Liberal CNN analyst slams Joe Biden for 'terrible' answer when confronted about inflation: 'The problem is yours to fix'



Liberal CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina congressman, sharply criticized President Joe Biden Friday over his response to growing inflation and economic woes in a recent interview.

What is the background?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday the consumer price index rose to an annual rate of 7.5% in January, the highest rate in 40 years.

During an interview with "NBC Nightly News," anchor Lester Holt confronted Biden over the growing economic problem. Biden claimed last July that inflation would be "temporary," so Holt asked Biden what his "definition of temporary is."

"Well, you're being a wise guy with me a little bit, and I understand that's your job," Biden shot back.

The president then blamed inflation on the supply chain. Biden also cited advice from "Nobel laureates" and "corporate leaders," who have allegedly told Biden that inflation "ought to be able to start to taper off as we go through this year."

What did Sellers say?

Speaking on CNN's "New Day," Sellers described Biden's response as "terrible" and flatly said Biden is solely responsible for solving the economy crisis.

"Yeah, it was a terrible answer. And I would tell them that if they were looking me in the face. The fact is that nobody that Scott [Jennings, fellow analys] and I are talking about want to hear what Nobel laureates actually say about the problem," Sellers said. "In fact, in that answer, we would care more about the solutions, or maybe if there are no– look, inflation ain’t caused by Joe Biden."

“We know why we have inflation. Inflation is because we were home for a year. Inflation is because we went through this COVID period. But the problem is yours to fix now," he said toward Biden.

"So, we’d rather get solutions, or simply ‘I feel your pain,’ which is a better answer than whatever economists from Wharton decided to tell whoever," Sellers added.

JUST NOW: @Bakari_Sellers on Biden's answer to @LesterHoltNBC on inflation:\n"Yeah, it was a terrible answer. And I would tell them that if they were looking me in the face. Nobody ...wants to hear what Nobel laureates have to say about the problem."pic.twitter.com/8gRATfLyWC
— Nora Neus (@Nora Neus) 1644582337

What is driving inflation?

The Biden administration has attempted to paint inflation as a positive signal of economic recovery, claiming skyrocketing demand, which the supply chain cannot support, is driving inflation.

However, other experts disagree.

For example, economists with the Federal Reserve attribute inflation, at least in part, to Biden's COVID relief bill. Larry Summers, a Democratic economist who served as treasury secretary for Bill Clinton and a top adviser to Barack Obama, agrees that Biden's policies have worsened inflation.

Economists, unfortunately, forecast that inflation will remain a significant economic problem through the year.

Biden gets testy with Lester Holt during interview, rejects Army report critical of administration's Afghanistan withdrawal



President Joe Biden said he rejects the findings in an investigative report by the U.S. Army that accused his administration of not adequately preparing for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The comments were made during a wide-ranging interview with NBC's Lester Holt, and at one point President Biden got testy with the host.

On Tuesday, the Washington Post released an article detailing an Army report that contains documents and sworn testimony from U.S. military commanders involved in the Afghanistan withdrawal last summer. The 2,000-page investigative report – which was released to the outlet through a Freedom of Information Act request – claimed that White House and State Department officials failed to understand and prepare for how fast the Taliban would capture Kabul. The report claimed that senior officials disregarded advice by military commanders to prepare for the evacuation of embassy staffers and Afghan allies as the Taliban marched toward the capital city.

In the end, 13 American service members and more than 180 Afghan civilians were killed in August by an ISIS-K suicide bomb attack outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport during the frantic evacuation.

During the "NBC Nightly News" interview, President Biden said he rejected the findings of the report.

"On the subject of American citizens, I have to draw your attention to that Army report, an investigative report that’s come out about the lead up to the withdrawal from Afghanistan," Holt said. "It interviewed many military officials and officers, who said the administration ignored the handwriting on the wall. Another describe trying to get folks in the embassy ready to evacuate, encountering people who are in essentially in denial of the situation. Does any of that ring true to you?"

Biden responded, "No. No. That’s not that I was told."

"Look, there was no good time to get out, but if we had not gotten out, they acknowledged we would have had to put a hell of a lot more troops back in," Biden continued. "It wasn’t just 2,000, 4,000, we would have to significantly increase the number of troops, and we’re back in this war of attrition."

Biden then had difficulty remembering which country he was talking about.

"And, and there was no way we were ever going to unite Ukraine, I mean, excuse me, Iraq, Afghanistan," Biden said. "No way that was going to happen. And so this is a much wiser thing to do."

Holt asked Biden if he was rejecting the findings of the report, to which the president replied, "Yes, I am."

When asked if the findings are not true, Biden retorted, "I am rejecting them."

