Fox News' Peter Doocy revealed that Joe Biden called him to say "It's nothing personal, pal,'" after the president was caught calling him a "stupid son of a b***h" on a hot mic.
Biden made the gibe at the end of a press conference on Monday after Doocy, who was being ushered out the White House's East Room, asked him about inflation.
"Do you think inflation is a political liability ahead of the midterms?" Doocy asked.
"No, it's a great asset. More inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch," Biden was recording saying while stood at the podium.
The comment was included in the official White House transcript of the press conference.
Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity, Doocy said his reaction was "delayed" because he had not been aware of what the president said until others told him in the press room.
Doocy added that "within about an hour of that exchange" the president called him on his cellphone.
"He said 'it's nothing personal pal,'" Doocy said.
"We went back and forth and we were talking about moving forward, and I made sure to tell him that I'm always going to try to ask something different than what everybody else is asking. And he said, 'You've got to,' and that's a quote from the President, so I'll keep doing it," Doocy added.
Asked by Hannity if the president apologized, Doocy replied: "He cleared the air and I appreciate it. We had a nice call."
When Hannity suggested "that doesn't sound like an apology," Doocy said he "appreciated him [Biden] reaching out."
"The world is on the brink of World War Three right now with all this stuff going on. I appreciate that the President took a couple minutes out while he was still at the desk to give me a call and clear the air.
"But you know what, I don't need anybody to apologize to me. He can call me whatever he wants, as long as it gets him talking," Doocy said.
The reporter added that the phone call was "enough" and "we can now move forward."
"There will be years, three to seven years, of opportunities to ask him about different stuff," Doocy said.
Hannity ended the segment by suggested having Biden calling you a "stupid son of a b***h" would be a "badge of honor" for him.
"If I'm your dad, I'm very proud of you tonight," Hannity told Doocy.
Biden and White House press secretary Jen Psaki have frequently clashed with Doocy over his line of questioning.
In an previous interview with Newsweek, Doocy said he does not mind if he receives a hostile answer so long as his questions receive some sort of response.
"I only really concentrate on my own questions—which President Biden says he knows have an edge, but still answers anyway," said Doocy.
"I'm taking the same approach at the White House that I took on the campaign trail—just collecting all the most interesting sound bites as they come in, then using them in a way that best tells the story of that day."
The White House has been contacted for comment.
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About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
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