Psaki Says Biden Wasn’t Calling Texas, Mississippi Leaders ‘Neanderthals’: Only ‘the Behavior of a Neanderthal’

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday sought to clarify a remark by President Joe Biden suggesting leaders in states including Texas and Mississippi were engaged in “neanderthal thinking” when it came to Covid-19.

“Does the president have any second thoughts about the language that he used yesterday?” a reporter asked Psaki at the daily White House briefing. “And how does comparing someone to a neanderthal convince someone to change course and get on board with your public health message?”

“The behavior of a neanderthal, just to be clear, the behavior of,” Psaki replied. “The president — what everybody saw yesterday was a reflection of his frustration and exasperation, which I think many American people have, that for almost a year now, people across the country have sacrificed, at many times they haven’t had information they need from the federal government, they haven’t had access to a greater understanding of what the public health guidelines should look like.”

Biden made the comment on Wednesday in response to a question about Texas and Mississippi lifting restrictions related to Covid-19. “I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden said. “Look, I hope everybody’s realized by now, these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we’re able to get vaccines in people’s arms.”

Watch above via the White House.