The White House did little to tamp down talk of President Joe Biden's lack of fitness to carry out the duties of his office in Wednesday's press briefing. Instead, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre — after blaming Biden's poor debate performance on a cold yesterday — fumbled questions about Biden's new "explanation" that jet lag was his issue, as Biden told donors on Tuesday night.
Biden’s disastrous debate performance wasn’t just because of a “cold” anymore. He also had “jet lag.”
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 3, 2024
KJP assures us these aren't excuses but "explanations." pic.twitter.com/nvUWsPbLsa
How jet lag could still be debilitating 12 days after Biden returned from Europe — including a week of reportedly late starts and afternoon naps at Camp David — remains another unanswered question.
The new excuse trotted out by Biden at a fundraiser in suburban Virginia Tuesday night forced Jean-Pierre to declare "my bad" for not mentioning it earlier. "I did know that," she insisted, but tried explaining she was so focused on Biden's excuse of having a cold when she briefed on Wednesday afternoon that it just...slipped her mind...yesterday. The old adage "if you're explaining, you're losing" doesn't come close to addressing Jean-Pierre's excuse about making excuses.
Reporter: Why just mention the jet lag now? Did you not know that was a factor when you took the podium yesterday?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 3, 2024
KJP: “That is my bad...I did know that. I did know that. But I was so focused on the cold..." pic.twitter.com/aOcOaSgYTa
"He owned that the debate was not his best night," Jean-Pierre reiterated in the briefing room Wednesday afternoon as she pushed back on questions about the growing number of excuses coming from Biden and his aides as the White House scrambles to respond to growing calls for him to step aside.
When pressed on the excuses, Jean-Pierre insisted "we certainly don't want to explain this away," even as she continued trying to explain away Biden's failure to deliver on the debate stage with a growing list of alleged maladies.
Jean-Pierre also denied reports that Biden was imminently stepping down, calling them "absolutely" false. "He's been very clear and he's going to continue to build on the unprecedented record that he's been able to lay out for the American people," she insisted.
"Is President Biden considering stepping down?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 3, 2024
KJP: "Absolutely not." pic.twitter.com/uqrMzxHp12
"The president is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race," she later added. For now, at least.
The president's spokeswoman, however, did not categorically deny reports that Biden's week of debate prep at Camp David — a stretch of time that was evidently not enough to recover from jet lag incurred from a trip to Europe — included afternoon naps. When asked whether Biden takes an "afternoon nap every day," Jean-Pierre only deflected, saying "this is a president that wakes up every morning and puts the American people first" before stating "I am not going to speak to...unnamed sources out there."
Reporter: “What does the president do outside the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM?”
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 3, 2024
KJP: He’s been out there!
Reporter: "Does he have an afternoon nap everyday?”
KJP: I’m not talking about that. pic.twitter.com/mNnrdBJCao
In an apparent attempt at earning praise for Biden's work ethic (reportedly only between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm), Jean-Pierre said that despite Biden's claimed cold and jet lag "if you care about this country...you push through."
Despite the cold and long-lasting jet lag, Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday that President Biden has not undergone a medical examination of any kind since the debate one week ago. In rebuffing calls for Biden to get additional tests or for the White House physician to brief reporters, Jean-Pierre contradictorily insisted that the Biden administration has been the most forthcoming in history.
"We have been transparent, we'll continue to be transparent, and that's what I can share with all of you at this time," she deflected again when asked why the White House won't release more information on Biden's mental fitness and physical health.
Reporter: "If now is not the time for full transparency, when is?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 3, 2024
KJP: We have been one of the most transparent administrations in history! pic.twitter.com/dQNbxO9hNw
Ahead of Wednesday's briefing, The New York Times and CNN both reported that Biden had told an ally that "he knows he may not be able to salvage his candidacy if he cannot convince the public in the coming days that he is up for the job after a disastrous debate performance last week."
On Tuesday, longtime Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) became the first sitting Democrat in Congress to call on Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race, and two other House Democrats said that, even if Biden stays on the ticket, he'll lose to former President Donald Trump.
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