OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre paused the press briefing on Tuesday when a woman standing in the back of the press room fainted.
Jean-Pierre was in the middle of taking a question from a reporter when someone yelled, “We have an emergency.” She immediately left the podium to see what was going on and help the person in need. After a few tense moments, Jean-Pierre returned to the podium and continued after getting assurance that everyone was okay. She went on to say that it was “hot” in the briefing room.
Kellie Meyer of NewsNation suggested on the X platform that the briefing room was unusually “warm.”
“During today’s White House press briefing @PressSec stopped the briefing when a woman fainted in the back of the room. KJP immediately went to the back and got her water. A medical team came in. The woman is ok she got lightheaded I’m told and the briefing room is warm today,” she wrote.
The person in distress was attended to, and Jean-Pierre said that the briefing could proceed. “I think we’re okay to move on. And does anybody need water?” she asked.
Reporter passes out during briefing: pic.twitter.com/lC9nODjKX0
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 18, 2024
Meanwhile, the White House has been forced to push back on a growing awareness that President Biden’s mental and physical capacities are believed to be deteriorating following after several recent videos of him appearing weak and feeble have gone viral. That includes an incident involving Biden oddly placing his forehead against that of Pope Francis last week during a visit on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
Former President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to suggest that the pontiff wasn’t at all comfortable with the exchange.
“Look at the Pope—He’s freaking out! This can’t be normal, can it?” Trump wrote in a post that contained a photo of the head-to-head greeting.
The White House noted in a release following the incident that the president had “thanked Pope Francis for the Vatican’s work to address the humanitarian impacts of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, including his efforts to help return kidnapped Ukrainian children to their families.”
He “also reaffirmed his deep appreciation for the pope’s tireless advocacy for the poor and those suffering from persecution, the effects of climate change, and conflict around the world,” the release added.
Another video of an aimless Biden went viral after he appeared to have been led off-stage at a star-studded L.A. fundraiser by his former boss, Barack Obama.
The fundraiser in Los Angeles raised over $30 million for the Biden-Harris campaign. The event featured celebrities like George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Barbara Streisand, and others. Obama and Biden concluded the event with a sit-down interview with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. During the interview, Biden criticized the United States Supreme Court for decisions that Democrats have not agreed with.
It was at the end of the sit-down that Chris Gardner, a senior staff writer at The Hollywood Reporter, shared the clip, writing: “President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden offer final waves to Peacock Theater crowd as Obama then grabs Biden’s hand to lead him offstage following 40-minute conversation with Jimmy Kimmel.”
British TV host Piers Morgan called the incident “embarrassing” and chastised Democrats, asking “how long” the party can continue to allow Biden to run.
The Republican National Committee also noted the clip: “Biden freezes before Obama grabs his arm and leads him off stage. Yikes!”
“The usual left-wing liars are claiming that Obama having to lead Biden off-stage at the LA fundraiser didn’t happen. Well, hell. You be the judge,” the USA Features Media account noted.
