YOU'RE JOE-KING
Disgraceful moment Joe Biden snaps at reporters & tells them how they should cover the news before ‘shushing’ journalist
Joe Biden slammed reporters for their coverage of the economy and his policies on inflation
JOE Biden was quick to snap at reporters attending an influencer event on Wednesday, even shushing one of them in the audience when they tried to ask a question.
The president, 81, was speaking to 100 digital content creators and influencers when things fired up at the first-ever Creator Economy Conference hosted by The White House.
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He began by taking to the podium to ask if this was "the real press or the fake press back there?" - a rhetoric typically used by his rival, former president Donald Trump.
Biden then focused on engaging directly with the influencers in the room, stating he would only take questions from them during the event's Q&A session, rather than the media.
At one point, he brought up his foreign policy record, leading a reporter in the back of the room to shout out a question.
"I'm not talking to you guys," Biden told the journalist, emphasizing that he was speaking to those in the audience instead.
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After attempting to move on and listen to a member of the audience, the reporter spoke up again.
Biden then shushed the reporter and told them again that he was speaking to the audience first, implying that he would eventually get to their question.
Yelling and interrupting then ensued in the crowd, with another reporter shouting out and asking whether the "US has beat inflation?"
Biden snapped back, "Yes, Yes, Yes!
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"I told you we're going to have a soft landing.
"My policies are working.
Americans aren’t safe from future increases affecting loans and credit cards despite Fed keeping interest rates on hold
"Start writing that way, okay?"
Despite seemingly losing his patience with journalists in the room, Biden reminded the room how important their role is.
'YOU ARE THE FUTURE'
He went on to speak candidly about the shifting landscape in which younger generations consume the news.
The president also spoke on how his grandchildren, like many of their peers, are turning to social media for information rather than traditional news sources.
"With all due respect, they don't read the same newspapers or watch the same television I do," Biden noted.
He went on to acknowledge the pivotal role social media stars play in modern communication, calling them "the future" and commending their ability to break through and change the way people connect and share information.
"They listen to all of you," he told the gathered influencers, emphasizing their influence in shaping public discourse.
"That fact is that you are the future. You are the future," he continued.
Influencers were recording their experience throughout the speech, and Biden even took a selfie with the crowd before he began.
The president also suggested he could become an influencer himself in a few months, joking, "When I retire, where do you think I'm going? I got contacts, man. You all think I'm kidding."
Throughout the conference, Biden joked about his age and long political career, often drawing laughs from the audience.
At one point, he joked that he'd been in politics for "800 years."
"I know I only look like I’m 40," he added.
"I wanted to say something else to you and I can't remember what it was now," the 81-year-old also said to the crowd with a smile on his face.
'MY POLICIES ARE WORKING'
After the latest Consumer Price Index report last month showed inflation rates throughout the country have slowed to their lowest level in three years, it is clear Biden wants his props.
In July, the inflation rate for the month was 2.9%, the lowest it's been since 2021 and the first time in three years it has fallen under 3%.
In the same time period, wages have reportedly increased by 3.6%.
This means that on average, Americans should have at least a little more money in their pockets than they did since the peak of the pandemic.
And now as inflation has stayed steady and low over the past several months, The Federal Reserve has signaled the possibility of cutting interest rates for the first time in years during a September meeting.
A potential rate cut could provide much-needed relief for Americans who have delayed making major life purchases such as homes and cars.
CPI and Inflation explained
The Consumer Price Index is how the federal government measures inflation.
Every month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shares its CPI numbers with detailed breakdowns of which items have changing prices.
The CPI shows the amount prices rose or fell over the previous 12 months.
The calculation process is complex, but measures the changes in price for urban consumers, those living or working in an American metropolitan area.
While that does not cover everyone, it measures prices for about 90% of the population.
Even businesses looking to expand may find the reduced rates beneficial.
Between March 2022 and July 2023, the Fed raised interest rates 11 times in an effort to combat high inflation.
Fed Chair, Jerome Powell, maintained that these rate hikes were essential to preventing runaway inflation, despite the fact that they led to a slowdown in large purchases.
However, consumer spending remained robust, and GDP growth outpaced forecasts, according to The Street.
If the Fed proceeds with a rate cut next month, it would confirm the "soft landing" that President Biden highlighted during his Wednesday press conference.
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In economic terms, a "soft landing" occurs when inflation rates decrease and interest rates are lowered without triggering a recession.
The last time the US achieved this economic feat was in 1994, making a potential rate cut a significant milestone for President Biden in the current economic climate.