OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre apparently does not want to hear any questions about Hunter Biden and she is letting the press know it.
On Friday the press secretary was hit with a question about President Joe Biden’s son and why he was at a state dinner after pleading guilty to federal charges and she clumsily attempted to avoid the question.
“And then, secondly, the President invited his son, Hunter, to the state dinner last night. I’m wondering if you could take us into the thinking and decision-making of why the President decided to invite his son,” CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond said.
“I — I’m just not going to get into family discussion — personal family discussion. As you know, Hunter is his son. I’m just not going to get into that,” Jean-Pierre said, attempting to sidestep the topic.
“Well, let me ask you this: If Hunter Biden wasn’t the President’s son, would he have invited someone who had just reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors two days earlier to the dinner?” the reporter said.
“Well a couple of things. Again, that’s his son. It’s a — he’s a family member. It is not uncommon for family members to attend events at the White House. We could look at past presidents; I’m sure you have. So that is not uncommon. As it relates to anything related to — to Hunter, I’m just not going to respond to it from here,” she said before calling on someone else.
“Can I follow up on that, Karine?” reporter James Rosen said.
“Go ahe- … no, I just called on somebody,” the press secretary responded.
Last week Jean-Pierre stunned many when she referred to herself as a “historic figure” who “walks in history” daily.
Imagine the hubris someone has to have to make that declaration about themselves.
“A year in this role, there’s been a couple of things that I — that has made me incredibly proud. Many things, many things have made me incredibly proud to be at that podium during this historic moment. Again, this is a historic administration. I’m a historic figure, and I certainly walk in history every day. But this is also a historic-making administration because of this president,” she said in an interview with TheGrio.
Some may argue that she is historic, in the sense that she is historically unqualified for her job.
At a press briefing last month Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked the press secretary how President Joe Biden was being briefed on the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations, and she about lost her mind.
Doocy wanted to know why it appeared that the President did not trust Vice President Kamala Harris to lead debt ceiling negotiations while he is in Japan and Jean-Pierre really did not want to answer that question.
“So, the last time that we got this close to a debt ceiling default, President Obama deputized his Vice President to lead the negotiations. Why doesn’t President Biden trust Vice President Harris to lead these negotiations while he’s in Asia?” the reporter said.
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I disagree with your — the premise of your question. The President does — does,” the press secretary said before Doocy interrupted her saying, “She’s in Los Angeles.”
“She could be at the Capitol. Why isn’t she?” he said.
“The President entrusts the Vice President, as we all know, as we have stated many times,” the press secretary said.
“She — she was in the meeting that — with the congressional members that occurred very recently, right before the President left for Japan. She has been in regular conversations, as well, and has been in — in conversations with the President. He has taken her consult and listened to her advice, as he always does on many issues. This is one of many issues. And so, that has not changed,” she said.
“And I think you actually said something that is incredibly important: The President has been there before. Right? He has dealt with these types of negotiations, these types of conversations before. He knows how this all works. This is not new to him
“And this is why he is optimistic. And this is why these conversations are going to continue and he’s going to stay on top of them,” she said.
