Amid new questions about President Joe Biden's cognitive state following the release of Special Counsel Robert Hur's report on the president's mishandling of classified documents, the American people are also still in the dark about the president's physical health.
Friday will mark one year since Biden's condition was last assessed and summarized by the White House physician — but last year's physical was also late, as Townhall reported at the time. While repeatedly insisting that the president and White House are being "transparent" with the American people about Biden's health, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre still didn't have a "timeline" for when Biden will undergo another physical as the one-year mark since his last one is about to pass.
It’s been a year since Biden’s last physical. When will he receive another one?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 15, 2024
KJP: “It will happen. I don’t have a timeline for you. It will happen...I don't have a timeline. It will happen.” pic.twitter.com/N3hl9xtUVA
Thursday's briefing wasn't the first time Jean-Pierre was asked about Biden's medical assessment, nor was it the first time she failed to provide any concrete answers as to when such an exam would take place — an especially outrageous situation given the growing number of Americans who say they believe Biden is too old and unfit to serve a second term and after the special counsel said Biden was unable to remember when he was vice president or even when his son died.
On Monday, Jean-Pierre was asked when Biden would undergo his annual physical but had no concrete response. "When we have information on that, we'll certainly share that with you," she answered. Yet by Thursday, Biden still apparently had no plans to get a physical despite the White House knowing full well that concerns about Biden's health were again surging.
Rather than tamping down the questions on Monday with her response, Biden's press secretary said the president would not undergo a cognitive exam as part of his physical and doesn't need to because Biden "proves every day how he operates, how he thinks." Well, yes. Americans have seen how Biden operates and that's why an increasing number say Biden's too old to continue in office.
Yet again, Jean-Pierre does Biden no favors by pushing off questions about his health, claiming that he's fine, and failing to provide information that would make it at least look like Biden is taking his fitness seriously. Biden's physical is clearly not a priority, as documented through multiple years of his administration in which the date was delayed while the White House played coy with details. Even this year, Jean-Pierre hasn't explained why Biden's doctor hasn't been invited to answer questions from the White House Press Corps in the briefing room, despite requests from reporters.
If the White House and Jean-Pierre think they're doing Biden a favor or somehow fooling Americans by flippantly dismissing questions about Biden's annual check-up, they're wrong. All statements like those on Monday and Thursday do is cause more concern among Americans and create more of an impression that the White House is trying to obscure Biden's condition.