CNN’s host Jake Tapper cut off one of President Joe Biden’s White House economic advisers who tried to blame the surging gas prices on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. This took place while Jake Tapper asked Brian Deese, the White House National Economic Council Director, about why and how long the American people will continue to face horrible gas prices getting near record highs and being hurt in the wallet where it counts.
WATCH what happens on the video:
Tapper said: “Speaking of exorbitant prices, another issue affecting Americans right now is skyrocketing gas prices. Today on average, gas is costing $4.60 a gallon. That’s up more than 10 cents a gallon from last week and almost 50 cents from last month. We’re one week away from Memorial Day. Should Americans be buckling up for these high prices for the entire summer?”
Deese said: “As you know, this all emanates from President Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.”
Tapper cut him off, saying: “Not all of it. Not all of it. Some of it, yes.”
Deese tried to say that Joe Biden’s administration is “doing everything we can to try to bring those prices down.” However, Deese also tried to blame Vladimir Putin on the surging gas prices, a talking point that the White House keeps trying to push on the American people.
Deese further said: “Just to be really clear, since troops started amassing on the Ukrainian border and there was the concern that Russian supplies would come off, prices at the pump go up $1.50. That is the price hike that is associated with taking Russian supply off the market…
“But also, to your point, Russian refining capacity as well, because we have not only a shortage of supply of oil, but also the refining capacity to turn that oil into gasoline and diesel as well,” he continued. “We’re doing everything we can to bring more supply onto the market.”
Republicans have criticized the Biden administration repeatedly in hopes for a way to produce more gas/oil here on American soil, but it seems like the answers are far and few.
Meanwhile, AAA reports that the national average for a single gallon of gas had hit a record price of $4.598 per gallon this Tuesday.