Even CNN isn’t buying Biden gas price narrative

CNN is not buying the Biden administration’s narrative that record-high gas prices are Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fault. 

Last month, Frontline News reported that the White House held briefings with teenage TikTok influencers to push messaging that Putin is responsible for the hit Americans are taking at the gas pumps, not Biden.

But the public isn’t buying that claim. According to a recent YouGov/Yahoo News poll, Americans place Biden at the top of the list of who’s to blame for gas prices.   

In a panel segment on Sunday, CNN anchor Abby Philip acknowledged that, surprisingly veering from the pro-Biden line. 

The panel included Axios political reporter Hans Nichols, who said that there are numerous economic reports put out by the White House that show a certain picture of the American economy. 

“But there’s one number that they can’t really change right now,” he said. “And that is what the placard says at the local gas station.” 

Philip noted the Biden administration’s TikTok campaign and added that the White House even tried to trend the hashtag “#PutinPriceHike”, but it didn’t take. 

“Look, when I’ve passed gas stations that say ‘blame Putin’ more than they say ‘Let’s go Brandon,’ I’ll know the White House has been successful in messaging,” Nichols replied. 

“That is fascinating in its own right,” Phillip agreed, and then shared additional poll data confirming the YouGov/Yahoo News poll. “Take a look at this Quinnipiac poll. Americans just don’t buy that this is related to the war in Ukraine, and most of it, frankly, is not. 41% say it’s Biden’s policies, just 24% say the war in Ukraine. 24% also say the oil and gas companies are raising prices. But the White House is trying to do both, blame Putin, blame the oil and gas companies, but Americans just don’t agree.” 

This is not the first time that hardline Leftists have been critical of the Biden administration. 

As Frontline News reported last month when Saudi Arabia and the UAE refused to take Biden’s calls, even The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, a noted progressive Leftist, said that this would never have happened under former President Donald Trump.  

“You have got to be kidding me,” Noah said on the show. “Apparently, Saudi Arabia won’t even pick up the phone for the President of the United States.”  

“I mean, look, I know it’s hard to arrange those calls. You know, Riyadh is eight hours ahead. Biden is asleep by 4:00 p.m.,” Noah said, poking fun at “Sleepy Joe”. “It’s a narrow window to make it work, but still. 

“That must have been really embarrassing for Biden. Can you imagine? He phones them, and they don’t pick up,” he continued. “You can say what you want, but this would have never happened to Donald Trump. Never. 

“That’s why I bet in these situations, Biden actually wishes that he could hire Trump to step in as President Wild Card. You know?” he joked. “Just keep everyone on their toes. ‘Cause if Trump was calling, you best believe the UAE — they’ll be racing to pick up the phone.”   

Comedian and career liberal Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher, also questioned why the entire Russia-Ukraine conflict didn’t happen during Trump’s presidency.  

Maher has been an avid opponent of Trump, once even expressing hopes that America would suffer a recession if it meant getting Trump out of office.  

But now, Maher’s tone about Trump appears to be softening.  

"OK, but if Putin thought Trump was really that supportive of him, why didn't he invade when Trump was in office?" Maher said on his show. "It's at least worth asking that question if you're not locked into one intransigent thought."