On NBC, Biden repeatedly dismisses the Army's report about the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan --\n\nHolt: "Are you rejecting the conclusions or the accounts...in this Army report?"\n\nBiden: "Yes, I am."\n\nHolt: "So they're not true?"\n\nBiden: "I'm rejecting them."pic.twitter.com/AInRMQbMw6
— Curtis Houck (@Curtis Houck) 1644539648

President Biden got a bit peeved during the interview when Holt asked about the latest inflation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On Thursday, it was announced that the consumer price index rose in January to an annual rate of 7.5% – the highest inflation rate in 40 years.

In July, President Biden said that inflation would be temporary.

Holt told Biden, "I think a lot of Americans are wondering what your definition of temporary is."

Biden responded, "Well, you're being a wise guy with me a little bit, and I understand that's your job."

He then blamed the supply chain crisis for inflation.

"But look, at the time what happened was the — let's look at the reasons for the inflation," Biden said. "The reason for the inflation is the supply chains were cut off, meaning that the products, for example automobiles—the lack of computer chips to be able to build those automobiles so they could function — they need those computer chips. They were not available. So what happens? The number of cars were reduced but made up at one-third the cost of inflation because the price of automobiles were up. "

.@LesterHoltNBC: "...back in July you said inflation was going to be temporary. I think a lot of Americans are wondering what your definition of temporary is."\n\u00a0\nPresident Biden: "You're being a wise guy with me a little bit."pic.twitter.com/acWhRDhLPn
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt) 1644538374

On the topic of Russia potentially invading Ukraine, Biden told American citizens living there to "leave now."

"It’s not like we’re dealing with a terrorist organization. We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation, and things could go crazy quickly," Biden said.

Holt asked the commander in chief if there was a scenario in which he would send troops to Ukraine to rescue American citizens, to which Biden replied, "There’s not. That's a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another."

President Biden tells @LesterHoltNBC that sending troops to evacuate Americans in Ukraine would be "world war."\n\nWatch more from the exclusive interview: https://nbcnews.to/3674q3V\u00a0pic.twitter.com/4yeBRlhYQg
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt) 1644544801

Holt asked if Biden was afraid that "some states and cities are moving too quickly to loosen indoor mask mandates."

"I committed that I would follow the science, the science as put forward by the CDC and the federal people," Biden answered. "I think it's probably premature, but it's a tough call."

NBC's Lester Holt: "Are you afraid...some states & cities are moving too quickly to loosen indoor mask mandates?"\n\nBiden: "Well...I committed that I would follow the science...put forward by the CDC & the federal people & I think it's probably premature, but...it's a tough call"pic.twitter.com/Z7T9THGBeX
— Curtis Houck (@Curtis Houck) 1644539107

Regarding finding a replacement for Justice Stephen Breyer, Biden said he has done a "deep dive" on "about four people." He believes his nominee will get a vote from Republicans because he's looking for someone who will have "the same kind of capacity" as Justice Breyer.

President Biden on his search for a Supreme Court nominee:\n\nBiden tells @LesterHoltNBC that he\u2019s done a deep dive on \u201cabout four people,\u201d and thinks his pick will get a vote from Republicans\n\nBiden says he's looking for someone "with the same kind of capacity" as Justice Breyerpic.twitter.com/pNYLrLVSBR
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt) 1644529431

NBC will release more clips from the interview before the Super Bowl on Sunday.

NBC News Exclusive: One-On-One with President Biden www.youtube.com

President Biden claims he is not seeking to 'make an ideological choice' in picking a Supreme Court nominee



President Joe Biden said that he is not aiming to "make an ideological choice" when choosing a Supreme Court nominee.

Since Justice Stephen Breyer plans to retire later this year, Biden has been presented with his first opportunity to nominate someone to serve on the nation's high court.

During an interview with Lester Holt of NBC News, the president said that he is seeking someone who has the "same kind of capacity" as Breyer — someone who interprets the U.S. Constitution in a manner which is in line with "mainstream interpretation," Biden noted.

He said he has "taken about four people," and performed a "deep dive" examining whether anything in their background would render them unqualified.

President Biden on his search for a Supreme Court nominee:\n\nBiden tells @LesterHoltNBC that he\u2019s done a deep dive on \u201cabout four people,\u201d and thinks his pick will get a vote from Republicans\n\nBiden says he's looking for someone "with the same kind of capacity" as Justice Breyerpic.twitter.com/pNYLrLVSBR
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt) 1644529431

The president has previously declared that he will abide by his campaign commitment to select a black woman as the nominee, a plan that has been praised by some and decried by others.

He has also previously said that "there's always a renewed national debate every time ... any president nominates a justice, because the Constitution is always evolving slightly in terms of additional rights or curtailing rights, et cetera." He noted that he is seeking an individual whose judicial philosophy indicates that the Constitution has "unenumerated rights" and that "all the amendments mean something, including the Ninth Amendment."

