Biden shrugs off recession talk, talks up fighting inflation

By JOSH BOAK and ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and his administration are going all out to play down a sobering new economic report. Instead, the president is highlighting legislative progress on measures he says will help tame inflation, reflecting political tensions sure to keep playing out in the runup to the midterm elections. Republicans say Thursday’s report showing the economy shrank for the second consecutive quarter is evidence of a “Biden recession.” Biden pointed to near-record-low unemployment and signs of continued business investment in the economy. And he celebrated congressional passage of a bill to boost the U.S. semiconductor industry and a Democrats-only proposal to lower prescription drug costs and tackle climate change.