During a portion of an interview with NPR aired on Thursday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) responded to complaints on inflation by stating that after the pandemic forced the economy to shut down, “We worked hard to bring it back in a way that allowed for everyday Americans to regain their jobs, to remain in their homes, and to see a pathway back to pursuing the American dream in the most robust fashion possible.”
During a segment on the interview, host Steve Inskeep said, “We called Jeffries to hear Democrats’ closing argument as Americans vote. His location suggested how hard an election it can be for Democrats. He was helping to defend congressional seats in a blue state, Oregon. His party has been hoping to run on achievements like infrastructure spending and gun safety. They also run as supporters of abortion rights. But these concerns compete for attention with inflation, as we’ve been hearing from voters, like those who spoke with NPR in Georgia.”
After playing a clip of voters talking about inflation, Inskeep stated, “So we asked Jeffries about it.”
Jeffries responded, “We had a once-in-a-century public health crisis that caused the economy to have to shut down. We worked hard to bring it back in a way that allowed for everyday Americans to regain their jobs, to remain in their homes, and to see a pathway back to pursuing the American dream in the most robust fashion possible. We have more work to do, and our track record of accomplishment is one that I cite, not simply to say, reward us, but to say, trust us.”
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