President Joe Biden's trouble staying upright while in the public eye is apparently among the issues the White House would rather not talk about, evidenced again during Tuesday's White House press briefing in which Karine Jean-Pierre abruptly ended her back-and-forth with a reporter on the topic of Biden's falls and hurriedly exited the briefing room.
The question came from a well-researched James Rosen, chief White House correspondent for Newsmax, whose question sought to ascertain whether the White House had considered making changes to advance planning for Biden's appearances to reduce the chance of presidential tumbles.
Starting with Biden's most recent fall while attending the Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado Springs last week, Rosen noted that there's not always been a sandbag or other obstacle on which a presidential spill or stumble can be blamed, as in Biden's fall up the stairs to Air Force One and tripped-up near-fall down stone steps in Japan:
Joe Biden stumbles on the stairs of Air Force One. pic.twitter.com/IrYBA7KGU4
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 22, 2023
In 1945, America dropped "Little Boy" atomic bomb on Hiroshima to bring World War II to an immediate end
— Mona Salama (@ByMonaSalama) May 20, 2023
In 2023, President Biden almost unconditional surrenders in his latest battle with stairs this time nearly tripping going down the small set of steps pic.twitter.com/XH7eTcwVku
Describing Biden's near-fall in Japan, Rosen said he watched the situation unfold "with my heart in my hands" before asking Jean-Pierre whether Biden's series of stability issues has "led the White House chief of staff to direct some kind of review of the advance procedures that are employed on behalf of this, the nation's oldest president."
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As usual, Jean-Pierre sought to brush off the very public evidence of Biden's age and instead claim that Americans are only concerned about whether or not the president is delivering on his promises for the country. Biden is, of course, not delivering on his "build back better" promise and others, leading to dreadfully underwater approval polls that show a majority of the country unimpressed with his handling of the economy, immigration, and other issues — but that's another story.
Rosen again pressed Jean-Pierre for an answer, but she wasn't having it and cut him off to say directly that the White House is "not going to change anything" about Biden's movements or advance while closing her briefing book and beginning to move toward the exit.
"Things happen," Biden's spokeswoman insisted of his repeated issues staying upright on his feet (or his bicycle). "Other presidents have had similar situations as you know," she continued before taking a jab at Rosen. "I'm sure you reported on the last president who had a similar situation," Jean-Pierre said, seeking to make Biden's multiple falls and trips out to be nothing irregular or worrisome.
"This is a president that delivers and will continue to deliver for the American people and that's what he cares about," Jean-Pierre insisted before ending the briefing and heading for the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
Watch the full exchange below:
Karine Jean-Pierre listens silently while this reporter describes Joe Biden's concerning physical decline.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 6, 2023
"I watched that scene with my heart in my hands..." pic.twitter.com/PUF2AQeIHs
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