President Biden derided Elon Musk Friday after Musk said he had a “super bad feeling” about the economy and wanted to lay off 10% of Tesla’s workforce.

Biden’s message to Musk: “Lots of luck on his trip to the moon” (NASA is partnering with Musk’s SpaceX company for a moon voyage). While Musk warns of a recession, Biden boasted Friday that Americans feel more “financially comfortable” thanks to his policies.

In the clash between Biden and Musk, bet your money on the guy who speaks full sentences regardless of what he smokes. Considering Biden was caught off guard by inflation, a formula shortage, the resilience of the Afghan government, and pretty much everything else, why should we believe Biden’s rosy outlook?

Inflation is the top issue by a wide margin for Americans. Biden’s inflation will soon have inflicted a 10% cut in the purchasing power of Americans’ paychecks. But Biden is indignant at criticism of his policies.

Biden first tried to blame greedy corporations for inflation and then began railing about “Putin’s price hikes.” Didn’t work. Last week, The Washington Post revealed that Biden now blames White House aides who “were not doing a good job explaining the causes of inflation and what the administration is doing about it.” But his aides have a helluva challenge when Biden boasts “a gallon of gas is down 14% today” — as he claimed based solely on a happy fantasy on March 9.

Biden still claims that his multi-trillion dollar “Build Back Better” bill would reduce inflation — showing he still hasn’t learned economics, or shame.

All the while, Biden is whisper-shouting, lecturing the nation about gun control, then flying off to Delaware without spurring Congress to do anything useful.

Biden looks like a punch-drunk old fighter sent into the ring once too often. But his worst pummeling could occur if Democrats lose control of Congress in November. Unless Biden can make it a hate crime to attach “I did this!” stickers to gas pumps, his support will keep draining every time Americans fill up their tank.

James Bovard is the author of 10 books and a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors.