "rough." As long as they don't, the BS will keep being shoveled, and Joe will be Joe.

Mark said...

It's not the incivility that is the problem.

It is the unhinged temper. It is Biden's increasing self-awareness that things are falling apart....and that he is to blame.

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

"Trump's actions and his words were the same. He could say what needed to be said out loud and with full knowledge of everyone."

Very true. It's one reason I saw him as a very effective President. Obviously he wasn't effective to stop Hillary's Russia lynch mob in a reasonable time frame. And he wasn't effective to prevent unfair and illegal election administration, even though he saw it coming from a mile away. And there are other examples of being ineffective.

But he was effective in telling people what he was trying to do, and then people either can support it or not. Contrary to his depiction by many on the left, he was exactly the kind of politician that is healthy for a democracy to have. That's why the swamp dwellers hate him.

Contrast with Biden who not only says he's in favor of something (like working against inflation) while his actions show the opposite, but he can't even remember what he says from one day to the next.

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

You all go right on thinking Joey B is "demented" "fumbling".

Even the press has come to admit this. It's one thing to prop him up to beat Trump, but now he's making everyone on the left look like idiots for supporting him.

Michael K said...

You all go right on thinking Joey B is "demented" "fumbling".

Vicki from Pasadena


OK. Furthermore, most people not you agree.

Skeptical Voter said...

Biden was projecting. There was at least one senile SOB in the room and it wasn't Doocy.

Iman said...

Malevolent Democrats will always have Fox News to highlight their anti-Americanism, their evil doings, and their general perfidy.

And, while short of murder, I will always have a special wish in my heart for these insane clowns.

n.n said...

Trump et al were justified to respond to uncivil behaviors in kind. More than 24 trimesters in progress. They think that they can abort the baby, cannibalize her profitable parts, sequester her carbon pollutants, and have her, too. Maybe, through a balance of irregularities perhaps fraud. A majority/minority constitutional republic is aborted at the twilight fringe. #HateLovesAbortion

wendybar said...

victoria said...
Poor Joey B,

I think he's right, maybe not a well timed comment. Peter Doocy, riding on the coattails of his more "talented" father, is an idiot, and not really very intelligent. He is pretty savvy, however, making the most of his very, very limited "talents".

You all go right on thinking Joey B is "demented" "fumbling".

Vicki from Pasadena
Peter Doocy's job is to ask the questions, and Joe's job is to answer them. Just because YOU don't like the questions that Americans want the answers to, doesn't mean you should call Peter and idiot and not really very intelligent. It says more about YOU than it does him.

Narayanan said...

mccullough said...
Trump is better at being an asshole than Biden.
--------
that is because Trump did not sell/set himself as "not an asshole"

- but for Biden was all did the opposite

farmgirl said...

“I want you all to know that we are fighting the fake news. It’s fake, phony, fake.”"

“I want you all to know that we are fighting the fake news. It’s fake, phony, fake- you dumb sonofabitch.”

I fixed it 4you…

Drago said...

victoria: "Poor Joey B,

I think he's right, maybe not a well timed comment. Peter Doocy, riding on the coattails of his more "talented" father, is an idiot, and not really very intelligent."

Yes, the younger Doocy is no Hunter Biden, that's for sure. Hunter, coke head who loves hanging with the underage chinese girls provided by the ChiComs who also helpfully funneled $31M to Hunter the Biden Crime Family, is the smartest guy his father, Biden's Earpiece, ever met.

Ever.

As in "ever". Note: not a typo.

If only Doocy could aspire to such victoria-pre-approved Hunter intellectual levels! What couldn't he do!

hombre said...

I think it is reassuring that QuidproJoe was able to figure out that Doocy was pulling his chain. Or maybe it was afternoon and sundowning had kicked in.

farmgirl said...

“It's one thing to prop him up to beat Trump, but now he's making everyone on the left look like idiots for supporting him.”

Confess- you knew, I knew… we all knew they looked like idiots for supporting him…
They just don’t like looking in that mirror. We told them. They could have had Tulsi- and that would have been a learning curve, yes- but maybe a pleasant surprise. Better than this, anyway. B/c if they’re cheating for one- they’re cheating for the other, as well.

