Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary, refused to answer questions about whether visits to the White House by a Parkinson’s doctor were about the president.
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Heated Exchange Over Biden’s Health at White House Briefing
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, refused to speak about several visits to the White House by a neurologist from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
“The president, I can tell you, has seen a neurologist three times as it’s connected to a physical that he gets every year that we provide to all of you.” Reporter: “At least once in regards —” “I just, wait, hold on a second.” “Questions you should be able to answer by this point.” “No, no, no, no, no, no, no.” No, wait a minute, calm, Ed please, a little respect here, please. Every time he has a physical, he has had to see a neurologist. So that is answering that question.” “No, it’s not.” “No, it is, it is. You’re asking me —” [unclear] “I cannot, but I just, I also said to you, Ed, I also said to you, for security reasons, we cannot share names.” “Now, in regards to Dr. Kevin Cannard.” “Ed, I am telling you right now that I am not sharing, confirming names from here. It is a security reason. I am not going to do that, Ed. It doesn’t matter how hard you push me. It doesn’t matter how angry you get with me. I’m not going to confirm a name. It doesn’t matter if it’s even in the log. I am not going to do that from here.”
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, refused to speak about several visits to the White House by a neurologist from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.Credit
The White House briefing room devolved into shouting on Monday as the press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, repeatedly dodged and refused to answer questions about the president’s health, and whether visits to the White House by a Parkinson’s doctor were about the president.
Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center who specializes in movement disorders, visited the White House eight times in eight months, according to official visitor logs.
But at Monday’s daily briefing, Ms. Jean-Pierre refused to talk about Dr. Cannard or to acknowledge his visits to the White House, even after The New York Times and other news organizations reported on the logs. She cited unexplained “security reasons” and at other times said that the doctor deserved a “measure of privacy,” even though the White House had already released his name and made the visits public.
Several reporters in the briefing room accused Ms. Jean-Pierre of withholding important information about the president’s health. The White House has been under growing criticism from fellow Democrats as well as the news media for not being more forthcoming about Mr. Biden’s physical and mental state.
“You’re not answering a very basic, direct question,” Ed O’Keefe, the White House correspondent for CBS News, shouted.
“I am telling you he has seen a neurologist three times,” Ms. Jean-Pierre insisted. “That is what I’m sharing with you. So, every time he has a physical, he has had to see a neurologist. So that is answering that question.”
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Source: nytimes.com
