White House gets defensive when MSNBC asks about economic 'pivot': 'We’ve been on this argument all year long'

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White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain: 'We are not coming to this economic argument late'

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain claimed on MSNBC Thursday that the Biden administration was focused on economic messaging and has been "all year long" leading up to the midterm elections.

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain joined the hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday and insisted that the Biden administration has been touting an economic message "all year long." 

Politico's Jonathan Lemire asked Klain why they were pivoting towards an economic message so close to the midterm elections ahead of the president's speech on the economy in Syracuse, New York, on Thursday. 

"The president has been talking about the economy and inflation all year long. In fact, his signature economic achievement this year in August was a bill called the Inflation Reduction Act. So he’s been out there fighting to bring down prices," Klain said. "He’s out there fighting to bring down the cost of prescription drugs, something he’s been talking about all year long, and again succeeded in getting a bill passed. So we are not coming to this economic argument late. We've been on this argument all year long."

The top presidential aide said the economy and inflation are a "critical problem" and argued Republicans were going to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Ron Klain joined the hosts of "Morning Joe" on Thursday to discuss White House messaging on the economy.  (Screenshot/MSNBC/MorningJoe)

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Co-host Willie Geist asked about Biden's upcoming speech in New York and about Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., who is locked in a tight gubernatorial race against Republican Lee Zeldin. 

"The president is a big fan of Governor Hochul. She’s doing a great job. His trip to Syracuse today is really about a national economic achievement. What they are unveiling in Syracuse today will be the largest private investment in a new manufacturing facility in the history of this country, creating thousands of jobs, many of which will pay a six-figure salary, even for people who do not have a college degree," Klain said. 

Co-host Mika Brzezinski asked earlier in the show about polling that showed voters don't think the Democrats are "strong on the economy." 

"They don’t think, some, that Democrats are strong on crime. How do you draw a line between the lives they’re living today and the experiences they’re experiencing, and what you say is to come and the wins that have already been had by the Democrats?" Brzezinski asked. 

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a rally hosted by the Democratic National Committee (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Klain said he believed they have taken action on the economy and that some relief would take effect next year. 

"I do think also – I know some of the polling about the economy, I think it’s also out of date since some of those polls were taken. The price of gas has come down dramatically. We’re seeing economic growth, we’re seeing prices come down. We’re seeing real income go up," he said. 

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 30: White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain attends an event with governors of western states and members of the Biden administration cabinet June 30, 2021 in Washington, DC. U.S. (Getty) (Getty Images)

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Biden said Wednesday that some prices were returning to pre-pandemic levels.

"Gas prices are continuing to go down. And because are going down, we're making serious progress on getting prices close to what they were before the pandemic," he said. "The most common price right now in America is three dollars and thirty-nine cents a gallon."