Prickly City by Scott Stantis for January 30, 2025

In a conversation with Greg Sargent of the New Republic published today, writer Amanda Marcotte called out an important moment in White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s first press conference yesterday.

When a reporter noted that “[e]gg prices have skyrocketed since President Trump took office,” and asked “what specifically is he doing to lower those costs for Americans?” Leavitt answered: “Really glad you brought this up because there is a lot of reporting out there that is putting the onus on this White House for the increased cost of eggs. I would like to point out to each and every one of you that in 2024, when Joe Biden was in the Oval Office or upstairs in the residence sleeping, I’m not so sure, egg prices increased 65 percent in this country. We also have seen the cost of everything—not just eggs—bacon, groceries, gasoline, have increased because of the inflationary policies of the last administration.”

During his campaign for the presidency, Trump repeatedly attacked Biden for the post-pandemic inflation that afflicted the country, and promised to bring down “the price of everything.” Even before he took office, Trump had begun to walk back his promise, and J.D. Vance has also suggested price relief would “take a little bit of time.” Now coffee and egg prices are at an all-time high, and the administration’s solution is to attack Biden. No matter the incompetencies of the Trump presidency, Marcotte notes, it appears the answer will be: You might not like what we’re doing, but don’t you hate Democrats more? – Heather Cox Richardson – Jan 30