My favorite question to ask the anti- Trumpers…
Isn’t this so much fun!!? Aren’t we doing great!!?
What a wonderful world…

(… you dumb sonofabitch…) (ditto vice)

farmgirl said...

Sotto- sotto vice
Lol

Iman said...

It’s good to see a White House reporter actually ask a probing question of this president. It’s never someone from CBS/NBC/ABC/CNN/NYT/WaPo, but a year into Biden’s Reign of Error, that’s no surprise.

robother said...

In fairness to Brandon:
1. As to the first part of the statement, Joe knows stupid, indeed is the GOAT of stupid. If Tom Brady says X is a great QB, assume he knows whereof he speaks.

2. As to SOB, we lack sufficient information about Mrs. Doocy to know the accuracy of that accusation. If the Leader of the Free World calls you a bitch, you need to come forward and let the world judge.

Ceciliahere said...

If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen, Joey.

Drago said...

NBC’s Kelly O'Donnell on Biden calling reporter a 'stupid son of a bitch':

"He does not like when questions are asked about a subject other than the planned event."

Biden's Earpiece gets very upset when questions get asked that have not been written down on notecards along with the answers and placed in the hands he uses to grope little girls.

Drago said...

Also remember, victoria loudly and proudly called Biden completely normal, even though Biden's own daughter wrote that her father took showers with her.......

Must be something they do in Pasadena victoria? Or just....some families? Yours? I mean, if its all so "normal" and everything....

Zev said...

When Trump did it, the complaint went way further than "lack of civility." He was accused of bullying, subjecting holy journalists to intimidation and threats, destroying democracy, and on and on.
But now it's suddenly no big deal, and some big journalist names even found it amusing.

Separately, it's unpresidential regardless of who does it.
This is not a usual argument for civility.
The president should be above this petty crap.

rcocean said...

Go watch the video. People - aka Democrats/Leftist - are phrasing it as "caught with a hot mic". this weird passive language is designed to let Biden off the hook. Biden was at the podium, heard reporters question, and called him a Dumb SOB.

What the fuck does a "Hot mic" have to do with it?

As for civility. Althouse thinks its all BS. That's fine with me. Lets be uncivil. Or lets all be Civil. But after 5 years of Trump being trashed for "mean tweets" and "vulgar comments" I don't want to hear "La-de-da who cares?" from all the Never-trumpers, Mitt Romney's, and Democrats.

They spent 5 years attacking Trump for EXACTLY the same behavior Biden is doing. Only now, its "Politics is a tough game, baby" and "Maybe that Fox news reporter deserved it".

rcocean said...

Son of a Bitch, used to be such harsh language you couldn't say in on Radio/Movies/TV. The best you could do is S.o.B.

Eisenhower sent an American officer back to the USA from England during Ww2, because he called a Brit "An English son of a bitch".

Now, next to the crude Motherfucker, Cunt, and Cocksucker, it sounds almost quaint.

effinayright said...

Ann Althouse said...
"Could someone provide similar examples by Trump?"

From Sharyl Attkisson's book:

"At a news conference on January 11, 2017, CNN reporter Jim Acosta tries to ask a question and persists when Trump doesn’t call on him. “You are fake news,” Trump declares, pointing a finger at Acosta. “It’s all fake news. It’s all fake news,” Trump tells reporters at a February 16, 2017, news conference. A week later, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he tells the cheering audience, “I want you all to know that we are fighting the fake news. It’s fake, phony, fake.”"
***************

Are you really saying that cursing out a reporter is the same as mocking him as a disseminator of fake news? Especially when that reporter talked over the President himself repeatedly when he wasn't called on?

Do you have a #fakecivilitybullshitargument tag?

Narr said...

FWIW (and I will have to go back and read comments) I thought President LGB's remark was fair.

And he is still a corrupt, senile perv, out of his depth and his gourd, except for hostile quips.

Big Mike said...

I do recall Joe asking who died and left Milton Friedman in charge. At the time I thought to myself that this was akin to assuming that gravity stopped working once Isaac Newton was no longer around. Anyway, now Slow Joe has his answer — Friedman lives! You can wish that economics works the way the guy in charge wants it to work, but economics doesn’t care who’s in charge, any more than physics cares who’s in charge.

rehajm said...

