MSNBC “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough on Thursday argued that the record-high inflation was not a result of President Joe Biden’s policies.
Scarborough asserted it was a “lie” whenever he heard Republicans blame Biden’s policies for the high prices across the country. According to the MSNBC host, Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the coronavirus pandemic, and China’s “insane COVID policy” have all resulted in a “global phenomenon” with prices.
“So, Steve, when I hear Republicans saying, ‘Oh, it is Biden’s policies that led to this inflation,’ I know it’s a lie,” Scarborough emphasized. “But … if I’m a Republican candidate, and I’m campaigning, and I say, ‘OK. Steve, I want to tell the truth on the campaign trail, unlike all my other Republican brothers and sisters,’ what can I blame Biden for as it … relates to inflation?”
He continued, “And I’m asking that question because let’s get real here, OK? You and Larry Summers were warning the Biden administration to stop spending money. You were warning Democrats to stop spending money. And you guys were just absolutely trashed by other economists. I won’t use their names, but they’re the same people that said for 20 years, there’s such thing as a free lunch. And you said, ‘No, the chickens are going to come home to roost.’ So, that being said, do you point to the COVID relief bill? Because before that, everything was bipartisan.”
Network economic analyst Steve Rattner replied, “Yeah, look, I think you would basically say that Biden wanted to spend us into inflation. You had the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which was passed early in his administration. Which handed out a bunch of stimulus checks.”
“No Republican votes on that,” Scarborough added.
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent