I have another beautiful example, really a perfect example of these attempts to play
hardball with Joe Biden's press secretary, Jen Psaki.
And it is not going well.
And this one isn't just Fox News's Peter Doocy saying something obviously belligerent.
This is a reporter actually trying to make something that is not controversial, controversial.
The question is from Owen Jensen, who is a reporter for the religious channel EWTN.
Own wants to know, how can we be sure that covid stimulus money in the planned proposed
one point nine dollars trillion covid relief bill?
How can we be sure that none of that money will go towards abortions?
Now, Jen Psaki does something smart.
She asks, well, what specific sections are you even referring to where money could go
to abortion?
Let's listen and then discuss.
Go ahead, ma'am.
Good afternoon on Jensen, EWTN Global Catholic Network.
So regarding the American rescue plan, groups like pro-life groups, including the Susan
B. Anthony List are very concerned that millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars will go to the abortion
industry in violation of the Hyde Amendment.
We know where President Obama stands on the Hyde Amendment.
But that being said, can this administration right now guarantee if the American rescue
plan is passed, that no taxpayer dollars will go to the abortion industry?
Which component of the American rescue plan are you referring to here?
A 50 million dollar funding increase for the Title 10 program, 750 million dollars for
global health activities and billions in funding for community health centers without applying
the Hyde Amendment.
Well, the president's view and the Hyde Amendment is well known, as you have stated in your
question.
He also believes that community health centers are a key part of addressing the pandemic,
of ensuring that people in communities have access to vaccines, have access to treatment
and information about about making sure they are healthy in their loved ones are healthy.
So that remains a priority to the president.
He's shared his view on the Hyde Amendment.
I don't think I have anything for you.
So, Jen Psaki, later, part of the answer is sort of OK, but it's her earlier question
that's key.
She asks, what parts of covid relief are you referring to?
And the reporter mentions Title 10 global health initiatives and funding for community
health centers.
Now, two of those we can just dismiss out of hand because there's no evidence.
They don't make sense, he says.
Does the money for global health initiatives maybe go towards abortions?
There's no reason to think that that's the case.
Does the money for community health centers maybe go towards abortions absent some reason
to believe that that funding would go towards abortion?
I think there's no reason to explore those any further.
But the interesting one is Title 10.
Title 10 is a federal grant program that's related.
It's related to family planning.
That's true.
And it is part of the program that no Title 10 money goes to abortion directly.
It is true that because Title 10 provides money for contraception and family planning,
it reduces pregnancies and thus it reduces the number of people seeking abortions.
And again, some people might say, well, listen, Title 10 allows money to go to Planned Parenthood
and Planned Parenthood does abortions.
But again, the law is Planned Parenthood can't use Title 10 money to fund abortions.
So this is the same tired talking point, a talking point about federal funds for abortion
that religious media and Republican politicians love to trot out whenever the president is
a Democrat, when there actually isn't anything to discuss.
Title ten money can't go towards abortions.
There's no reason to think that if the title 10 money is in covid relief, it would be any
different than anything else.
Now, one last bonus clip for you from yesterday's briefing.
Just another silly question.
A reporter tries to also play hardball with Jen Psaki because Joe Biden's planned address
to a joint session of Congress is happening in March, not in February, as some initially
thought.
And it just.
Kind of goes nowhere.
All right.
Just wanted to follow up on the president's appearance before a joint session of Congress
and his primetime address last month in January, reading from prepared remarks, he said, next
month and my first appearance before a joint session, I will lay out my build back.
Better plan.
So it feels like he did say it was going to be.
Well, what I was referring to as there was reporting on February twenty third and I don't
know where that date came from, which has never been inaccurate.
So it was the February.
Twenty third wasn't just an accurate date, no one's fault.
It just it just wasn't it created some confusion.
So I was just trying to clarify it.
Obviously the president looks forward to speaking to a joint session and we just don't have
a date yet for when that will be.
Jen Psaki continuing to just be kind of like the mom who's frustrated but trying to remain
patient with her kids.
Maybe it's just the confusion.
We're not blaming anybody.
The address by Joe Biden will be in March.
It's not a big deal.
And there are rumors, of course, from from Washington that Joe Biden doesn't want to
do that address until covid relief is passed.
And I would certainly understand that because the longer it goes without passing covid relief,
the more of the more of an early stain that that will be on the Biden presidency.
It's time to pass it.
I said it yesterday.
I said it the day before.
I'm not going to keep going on and on.
But it is time to pass covid relief.
Remember, during their first year in office, presidents typically don't do a State of the
Union, but they will sometimes do a joint address before the House and Senate, not called
a State of the Union.
It could be really at any time.
And I am looking forward to seeing Joe Biden's in March, but really trying to create a controversy
where there isn't one.
After the break, we are going to talk about the latest fabricated scandal from right wing
media about the Biden administration.
This one is so stupid that it really shows you the degree to which the right is desperate
to create these scandalous narratives.
We'll take a quick break.
We'll be back soon.
The David Pakman Show at David Pakman Dotcom.