President Joe Biden’s former White House chief of staff Ron Klain was caught on an audio recording slamming his former boss for focusing too much on a “f*cking bridge" instead of the economy.
According to an April 4 recording from a “Democracy: A Journal of Ideas” event, Klain was caught criticizing Biden, saying he thinks “the president is out there too much talking about bridges,” while Americans are left dealing with rising costs.
“He does two or three events a week where he’s cutting a ribbon on a bridge. And here’s a bridge. Like, I tell you, if you go into the grocery store, you go to the grocery store and, you know, eggs and milk are expensive, the fact that there’s a f*cking bridge is not [inaudible],” Klain says in the audio obtained by Politico.
“He’s not a congressman. He’s not running for Congress. I think it’s kind of a fool’s errand. I think that [it] also doesn’t get covered that much because, look, it’s a f---ing bridge. Like it’s a bridge, and how interesting is the bridge? It’s a little interesting but it’s not a lot interesting,” Klain continued.
In a follow-up interview with the outlet, in which he addressed the audio, Klain appeared to save face, praising the Biden Administration’s achievements. However, he reiterated the need for the president to double down on ways to kick-start the economy back into gear ahead of the 2024 election.
“The president’s most effective economic message is contrast around whose side are you on, and compassion for the [pinch] of family budgets, and his agenda to bring down costs and raise incomes — and that lauding achievements — especially ones with abstract benefits — is less persuasive with voters,” Klain said.
Reports have pointed out that Biden abandoned the term “Bidenomics” earlier this year after it became apparent the policy— promised to fix the economy— was not going to do anything to help the nation's historic inflation nor persuade Americans to vote for Biden for a second term.
Rising costs have continued to frustrate Americans as essential household items, grocery store food, and gas prices wreak havoc on their wallets. Despite this, the president remains focused on infrastructure.
During March stops in Wisconsin and Michigan, Biden highlighted $3.3 billion that is earmarked for infrastructure projects in disadvantaged communities.
Following the release of the leaked audio, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates addressed Klain’s comments.
“Like Ron says, President Biden is crisscrossing the country building on his State of the Union message, highlighting that he is fighting to grow the middle class and lower costs like prescription drugs while blocking the trickle-down agenda Republican officials have proposed on behalf of rich special interests, including Medicare cuts and tax giveaways to big corporations," Bates told Politico.
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