White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shut down Fox News reporter Peter Doocy after he suggested President Joe Biden's speech condemning gun violence and calling for stricter gun control measures was just a distraction from bad press.
Biden delivered his speech in the wake of a massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead; an act of White nationalist domestic terrorism at a Buffalo, New York supermarket that left 10 dead; and other mass shootings around the country, including one at a Tulsa, Oklahoma medical clinic.
But that did not appear to satisfy Doocy, who insisted the White House is distracting Americans from rising inflation and a natonwide baby formula shortage.
You can watch the exchange between Doocy and Jean-Pierre in the video below.
\u201cFox\u2019s Peter Doocy: \u201cThe White House had some very hard headlines this week about inflation and about baby formula \u2026 Did you just schedule [tonight's speech] to get people talking about something else?\u201d\n\nPress Sec. Jean-Pierre: \u201cPeople have died \u2026 We had 19 kids die in Uvalde.\u201d\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1654201053
Doocy said:
“The White House had some very hard headlines this week about inflation and about baby formula."
"If there’s nothing new you can point to in this speech tonight, did you just schedule it to get people talking about something else?”
To that, Jean-Pierre replied:
"People have died."
“We had 19 kids die in Uvalde just recently. Just last night in Tulsa, we’re learning of people who were, again, killed. So this is not about politics. This is not about partisan politics here.”
“It is disheartening to hear that this could potentially, or if I’m hearing this right, could be used as a political tool, and that’s not what this is.
"This is about people's lives."
Many have praised Jean-Pierre for her response.
\u201c@Fox's @pdoocy's "something else" remark shows us how callously perverse he is. @PressSec Jean-Pierre let him know just how perverse he is by reminding him of the horrific mass murders that took place over the span of a few weeks/days.\u201d— rosa coats (@rosa coats) 1654203082
\u201cI see that Peter Doocy still transmitting talking points from the Fox mothership into the White House briefing room. Methinks he misses the daily drubbing from Jen Psaki and is inviting Karine Jean-Pierre to pick up her cat-o'-nine-tails and discipline him.\u201d— Ira Chinoy (@Ira Chinoy) 1654204907
\u201cAnother Fox News humanoid demonstrating his detachment\u201d— Kevin McKinney (@Kevin McKinney) 1654217698
\u201cWhy doesn't @PDoocy think mass shootings in grocery stores and elementary schools are serious? What kind of ghoul asks questions like this @FoxNews?\n@comcast #UNFOXMYCableBox\u201d— Tish \ud83c\udf3b (@Tish \ud83c\udf3b) 1654234837
\u201cDoocy should not be called on.\u201d— Barbara Othmer (@Barbara Othmer) 1654257449
\u201cIt\u2019s good that Jen Psaki and Karine Jean-Pierre are prepared to deal with the distracting questions posed by douchebag but I question why they give him the opportunity! Let actual reporters ask real questions\u2026 not entertainment gossips\u2026\u201d— James Lyons (@James Lyons) 1654262746
\u201cAgain, what is wrong with this Doocy guy?? How heartless can you be! Press Sec. was so calm.. very good! She is awesome!\u201d— lali11 (@lali11) 1654275652
\u201c@pdoocy always running fools errands\u201d— DonInLowell (@DonInLowell) 1654202541
In his speech, Biden made a plea for stricter gun control laws and called on Congress to act. Biden proposed that Congress expand background check requirements for gun purchases and create new rules for safely storing weapons.
Biden also suggested that lawmakers enact new "red flag" laws that would prohibit those with criminal records from purchasing weapons, repeal laws that shield gun manufacturers from liability for mass shootings, and improve students' access to mental health care.
However, Biden acknowledged that Senate Republicans were likely to block any legislation that would create stricter gun control laws.
Mass shootings have dominated the news cycle in recent weeks. There were more than a dozen mass shootings over Memorial Day weekend alone.
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