Tapper Presses Ron Klain on Inflation: What Do You Say to Americans ‘Not Feeling Any Help from President Biden’?

CNN’s Jake Tapper pressed White House chief of staff Ron Klain Wednesday on rising inflation impacting Americans across the country.

Tapper questioned Klain in particular about a tweet from Senator Joe Manchin stating, “By all accounts, the threat posed by record inflation to the American people is not ‘transitory’ and is instead getting worse. From the grocery store to the gas pump, Americans know the inflation tax is real and DC can no longer ignore the economic pain Americans feel every day.”

By all accounts, the threat posed by record inflation to the American people is not “transitory” and is instead getting worse. From the grocery store to the gas pump, Americans know the inflation tax is real and DC can no longer ignore the economic pain Americans feel every day.

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) November 10, 2021

“Do you think that build back better in its current form is essentially dead because of inflation?” Tapper asked.

“Quite the opposite,” Klain answered, saying Manchin’s concerns “make the strongest possible case for Build Back Better.”

“I think if your concern is the cost of living, it’s a concern we have here at the White House, it’s a concern Senator Manchin shares, the Build Back Better bill is the best answer we have to bring those costs down,” he said.

At one point Tapper brought up a poll showing 42 percent of people believe middle-class families “have not benefited at all” from President Joe Biden’s policies.

“I understand why a lot of them might feel that way because of all the increase in prices. Gas, used cars, bacon, beef, chicken, eggs, furniture, TVs, kids’ shoes, electricity, rent,” Tapper said. “What do you say to these Americans who say, you know what, we’re not feeling any help from President Biden?”

Klain responded by saying the poll also shows support of the infrastructure bill Congress passed.

“I have no beef with voters, pardon the pun, who say, look, the recovery is making progress, but not far enough along for me yet. That’s why we aren’t stopping work now. That’s why we’re working hard to move the recovery forward,” he added.

You can watch above, via CNN.