#Biden’s ‘economic cold start,’ Axios’ snooze-worthy ‘wake-up call’ and more

Diary of disturbing disinformation and dangerous delusions

This statement:

“We’ve brought this economy back from a cold start.” — President Joe Biden, Aug. 11

We say: The president thinks Americans were born yesterday. In fact, the economy grew red hot under President Donald Trump after lagging during the Obama-Biden years — then dived during the pandemic lockdowns but resurged when vaccines, rushed through under Trump’s Operation Warp Speed, became available. Meanwhile, Biden’s massive spending is now driving dangerous inflation, while his bonuses to people who don’t work are fueling supply shortages.

This dialogue:

Brian Stelter: You’ve gotta have boundaries. You’ve gotta draw lines.

Stephen Colbert: Why? [Chris Cuomo] doesn’t.

Stelter: I think he does, actually.

Colbert (incredulous): Really?

Stelter: I think Chris does.

— CNN’s Brian Stelter and Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show” Tuesday, discussing Chris Cuomo’s conflicts of interest

We say: Not even liberal Stephen Colbert was buying Brian Stelter’s absurd claim that Chris Cuomo didn’t cross the line in trying to be a CNN journalist while simultaneously advising his brother, Gov. Cuomo, politically. Then again, what else could Stelter say? As the Daily Caller’s Andrew Kerr tweeted, CNN signs Stelter’s paychecks.

This statement:

“The Taliban also has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community.”

— White House press secretary Jen Psaki Wednesday on why the administration thinks the Taliban would negotiate a settlement

We say: Perhaps Psaki & Co. don’t realize that the Taliban rapes, tortures and kills its foes — and couldn’t care less about its “role” in the international community. Or is Team Biden just pretending to hope these extremists will play nice, just as it pretends Iran can be a good-faith negotiating partner on nukes?

This story:

We say: Hit the snooze button on that “wake-up call.” Axios’ story cites a study that found “the Pfizer vaccine was only 42 percent effective against infection in July, when the Delta variant was dominant. ‘If that’s not a wakeup call, I don’t know what is,’ a senior Biden official told Axios.” Yet the story later admits there are no data showing that any vaccine’s “protection against severe disease and death is significantly less against Delta” — the key fact.

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board