OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre became very irritated when a reporter asked her numerous times about President Joe Biden’s recent public falls.
During the press briefing, a reporter asked Jean-Pierre about Biden falling down while he was on stage at the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony last Wednesday in Colorado. After the fall, the White House said Biden was fine after he tripped on the sandbags. Then, Biden appeared to bang his head on the helicopter door while exiting Marine One on Thursday afternoon.
KJP became noticeably hostile when the reporter continued to ask her at the briefing about the two incidents as well as other recent occasions of Biden stumbling.
“It’s absolutely true that any one of us could trip over an object, just happens to be in our path. Nonetheless, we’ve all observed the difficulty this president has in certain settings. Steps are one of them. And, of course, there was no sandbag in his path on the steps up Air Force One or not any of those occasions,” the reporter said.
The reporter recalled how Biden slightly stumbled down a flight of stairs when he was walking to take a photo with G-7 leaders in Hiroshima.
“I was struck particularly by the incident on May 19 in Hiroshima, where the president descended down a set of stone steps toward a shrine, at the bottom of which steps he was greeted by the Japanese prime minister,” the reporter said.
“And if you look at that footage, the president slipped and caught himself on those steps,” the reporter continued. “And as he greeted the prime minister, you could even see on the president’s face pursed lips as if to say this was a close one. And I know I watched that scene with my heart in my hands because this was a set of stone steps.”
“And even though there were handrails on either side, he was directed by his advance team, presumably, to descend at the middle of those steps unaided by the handrails, the Japanese prime minister and aide or anything else. And that could have been really catastrophic,” the reporter said. “And so, my question to you is whether this whole series of incidents has led the White House chief of staff to direct some kind of review of the advance procedures that are employed on behalf of this, the nation’s oldest president?”
Jean-Pierre tried to dismiss the reporter with her response.
“So, let me say, you’ve paid a lot of attention to that particular situation. I actually did not. … So, I, this is something that I was not aware of. So, I can’t speak to that particular, particular moment,” KJP said.
“You know, here’s what I will say. This is a president, you know, that has had an incredibly impressive first two years. When you think about what he’s been able to get done. When you think about the record historic pieces of legislation that are now into law, he just … went into it with the different pieces of legislation that’s actually going to make a difference and change Americans’ lives, Americans who truly need it, and that’s, I think, is what the American people are looking for.”
Jean-Pierre rounded out her comments by noting last week’s debt ceiling negotiations in Congress.
“And even last week, when you think about the budget negotiations … you heard from Republicans, congressional Republicans, ranging from the right MAGA and members to Speaker McCarthy emphasize the president’s smarts and capabilities in making sure that there was a bipartisan, reasonable, commonsense piece of legislation, a fiscally responsible piece of legislation that is going to help American families,” she said.
“And so, you see him again and again and again over the past few years deliver, whether it’s 2020, where people underestimated him, and he got that done. Whether it’s 2022, again, when people were underestimating. Got that done. Whether it’s this budget agreement. He got that done. And I think that is the most important thing that the Americans are going to care about and that Americans are going to look to. … So … I will leave that there.”
KJP then began to close her binder to leave the podium but waited for another second as the reporter said she did not answer the question.
WATCH:
“Isn’t that what it’s important? As a reporter, don’t you think it’s important what Americans care about?” Jean-Pierre shot back. “I’m just saying that is something that Americans want. Isn’t that not true … that they have a leader that’s going to deliver for them?”
“Your proposition may or may not be true, but it’s not responsive to my question,” the reporter replied.
“I think it’s very true. No, I know what your question is,” Jean-Pierre said, placing her binder beneath one arm while further posturing to leave.