As for civility. Althouse thinks its all BS. That's fine with me. Lets be uncivil. Or lets all be Civil. But after 5 years of Trump being trashed for "mean tweets" and "vulgar comments" I don't want to hear "La-de-da who cares?" from all the Never-trumpers, Mitt Romney's, and Democrats.

I strongly support this position. It is the asymmetry of the reaction that’s tearing the nation apart. There were calls to throw Trump out of office for his ‘incivility’ while Joe gets by on a collective snigger and a private nod of agreement from the left. Ann wheels out a disturbingly false equivalence of a legitimate criticism from Trump. Pathetic..

Cruel neutrality is not something you claim for yourself. You earn it.

Iman said...

Ann Althouse @6:58am…

Trump wasn’t lying. Acosta and the whole CNN bunch were fake news then, much as they are now.

David53 said...

Doocy rarely asks pointed questions. Next press conference he should ask how Biden knows his Mom is a bitch. And it is personal.

Iman said...

Hair of the Dooce

Promise breaker, pud shaker
I've been told about you
Pre-teen mounter, midnight vote counter
What they been saying' must be true

Senescence drama, lite-0bama
Time's come to pay your dues

Now you're messin' with a
(a son of a bitch)
Now you're messin' with a son of a bitch
Now you're messin' with a
(a son of a bitch)
Now you're messin' with a son of a bitch

BUMBLE BEE said...

Joe doesn't work for you, you stupid son of a bitch. Demonstrably.

farmgirl said...

Peter Doocy has a lot of Grace:
https://youtu.be/RTJHXgPqaew

tim in vermont said...

This is hysterical, and Doocy knows it. The hypocrisy is so blatant that it's hugely entertaining, at this point. And laughter is a powerful political weapon. One side is laughing now, and it ain't Biden's few actual supporters.

Doocy should write a book called "Son of a Bitch" except that Republicans wouldn't be gullible enough to lap it up the way that CNN reporter's fans did.

Josephbleau said...

Joe's proudest moment was when he told the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma, "And Son of a Bitch! they fired him!" that is Joe's vision of himself, Frank Nitti or something.

Bilwick said...

Scenes we'd like to see: Doocy (or any reporter, for that matter) asking Dementia Joe, "Are you still showering with your daughter?"

Bilwick said...

Scenes we'd like to see: Doocy (or any reporter, for that matter) asking Dementia Joe, "Are you still showering with your daughter?"

walter said...

Actually, Joe ran on a return to civility and unity.
On his own terms he deserves criticism for this.
But yes, his cognitive decline likely lessens his ability to navigate to a better answer.

Brooke Price said...

Funny thing. Biden said inflation is an asset. No one is focusing on that. If you are a statist interested in more taxes to spend and control normal people, then they are an asset. So exactly who is the idiot? There are many options to choose from.

Rollo said...

CNN's Chris Cilizza is saying that Biden's "son of a bitch moment is nothing like Trump's attacks on reporters," and he's actually right. The examples he says are worse than Biden's insult actually aren't. Is saying CNN is fake news really worse than calling someone a "stupid son of a bitch?" I guess it is if you work at CNN.

And notice the deflection. Yesterday was supposed to be about Biden's Competitiveness Council and inflation. They did not want to talk about Ukraine. Doocey asked about inflation and now Biden's defenders are saying that Biden gets angry when reporters ask off-topic questions. It was a silly question, but a harmless one and no worse than anything else Biden is asked, and it was very much on-topic.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

The conversation everyone's talking about. A question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy, and an answer from President of the United States Joe Biden. Do you have a problem with any of it? It all makes sense to me. All I can see is that if anybody has a problem with it, but they also called out Donald Trump, in his presidential days, for his lack of "civility" when he made equivalently rough statements, then it's an occasion for my "civility bullshit" tag. Otherwise it's idle chitchat. Don't be distracted.

This is sort of a "Let's Go Brandon" kind of thing

The point of LGB is to point out the utter dishonesty of the press, and their total willingness to flack for Fuck Joe Biden.

The point of bringing up Biden being an asshole and calling Doocey a "dumb son of a bitch", is that we're pointing out that the people who had vapors when Trump did far less, are totally ok with Biden doing what he did.

Which is to say that "the fake news is fake news", example 13,452