(Daily Mail) Joe Biden is facing the wrath of conservatives online after he was caught on camera telling a reporter in Portland that the ‘economy is strong as hell’ – while licking away at a Baskin Robbins ice cream cone.
The president appeared unbothered by the country’s 8.2 percent inflation rate and warnings of a looming recession as he was asked about the US’ financial situation in an Oregon ice cream parlor Saturday.
Questioned if he had any worry about the strength of the US dollar amid rising inflation, the president, with a chocolate chip cone in-hand, flippantly replied: ‘I’m not concerned about the strength of the dollar. I’m concerned about the rest of the world. Our economy is strong as hell.’
The US dollar largely serves as a safe haven investment that sees inflows during times of uncertainty – meaning it will often rise in times of economic turmoil, while others, like the pound and euro, fall.
That sentiment was not lost on several pundits and political observers who viewed the clip, which has been widely shared since its recording Sunday afternoon during the head of state’s visit to the notoriously liberal city to tout the Democratic Party’s recent legislative achievements in health care.
The bizarre interaction has since gone viral, being shared thousands of times just a day after Biden, 79, drew criticism from Republicans for giving unsolicited dating advice to a young teen girl in California – much to her apparent discomfort – in an interaction that was also recorded.
The altercations, along with a litany of other gaffes in recent months, have opened Biden up to political attacks about his age, as well as accusations the president has failed to address current economic unrest, which has seen inflation rates swell and Americans’ cost-of-living seeing an even worse surge.
The president appeared unbothered by the country’s 8.2 percent inflation rate and warnings of a looming recession as he was asked about the US’ financial situation in an Oregon ice cream parlor Saturday
BIDEN, eating ice cream: “Our economy is strong as hell” pic.twitter.com/x5dyCg14l3
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 16, 2022
‘The price of Joe Biden’s ice cream is UP 13.6 percent compared with a year ago,’ wrote Breitbart journalist Wendell Husebø of the president’s answer, in which he seemed oblivious to the economic troubles his country is facing.
Former Buzzfeed columnist Benny Johnson – the self-proclaimed ‘Godfather of the Conservative Internet’ added, ‘Biden is eating Ice cream bragging about the economy,’ re-sharing a clip of the now viral exchange.
Jacob Schneider, meanwhile, the deputy director of rapid response for the Republican National Committee, also took a shot at the president, poking fun at his contentious claims – as well as his preference for the frozen snack – during a photo-op with Portland Gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek.
‘I’m glad Joe Biden and the crazy lady whose priorities include ‘meth stabilization centers’ had time for an ice cream cone,’ the conservative security official wrote, referring to Kotek’s controversial plans to build of a so-called ‘sobering center’ where addicts can stay indoors while they come down from their high on methamphetamines and other dangerous drugs.
Portland’s first meth stabilization center, Central City Concern, shuttered in 2019 because it was not providing much-needed medical treatment to addicts, according to its senior medical director, and instead enabled them to continue to use.
The altercation opened Biden up to political attacks about his age, as well as accusations the president has failed to address current economic unrest, which has seen inflation rates swell and Americans’ cost-of-living seeing an even worse surge
The recorded altercation further saw the president – who fell for the second time while traversing the steps of Air Force One in May – downplay the country’s current inflation rate, which rocketed to a 41-year high over the summer.
Speaking to the reporter while still clutching the cone, Biden asserted that ‘inflation is worldwide,’ adding that ‘it’s worse off [in other countries] than it is in the United States.’
The president stated: ‘The problem is the lack of economic growth and sound policy in other countries – not so much ours.’
That declaration came just days after the Commerce Department announced that the Consumer Price Index was 8.2 percent higher than it was a year ago – was barely down from last month’s 8.3 per cent, with core inflation, which takes out currently rampant energy and food costs, up 6.6 percent.
Rents and other essentials have also drastically risen in recent months under Biden’s administration – occurrences that the president seemed oblivious too during his de facto ice cream social, which came during a planned visit to boost Democrat Kotek in Oregon’s tight race for governor.
The president finished his western swing in Portland over the weekend, where Republicans believe they can now wrest control of the deep-blue state from Democrats for the first time in 40 years.
A mix of high crime, homelessness and an independent spoiler candidate has surprisingly propelled GOP nominee Christine Drazan into first place.
