CNN’s Cillizza Rips WH for Spin on Recession Definition: ‘You Don’t Get to Change the Nomenclature… Because it Doesn’t Work for You’

Kipp JonesJul 25th, 2022, 5:32 pm
 

CNN’s Chris Cillizza accused the Biden administration of attempting to move the goal posts regarding what constitutes a recession on Monday.

With fears the American economy is already in decline, the White House issued a document last week to inform people how economists determine “whether the economy is in a recession.”

Recessions are generally defined, as Insider notes, “when gross domestic product (GDP) declines for two consecutive quarters.

The document dropped by the White House noted:

While some maintain that two consecutive quarters of falling real GDP constitute a recession, that is neither the official definition nor the way economists evaluate the state of the business cycle.

The document went viral online, as conservatives accused Democrats of attempting to redefine what a recession is.

Cillizza weighed in Monday on CNN’s The Lead. Guest host Kasie Hunt said she understands the White House’s position to downplay a recession any way it can.

Cillizza responded to comments Biden made remotely Monday, in which he said, “We’re not going to be in a recession, in my view.”

“I was laughing to myself with the ‘in my view thing,'” Cillizza said. “Like. in my view, I should be drafted to the NBA. NBA executives didn’t agree with that. It doesn’t matter what you think.”

He added:

There is a technical definition, two straight quarters of negative economic growth. They clearly believe that is likely to come to pass later this week. They’re trying to prebut it…

At the same time, we have these terms for a reason. You don’t have to like it. Joe Biden’s handling of the economy was at 25% or 30% in the most recent poll. It’s a problem for them, this adds to the problem, but you don’t get to change the nomenclature in the middle of a campaign because it doesn’t work for you.

Watch above, via CNN.

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