The Ninth Amendment states that, "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

'I saved countless lives': Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt said it was his last resort after rioters ignored warnings



The U.S Capitol Police officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt during the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol said he did so as a last resort but didn't regret his actions because he "saved countless lives."

Lt. Michael Byrd revealed his identity in an interview with NBC News after he was cleared of wrongdoing in the matter by an internal investigation.

Byrd, who is a 28-year veteran of the Capitol Police, went through the events of the day and how the violence was escalating before the infamous moment when he pulled the trigger on his police firearm.

He said he and other officers used furniture to barricade the glass doors that led to the lobby of the U.S. House of Representatives chamber, where 60 to 80 members of Congress were waiting out the rioting outside.

"Once we barricaded the doors, we were essentially trapped where we were," Byrd said in the interview with Lester Holt. "There was no way to retreat. No other way to get out."

Byrd said he he heard alarming messages from his police radio, reporting police down, rioters employing chemical agents, and even one report of an officer's fingers being blown off.

That's when the rioters arrived at the barricaded door.

Byrd said he took a defensive posture with his gun drawn as rioters began to break the glass to the door.

He says that he yelled repeatedly at them to get back, but they pressed forward. That's when Babbitt tried to jump through one of the broken windows, and he fired at her.

Byrd says that he has been in hiding since his name leaked to right-wing websites and he started receiving racist messages and death threats.

But he said that he made the right decision.

"I know that day I saved countless lives," Byrd said in the interview. "I know members of Congress, as well as my fellow officers and staff, were in jeopardy and in serious danger. And that's my job."

He also said that he did not know at the time if Babbitt, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was carrying a weapon. He said he shot her as a "last resort" after yelling several warnings.

"I tried to wait as long as I could," he told Holt. "I hoped and prayed no one tried to enter through those doors. But their failure to comply required me to take the appropriate action to save the lives of members of Congress and myself and my fellow officers."

Babbitt's family said they plan to file a civil lawsuit against the Capitol Police over the incident.

Byrd denies that he had any political motivation in the shooting.

"I do my job for Republican, for Democrat, for white, for Black, red, blue, green," he said. "I don't care about your affiliation."

Here's a Twitter video from the interview:

In an exclusive interview with @LesterHoltNBC, Capitol Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd describes why he's choosing t… https://t.co/v7waB7Zpz2
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) 1630020900.0

Biden chief of staff says administration wants to mail masks to every US household



The chief of staff for President Joe Biden says the administration is looking at sending masks to every household in the U.S., as the White House seeks to get Americans to "mask up" over the first 100 days of the Biden presidency.

What are the details?

NBC News reported Thursday that the administration was batting around the idea of mailing out masks, an idea that was floated during the Trump administration but ultimately scrapped.

In an interview with the outlet Thursday evening, NBC's Lester Holt asked Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain about whether the idea was back on the table.

"Yeah, ya know, Lester, this was an idea that really came up last year in the Trump administration," Klain began. "The public health agencies recommended it, the president vetoed it for some reason, we want to get this back on track. We're looking at what can be done to quickly do this with the mask supplies that we have."

"I hope in the next few days, or next week, we may be able to announce some progress on this," he continued, reiterating, "Of course, this is part, overall, of a plan to try to get every American masked up in these first 100 days."

Klain added, "We're going to do everything we can to make masks more available to people, to increase the supply of masks, and of course, to get people to wear those masks."

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain speaks with @LesterHoltNBC about the plan to send masks to every American."W… https://t.co/JNLVNLVzkA
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt)1612476000.0

The specifics of how many masks would be send out per household and how much the initiative would cost has not yet been released.

ABC News reported in September of last year that a watchdog group, American Oversight, was able to obtain documents from earlier in 2020 detailing the United States Postal Service's plans to "distribute 650 million reusable cotton face masks to Americans" that spring. That would have amounted to five masks for every household.

A Trump administration official told The Washington Post at the time, "There was concern from some in the White House Domestic Policy Council and the office of the vice president that households receiving masks might create concern or panic." The Trump White House instead sent masks to organizations for distribution.

Forbes reported that according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll from December, 73% of Americans said they wear a mask when out in public, including 55% of Republicans. The outlet noted, "that number shows how mask-wearing has become more popular as the pandemic continues: in May, only 52% of Americans were wearing masks all the time."

President Donald Trump received heavy criticism for his reluctance to wear masks early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, while Biden has pushed masks and campaigned on the vow to issue a nationwide mask mandate. Within hours of taking office on Jan. 20, Biden issued executive orders requiring masks to be worn on federal property and on interstate transportation such as airplanes and rail.