It was a bad day all around for White House Press Secretary Karine jean Pierre, who faced hostile questions about the Biden Administration from not just her usual antagonist, Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy, but also Associated Press reporter Chris Megerian.
Megerian took the opportunity to question KJP over the recent AP poll which shows that the average American has a somewhat dim view of Biden, thinking him quite old and so most frequently mentioning his elderly age when asked about him.
Pressing KJP on that, Megerian asked, “Also, a new AP poll asked Americans an open-ended question on their thoughts on the President. And the most common response has to do with his age — how old he is, the oldest president in history. Does the White House have additional plans to demonstrate that he can continue to, you know, do the job at his advanced age and, kind of, allay some of those concerns?”
Predictably, KJP didn’t really have a good answer. Beginning, she tried to dodge and say that his administration has accomplished a good bit, which is debatable, while also not responding to the real question, which is his health.
She said, “I mean, look — look, I appreciate the question. I get the — I get it often, as you know. And what I would say — and I’ve said this many times, and many of my colleagues have said this, the President says this: If you watch him, if you’ve seen what he’s done in the last two years, this is — the President has had an historic administration in just two years.”
Continuing on that point, she brought up some alleged achievements of his administration, saying, “If you look at the 13.- — 13.5 — more than 13.5 million jobs that he’s been able to create; if you look at how he’s been able to turn the economy around so that it works for middle-class Americans; if you look at the Inflation Reduction Act and what it’s going to do to really help — to really help Americans as it relates to healthcare, as it relates to utility bills; if you think about the CHIPS and Sci- —I mean, this is a president who has done hist- — who has taken historic actions — and not just with Democrats on the Hill, but in a bipartisan way.”
She kept rambling about things other than Biden’s age and health, saying, “I just mentioned the CHIPS and Science Act, the PACT Act. In many ways, this President has been able to do things that is going to change how American families move forward, whether it is economic — with the economy, whether it’s healthcare, whether, you know, it is trying to make sure that they are able to — to give to their — you know, do what they can for their family, for their kids. That is important. And so, that’s what we will happily — happily to discuss as we — as it relates to age, what the President has been able to do and how he’s been able to deliver.”
Megerian let her finish then hit her with the haymaker, bringing up Biden’s recent medical visit, the sort of thing which is why people care so much about his age: “And the last question is — the press pool spotted President walk into the Oval Office with his personal physician, Dr. O’Connor, a few minutes ago. Did — is there an appointment? Did he have a meeting about a health concern?”
KJP had no answer, though that question more or less obliterated her attempt to obfuscate the question about Biden’s health. She said, “This is the first time I’m hearing of that. Clearly, I did not see that, so I can’t — I can’t speak to that. I just don’t know.”
Watch that here:
Asked about a new poll that shows Americans are concerned about Biden’s advanced age:
KJP: “If you watch him…this a president who has had a historic administration in just two years.” pic.twitter.com/y03doNmEsR
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) August 28, 2023
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