Biden Calls Fox News’ Peter Doocy a ‘Stupid Son of a Bitch’ (Video)
Update Monday Night: Later in the day, Biden called Peter Doocy to apologize and “clear the air.”
President Joe Biden had some choice words Monday in response to a question Fox News reporter Peter Doocy shouted out as the media were being ushered out of a news conference.
“No, it’s a great asset — more inflation,” Biden said in response to Doocy asking whether the president thought inflation would be a liability for the midterm elections. “What a stupid son of a bitch.”
The remarks came after Biden addressed reporters for about 10 minutes, leaving little doubt about whether he knew his words would be picked up by microphones.
The exchange was, in fact, aired live by CSPAN.
At the end of a Biden photo op, when reporters shouted Q's hoping he'd respond, Fox's Peter Doocy asked, "Do you think inflation is a political liability in the midterms?" Biden deadpanned: "It's a great asset—more inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch." pic.twitter.com/Tt4ZVz5Ynj
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 24, 2022
According to the official transcript from the White House, reporters last asked the president, “Will you send troops to Ukraine, sir? Why are you send 8,500 troops to Ukraine, possibly? Will you take questions on inflation then? Do you think inflation is a political liability ahead of the midterms?”
Reaction on the cable news channels was swift, with Doocy appearing on the Fox News show “The Five” in a stand-up news hit outside the White House.
“Yeah, nobody has fact-checked him yet and said it’s not true,” Doocy joked to a laughing panel of hosts, including anchor Jesse Watters.
Doocy laughs it off.
"Nobody has fact checked him yet and says it's not true." pic.twitter.com/KXeDXjDil6— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) January 24, 2022
CNN had their White House reporter on to address the possibility Biden didn’t know his comments would be picked up by microphones. There was little possibility of that, according to Kaitlan Collins.
“He was speaking on a microphone,” Collins reported. “He had just made remarks to the room for about 10 or so minutes on this competitive council they have formed here at the White House.”
“And it seemed pretty clear he knew he was on a mic, Jake,” Collins added in a talk-back with CNN anchor Jake Tapper.
Watch that segment here or below.
"It seemed pretty clear he knew he was on a mic," concluded CNN's @kaitlancollins, who was in the room when President @JoeBiden appeared to call Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy "a stupid son of a b*tch." https://t.co/RiCJEY3DMS pic.twitter.com/TTODgtgGPt
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) January 24, 2022