How is the Biden White House handling questions about his increasingly advanced age, particularly with the president turning 81 this week yet remaining intent on running in 2024? By getting defensive when asked about the president’s age and stamina, as could be seen in a recent White House press conference.
That came when Fox News White House Correspondent Mark Meredith asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre, “You mentioned the President is excited to cele- — celebrating his birthday. But I’m curious — David Axelrod told the New York Times, quote, ‘Biden thinks he can cheat nature here, and it’s really risky.’ A, what’s the President’s response to David Axelrod? Does he respect his opinion? Does he think he’s right?”
Continuing, Meredith then asked if Biden is getting to old to stick around the White House and if Democrats are panicking about that, asking, “But also, I mean, is there a real alarm happening behind the scenes that the President is simply too old to stick around for another four years?”
KJP, during a back and forth with Meredith over what is going on, told him, “No, there’s no alarm happening behind the scenes. Not — behind the scenes here. There is no alarm happening behind the scenes. And I’m certainly not going to comment on everybody who has something to say.”
They then went back and forth interrupting each other a bit more before an extremely defensive KJP stumbled her way through the usual claim that the Biden Administration’s achievements speak for themselves so they needn’t worry about his age.
She said, “Nowhere in my response to you that I said that. I said I’m just not going to comment on everyone that has a — that has a comment to say. They’re going to speak for themselves. I’m going to speak for the President. And here will I — what I will say is: Look — and — and also, it’s just not my job. It’s not my job to think — to think through or to — to tell people what to think. Right? Whether it’s an Am- — the American — American people out there or — or a — a, you know, political analyst or — or as your question is about David Axelrod. It’s just not my — my place to speak to that.“
Continuing, she added, “What I can speak to is how we see this, how what our perspective is. Our perspective is that it’s not about age. It’s about the President’s experience. That’s what we believe. And it’s — you know, as they say, the proof is in the pudding, right? The President has used his experience to pass more bipartisan legislation in recent time than any other president. That’s just a fact. That is something that we have seen this president do, and that’s because of his experience. He’s been able to manage multiple — multiple foreign policy challenges. That’s — he’s been able to do that. That’s because of his experience.”
She then said, “He’s been able to create jobs, raise wages, and lower inflation. Right? And that is also — that is — the proof is in the pudding. Right? We see that in the data. We see that where we are today — than where we are — than where we were when the President walked into the administration. So, what we say is: We have to judge him by what he’s done, not by his numbers.”
Concluding, she claimed Biden is still able to get things done better than anyone else, saying, “And — and one more thing I will add: This is the first president ever that’s been able to go to an active warzone without our military, you know, controlling what’s happening on the ground. And so, look, I would put the President’s stamina, the President’s wisdom, ability to get this done on behalf of — of the American people against anyone — anyone on any day of the week.”
Watch their back and forth here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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