Biden curses Fox News reporter after asking about inflation – Reuters

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) – (Note: This story contains language in paragraph 3 that may offend some readers)

US President Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic cursing a Fox News reporter during a White House event on Monday after the reporter shouted a question about the impact of rising inflation on this year’s congressional elections.

As reporters walked out of a meeting of Biden’s Competition Council, Peter Doocy, a White House correspondent with whom Biden spars regularly, asked if it was okay to ask about inflation and if it was a political handicap.

“That’s a big plus, no more inflation,” Biden replied sarcastically to a din of questioning reporters, apparently not realizing his microphone was still on. “What a stupid son of a bitch,” he added.

Consumer prices in the United States rose sharply in December, culminating in the largest annual rise in inflation in nearly four decades.

About an hour after the exchange, Biden called Doocy’s cell phone and said “it’s nothing personal, mate,” Doocy later told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment while Fox News pointed Reuters to a transcript of an interview with Doocy on the exchange on Monday evening.

Biden took office a year ago vowing to take a hard line on any disrespect among members of his administration.

“If you ever work with me and I hear you treat another co-worker with disrespect, talk to someone, I promise I’ll fire you on the spot…no ifs, ands or buts” , Biden told political appointees during a virtual swearing-in ceremony. “Everyone has the right to be treated with decency and dignity,” he said at the time.

Biden’s predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, notably attacked journalists at rallies and press conferences, much to the delight of many of his supporters.

Doocy, who has long covered for Biden, is regularly called out by the president at events, often asking skeptical and critical questions. Conservative-leaning Fox News has been critical of Biden’s presidency and Democrats.

Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Alexandra Alper, editing by Rosalba O’Brien, Robert Birsel

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