In a surprising turn of events, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has admitted to an error in her previous statement regarding President Joe Biden's medical examination.
She had previously denied that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a renowned neurologist specializing in Parkinson's disease, had examined the President in January. This admission comes amidst growing speculation about the President's health, particularly after his less-than-stellar debate performance against former President Donald Trump last month.
According to Gateway Pundit, the New York Post had reported that Dr. Cannard visited the White House on January 17, based on the visitor logs. He reportedly met with Biden's presidential physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor. In a letter released by Dr. O'Connor on Monday, he confirmed that Dr. Cannard had indeed examined President Biden during his annual physicals, the most recent results of which were made public in late February. However, the letter did not clarify the purpose of the January 17 meeting between the two doctors.
During a White House news briefing on Tuesday, Associated Press reporter Seung Min Kim questioned Jean-Pierre about the letter, noting that it "didn't seem to explicitly describe the nature of Dr. Cannard's meeting with Dr. O'Connor." When asked if the meeting was related to the President's care, Jean-Pierre initially denied it. However, she later corrected her statement, saying, "Because the date was not mentioned in the question, I want to be clear that the Jan. 17 meeting between Dr. O'Connor and Dr. Cannard was for the President's physical."
Jean-Pierre further clarified that President Biden had seen Dr. Cannard three times, each for his physical examination, and that the findings from each exam had been released to the public. She also read from Biden's February health summary during a Monday news briefing, stating, "An extremely detailed neurological exam was again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or ascending lateral sclerosis."
The press secretary's initial denial and subsequent correction have sparked a tense exchange with CBS News reporter Ed O'Keefe. He questioned the nature of Dr. Cannard's eight visits to the White House from August through March, to which Jean-Pierre responded that she could not confirm due to privacy reasons. When pressed further about President Biden, Jean-Pierre reiterated her stance, leading O'Keefe to assert, "That's a very basic direct question. That much you should be able to answer by this point."
Despite the press secretary's insistence on privacy, O'Keefe pointed out that Dr. Cannard's name is publicly available in the visitor logs. The exchange escalated, with Jean-Pierre stating, "Hold on a second. There's no reason to go back and forth with me in this aggressive way," to which O'Keefe retorted, "Well, we're a little miffed around here about how information has been shared with the press corps about [Biden]."
This incident underscores the importance of transparency in the administration, particularly regarding the health of the President. The initial denial and subsequent correction by the press secretary have raised questions about the administration's communication with the press and the public. As the debate continues, the need for clear, accurate information remains paramount.
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