White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pushed back against complaints by Republicans and Fox News that energy costs are rising because President Joe Biden opposes the Keystone pipeline.
Perino asked if Biden would announce the reversal of some of his policies during tonight's State of the Union address.
"Either Keystone pipeline or allowing our oil and gas companies to pursue federal and oil gas leases," Perino wondered.
Psaki explained that President Biden has already tapped into the strategic reserve which has had an impact.
But it was just a blip, Perino interrupted.
"Dana, the policies you mentioned, Sen. Cotton and others, they are not policies that would address the issue at all," Psaki patiently explained. "This Keystone pipeline, it would take years for that have an impact in prices. It wasn't functioning, it isn't functioning, it would take years."
"There are 9000 approved oil leases oil companies are not tapping into," Perino argued.
"We should be very clear about what policies should help and what policies would not help," Psaki countered.
Republicans have many bogeyman phrases at their disposal and the Keystone Pipeline is one that the oil companies pay a lot of people to use to attack Democrats. Any U.S. president does not control the price of oil. With that said, President Biden has released 900 more oil leases on public lands in his first year than Trump did, despite his stated commitment to curb climate change.
Fox News should know by now that Jen Psaki isn't going to play stupid on their shows.
