Chris Lange, FISM News
President Biden admitted that a slight recession may be on the horizon but that it is unlikely during a televised interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday evening. The rare sit-down interview with the reclusive commander in chief touched on the economy, Hunter Biden’s legal troubles, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The interview came a day after JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned that recession is likely only “six to nine months” away.
“Should the American people prepare for a recession?” Tapper asked Biden.
“No,” Biden responded initially. “Look, they’ve been saying this now — every six months they say this. Every six months, they look down at the next six months and see what’s gonna happen. It hadn’t happened yet.”
Biden then appeared to waver in his assertion when he added, “I don’t think there will be a recession. If it is, it will be a slight recession — that is we’ll move down slightly.”
The president went on to laud his administration’s “accomplishments” in improving the economy, making reference to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden further said of those predicting a recession that “it’s just not there,” a statement challenged by the CNN host.
“But you just said that a slight recession is possible,” Tapper pressed.
“It is possible — look, it’s possible,” Biden said. “I don’t anticipate it. What I do think — look, we talk about the impact on families. They have reason to be concerned about energy prices, they have reason to be concerned about a whole range of issues. But look at what we’ve done. We’ve been able to — with the Inflation Reduction Act.”
“You think Democrats have something to run on,” Tapper asked.
“Oh, I think we do. I know we do,” Biden responded.
FISM previously reported that July marked back-to-back quarters of negative GDP growth, meeting the historic definition of a recession. However, the Biden administration and liberal media outlets suddenly dismissed the long-held definition.
Biden skirts question on Hunter’s legal troubles
Tapper also took the opportunity to ask Biden for his “personal and political” position on a Washington Post report citing anonymous federal agents who said they have “sufficient evidence” to charge the first son with tax and gun-related crimes.
Side-stepping a direct response to the question, Biden insisted that he is “proud” of his son.
“This is a kid who got — not a kid; he’s a grown man. He got hooked on — like many families have had happen, hooked on drugs. He’s overcome that. He’s established a new life,” Biden responded.
The president did acknowledge that Hunter falsely claimed on a gun purchase application that he did not use drugs but added that he was unaware of the infraction at the time.
“So I have great confidence in my son,” Biden said. “I love him, and he’s on the straight and narrow, and he has been for a couple years now. And I’m just so proud of him.”
Biden: Putin is a ‘rational actor’
On the topic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden said the Kremlin leader made a huge mistake in invading Ukraine but warned that he should not be underestimated.
“I think he is a rational actor who has miscalculated significantly,” Biden said.
The President on Saturday created a stir when he told a group of Democratic donors that the U.S. is facing “the prospect of Armageddon” in response to Putin’s vow to use “all means available” to protect Russian territory.
Fumbled his cheat sheet?
During one distracting moment of the interview, President Biden dropped a piece of paper, presumably containing notes to help him answer questions.
WATCH: Joe Biden drops his cheat sheet during his interview with CNN's Jake Tapper. pic.twitter.com/XDHKrSpjBA
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 12, 2022
This report was partially informed by The Hill and Fox News reports.