While you’re feeling the pain at the pump, politicians are striking deals with terrorist-producing countries rather than tapping into domestic supplies and that should make you angry. Hell, you should be pissed. What does the White House have to say about the idiot-in-chief’s latest crisis?
Nothing. Just more ‘bob-weave-and blame’, but finally someone with a little grit managed to pin down White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki long enough to express Americans’ concerns. Let me tell you, Fox News’ Peter Doocy own Psaki big time.
While she played the usual blame game, Doocy interrupted saying, ” It sounds like you guys are blaming Putin for the increase in gas prices recently, but weren’t gas prices going up anyway because of post-pandemic supply chain issues?” Doocy remarked.
Psaki responded, “Well, I think there’s no question that, as we have seen and outside analysts have conveyed this as well, the increase, and the anticipated continued increase, which is, I think, what some of your colleagues were asking about — that that is a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine and also, there was an anticipation of that that was — that was — it was factored in, as gas prices have gone up.”
Doocy clapped back, “So you say that you’re going to do everything that you can to reduce the impact that high gas prices have on Americans. We’re asking other countries to think about maybe pumping more oil. Why not just do it here?”
The two became entangled in a back-and-forth argument, interrupting one another until Doocy finally made his point. The reporter pointed out that the US has its own oil and the Biden admins won’t crack into it.
A very irritated Psaki snapped, “Let me give you the facts here — and I know that can be inconvenient, but I think they’re important in this moment: To the contrary, we have — we have been clear that in the short term, supply must keep up with the demand we’re — we are — here and around the world, while we make the shift to secure a clear — clean energy future. We are one of the largest producers with a strong domestic oil and gas industry. We have actually produced more oil; it is at record numbers and we will continue to produce more oil. There are 9,000 approved drilling permits that are not being used, so the suggestion that we are not let allowing companies to drill is inaccurate. The suggestion that that is what is hindering or preventing gas prices to come down is inaccurate.”
Notice she didn’t address Biden’s executive orders to halt oil production in the US? Yeah, Doocy noticed too.
“So, gas prices are approaching an all-time high per gallon. How high would they have to get before President Biden would say, “I’m going to set aside my ambitious climate goals and just increase domestic oil production, get the producers to drill more here, and we can address the fossil fuel future later?” Doocy snapped.
“Well, again, Peter, the U.S. produced more oil this past year than in President Trump’s first year. Next year, according to the Department of Energy, we will produce more oil than every — than ever before,” she gloated as if it freaking matters now. Trump wasn’t in the middle of an oil crisis, so her argument is pointless.
She continued, “Those are — those are the facts, in terms of oil production and again, right now there are 9,000 unused approved permits to drill onshore. So, I think you’re misidentifying what the actual issue is. But if we’re looking to the future and what — how — what we can do to prevent this from being a challenge in future crises, the best thing we can do is reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil, because that will help us have a reliable source of energy so that we’re not worried about gas prices going up because of the whims of a foreign dictator.”
Full Transcript Provided By The White House
PETER DOOCY: It sounds like you guys are blaming Putin for the increase in gas prices recently, but weren’t gas prices going up anyway because of post-pandemic supply chain issues?
JEN PSAKI: Well, I think there’s no question that, as we have seen and outside analysts have conveyed this as well, the increase, and the anticipated continued increase, which is, I think, what some of your colleagues were asking about — that that is a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine and also, there was an anticipation of that that was — that was — it was factored in, as gas prices have gone up.
DOOCY: So you say that you’re going to do everything that you can to reduce the impact that high gas prices have on Americans. We’re asking other countries to think about maybe pumping more oil. Why not just do it here?
PSAKI: Well, to be very clear, federal policies are not limiting the supplies of oil and gas. To the con- — let me finish — to the cont —
DOOCY: President Biden —
PSAKI: — let me finish —
DOOCY: — signed an executive order —
PSAKI: Peter.
DOOCY: — his first week —
PSAKI: Peter, I’m —
DOOCY: — that halted new oil and gas leases —
PSAKI: Let me — let me give you —
DOOCY: — on public lands.
PSAKI: Let me give you the facts here — and I know that can be inconvenient, but I think they’re important in this moment: To the contrary, we have — we have been clear that in the short term, supply must keep up with the demand we’re — we are — here and around the world, while we make the shift to secure a clear — clean energy future. We are one of the largest producers with a strong domestic oil and gas industry. We have actually produced more oil; it is at record numbers and we will continue to produce more oil. There are 9,000 approved drilling permits that are not being used, so the suggestion that we are not let allowing companies to drill is inaccurate. The suggestion that that is what is hindering or preventing gas prices to come down is inaccurate.
DOOCY: Would President Biden rescind his executive order that halts new oil and natural gas leases on public lands?
PSAKI: Well, 90 percent of them happen on private lands, as I’m sure you know and there are 9,000 unused approved drilling permits, so I would suggest you ask the oil companies why they’re not using those if there’s a desire to drill more.
DOOCY: Would President Biden ever undo his executive order that stopped the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline?
PSAKI: Are you suggesting that would solve the gas prices issue?
DOOCY: Well, do you think that that would maybe affect prices faster than getting the whole country off of fossil fuels?
PSAKI: I actually don’t think it would. The Keystone was not an oilfield; it’s a pipeline.
DOOCY: Yeah.
PSAKI: Also, the oil is continuing to flow in, just through other means. So it actually would have nothing to do with the current supply imbalance.
DOOCY: So, gas prices are approaching an all-time high per gallon. How high would they have to get before President Biden would say, “I’m going to set aside my ambitious climate goals and just increase domestic oil production, get the producers to drill more here, and we can address the fossil fuel future later?”
PSAKI: Well, again, Peter, the U.S. produced more oil this past year than in President Trump’s first year. Next year, according to the Department of Energy, we will produce more oil than every — than ever before. Those are — those are the facts, in terms of oil production and again, right now there are 9,000 unused approved permits to drill on shore. So, I think you’re misidentifying what the actual issue is. But if we’re looking to the future and what — how — what we can do to prevent this from being a challenge in future crises, the best thing we can do is reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil, because that will help us have a reliable source of energy so that we’re not worried about gas prices going up because of the whims of a foreign dictator.
DOOCY: Right and you guys think that asking Saudi Arabia or Venezuela or Iran is reducing our dependence on foreign oil?
PSAKI: That’s actually — I just outlined each of those specific scenarios and the range of discussions that we’re having with each of those countries. I don’t think anybody is advocating for Iran to continue acquiring a nuclear weapon, perhaps except for the former President who pulled us out of the deal.