On Wednesday, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki a number of times if President Joe Biden would ever consider restarting construction on the Keystone XL Pipeline, and she would not give him a straight answer.
The exchange took place during the White House’s daily briefing.
Doocy: "Is a restart of the the Keystone XL construction completely off the table as long as Joe Biden is president?"
Psaki: "Well, why don't you tell me what that would help you address?"
Doocy: "I'm asking you if it is an option. You guys say are all options on the table." pic.twitter.com/i4JInd97dz
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 9, 2022
Psaki Dodges Question About Restarting Keystone Pipeline, Over And Over
With gas prices rising in the U.S. as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues, Doocy asked Psaki three times for a simple “yes or no” answer over whether domestic oil production could be increased by restarting construction on the Keystone Pipeline, bringing oil from Canada into the U.S.
Doocy said, “Quick yes or no, because there’s a lot of grey area here: Is a restart of the the Keystone XL construction completely off the table as long as Joe Biden is president?”
Instead of answering the question, Psaki asked her own question.
“Well, why don’t you tell me what that would help address?” Psaki replied.
Doocy responded, “I’m asking you if it is an option. You guys say all options on the table. Is restarting Keystone construction one of them?”
Psaki: "If we're trying to bring about more supply, that does not address any problem."
Doocy: "Is supply from Canada, a friendly ally, instead of Saudi Arabia –"
Psaki: "That — that's…we're already getting that oil…The pipeline is just a delivery mechanism[.]" pic.twitter.com/OWpJR5Cvxg
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 9, 2022
Doocy Continues To Press Her On Keystone Pipeline Construction
Psaki said that restarting Keystone construction would not solve any of the current problems facing Americans regarding spiking gas prices.
“If we’re trying to bring about more supply, that does not address any problem,” Psaki claimed.
“It’s supply from Canada, a friendly ally, instead of Saudi Arabia,” Doocy shot back.
“That — that’s already — we’re already getting that oil, Peter,” Psaki continued. “The pipeline is just a delivery mechanism, it is not an oilfield. So it does not provide more supply into the system. It does not address…”
Doocy then interjected, “Is it possible that Joe Biden will ever say, ‘You guys can go ahead with construction of Keystone XL?”
Doocy: "Is it possible that Joe Biden will ever say, 'you guys can go ahead w/construction of Keystone XL?"
Psaki: "There's no plans for that & it would not address any of the problems we're have currently." (7/7) pic.twitter.com/J6Q7aC6JOr
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 9, 2022
Psaki dodged the question – again.
“There’s no plans for that and it would not address any of the problems we’re have currently,” she replied.