White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre clashed with reporters during Monday’s press briefing while dodging questions about published reports that a renowned Parkinson’s disease expert visited the White House several times this year.
Citing White House visitor logs, the New York Post reported that the visits by neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard of Walter Reed Medical Center included several with President Joe Biden’s personal doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
The revelation came less than two weeks after Biden’s poor debate showing against former President Donald Trump renewed concerns about his declining cognitive abilities and his ability to remain in office and serve another four-year term.
Biden is seeking reelection against presumptive GOP nominee Trump.
During the sometimes hostile back-and-forth, Jean-Pierre refused to acknowledge the visits or even confirm Cannard’s name.
Visibly frustrated with Jean-Pierre’s earlier non-answers, CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe shouted: “It’s a very basic, direct question. That’s what you should be able to answer by this point.”
“No, no, no, no, no,” Jean-Pierre responded. “Ed, please. A little respect here. Please.”
Jean-Pierre continuously cited security and privacy concerns for not answering the questions.
Biden, 81, has shown visible signs of decline throughout his presidency, which were punctuated by Special Counsel Robert Hur’s final report on his investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House following his term as vice president under Barack Obama.
Hur declined to charge Biden, but his report highlighted Biden’s trouble remembering things, including the year his son died.
“In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden’s memory was worse,” according to the report, as The Center Square previously reported. “He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended (‘if it was 2013 – when did I stop being Vice President?’), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began (‘in 2009, am I still Vice President?’)”
The report continued:
“He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him.”
Since the debate, when Biden repeatedly stuttered and faltered, and at times became incoherent and trailed off, many Democrats have stepped forward calling for him to step aside from seeking reelection.
