Trump lies about price of turkey


The following is a news analysis

White House Spokesman Jen Psaki greatly misstates the price of turkey

“Trump lies about price of turkey.”

Not really.

But now that I have your attention: if President Trump had made the same statement the Biden White House just made about the price of turkey, that would have undoubtedly been the headline that raced around the world. Yet no such response when it was Biden’s spokesman.

At a news conference, White House spokesman Jen Psaki falsely claimed that a 20-pound turkey costs just a dollar more this year.

We in the press corps aren’t known for being good at math, but still I was surprised nobody corrected her on the spot.

Many news reports and economic data have been saying that turkey costs about 25% more this year than last year.

I visited my local grocery store today to see what turkey costs there. It was $1.99/pound (about $40 for a 20-pounder). Assuming that’s a 25% increase over last year, I paid about $1.60/pound in 2020 ($32 for a 20-pound bird). Check my math, but by my calculation, the difference in price this year for a 20-pound turkey is $8.00, not the $1.00 that Psaki claimed.

I also found a report that said the turkey price increase is slightly smaller: more like 22% ($1.15/pound 2020; $1.41/pound 2021). The 26-cent/pound difference is 22% of $1.15.

Even assuming the smaller price increase, the whole turkey is over $5.00 more expensive this year. Psaki’s $1.00 number is nowhere near on target, and completely understates the higher cost of a 20-pound turkey.

The only way her figure is accurate is if the price of turkey increased by just a nickel a pound, and I couldn’t find any authority saying that’s the case.

I don’t think Psaki is lying. (Some of you know I don’t typically use the word “lying” to refer to misstatements and even inaccuracies by newsmakers, because it would require me to read the mind of the newsmaker and claim to know knowledge and intent.) Maybe she doesn’t do the family’s grocery shopping. And I think she’s probably just not great at math– she’s far from alone.

But I think few doubt that if the Trump White House had made the same claim, media “fact checks” claiming he’s a liar would have circulated the globe faster than a pumpkin pie disappears after Thanksgiving dinner.


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20 thoughts on “Trump lies about price of turkey”

  1. This article approaches the topic with some humor, but it is depressing that Trump probably WOULD have been called a liar for being off a couple of bucks on the price of a turkey. Meanwhile, the Biden administration and its cohorts in the media lie to and gaslight us every day of the week about major issues.

  2. Last year in Temple Texas,
    Sweet potatoes 15¢/lb, this year ¢75/lb.
    Butter/ 3.38, eggs last year, ¢59, this year $1.25, corned beef $3 last year, now $5

  3. As long as the media (infinite) is allowed to lie, they will. It’s gotta suck for people like Sharyl Attkisson who put a lot of effort into becoming a nationally known reporter just to have it all taken away by the corrupt, inexcusable, untrustworthy, disgusting, lying media and government. Our government and the majority of the media outlets and big tech would make Hitler and Stalin very proud. Both of those men dreamed to have what we see daily here in America.

    1. She said 20 pound turkey. Would cost “1 dollar more.” She is a liar, Sharyl. Anybody with a head on their shoulders would know just by cruising through the meat section in their Local grocery store. Everything is super high. This woman always has a smug smile on her face when a question mentions “middle class”. Notice she did it again in this clip. What a moron.

  4. Just for comparison, in central Indiana we paid $0.33/ pound for a 20 pound bird. Last year it was $0.29/pound. So, technically a nickel increase or so is true. But have you priced butter? Dang.

  5. …sometimes one is pushed into their angelic roles
    with a contrary step backwards.
    Then, in confronting that which awakens the soul,
    Wings are born… Hallelujah~!

    Gather all ye angels ~ Glad Tidings~!

    “And He Shall Send His Angels With A Great Sound Of A Trumpet…”

    Dear Sharyl,

    Giving thanks to you~!

  6. Thanks for calling out “the media” and “fact checkers” and “White House correspondents”. They are the biggest barrier we have to obtaining the truth. You shouldn’t be surprised that no one at the White House called out Psaki for misinformation. She rarely is challenged in any serious way with facts that would dispute her claims.

  7. Trump recently mis-claimed in an interview that the price of gasoline was higher in California than it actually was, so of course From her podium she made sure everyone knows about that! The double standard is so flagrant!

    1. Trump said gas was $7.50 at some gas stations in CA. I saw a report with photo that showed gas at $7.59 gallon in a small isolated community. So, Trump was actually correct. I forget the name of the town.

  8. Well, playing the “devil’s advocate”: if she bought a 3.8 pound turkey her statement of $1.00 more this year could be close.
    Remember the accountant that was hired for the job when asked how much one plus one was responded by pulling down the shades and answered “How much do you want it to be?”

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