Amid growing concerns about President Joe Biden’s health and calls for greater transparency, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is facing questions about whether she would like to correct some of her previous explanations for some of his uncomfortable moments.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, a reporter asked a 2022 incident, “The president called out congresswoman Jackie Walorski, looked for her in the room even though she had recently died. You told multiple reporters at the time… it was because she was top of mind.”
“Would you, on that example, would you offer a different explanation?” the reporter asked.
However, Jean-Pierre responded, “I would not. Because, honestly, I spoke to the president right before coming out that day, and that is what the president told me.”
“It is not something that came from me. That is something that came from the president,” she added.
Watch the video below:
The late-Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) died in Aug. 2022 in a car crash that killed two staffers as well.
A month later, Biden was looking for the congresswoman.
“Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?” Biden asked.
When asked to explain the incident, Jean-Pierre said Walorski was “top of mind” for the president, and, “The president was naming the congressional champions on this issue [hunger and nutrition] and was acknowledging her incredible work.”
“I don’t think it’s all that unusual to have someone top of mind, especially as there’s a big event… that’s going to occur,” she added.
The question comes after a contentious exchange during Monday’s briefing, which was kicked off by CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe’s question about reports that an expert in Parkinson’s disease visited the White House multiple times last year. During the exchange, O’Keefe accused Jean-Pierre of declining to answer a “very basic, direct question” about the visits and whether the doctor was there to see Biden.
At one point, O’Keefe insisted, “That much you should be able to answer by this point.”
“No, wait a minute. Calm. Ed, please. A little respect here, please. So, every year, around the President’s physical examination, he sees a neurologist. That’s three times, right? So, I am telling you that he has seen a neurologist three times while he has been in this presidency. That’s what I’m saying,” Jean-Pierre responded.
However, she declined to provide more information about who the doctor was seeing, citing privacy concerns as she noted military personnel sometimes see such experts at the White House Medical Unit.
Later in the day, White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor released a letter stating Biden did not see a neurologist for concerns about Parkinson’s disease, but as part of his annual physical. He also added, “Many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Cannard regularly visits the WHMU as part of this General Neurology practice.”
