The White House failed to quell concerns about President Joe Biden’s fitness for office during Wednesday’s press briefing. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to field questions after Biden blamed his poor debate performance on a cold, then introduced a new excuse: jet lag. This explanation, given to donors on Tuesday night, left many scratching their heads, as Biden returned from Europe 12 days ago and spent the subsequent week at Camp David with reportedly late starts and afternoon naps.
Jean-Pierre’s handling of the situation only added to the confusion. She admitted, “my bad,” for not mentioning the jet lag excuse earlier, claiming she was too focused on the cold explanation. The old adage “if you’re explaining, you’re losing” seemed particularly apt as Jean-Pierre tried to juggle multiple excuses for Biden’s lackluster debate performance.
“He owned that the debate was not his best night,” Jean-Pierre insisted, pushing back against questions about the growing list of excuses from Biden and his aides. Despite her assurances, the White House appears to be scrambling to address increasing calls for Biden to step aside.
When pressed on the validity of these excuses, Jean-Pierre declared, “we certainly don’t want to explain this away,” while continuing to do just that. She also firmly denied reports that Biden was preparing to step down, stating, “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. The president is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race,” she added.
However, Jean-Pierre did not categorically deny that Biden’s week of debate prep at Camp David included afternoon naps, a detail that raises further questions about his fitness. When asked directly if Biden takes daily naps, she deflected, praising his work ethic and commitment to the American people.
In an attempt to defend Biden’s resilience, Jean-Pierre noted that despite his cold and alleged jet lag, “if you care about this country…you push through.” Yet, she admitted that Biden has not undergone any medical examination since the debate, contradicting her claim that this administration is the most transparent in history.
“We have been transparent, we’ll continue to be transparent,” she deflected when asked why more information on Biden’s mental and physical health hasn’t been released.
Meanwhile, The New York Times and CNN reported that Biden acknowledged to an ally that his candidacy could be in jeopardy if he cannot convince the public of his capabilities following his disastrous debate performance. As the administration continues to navigate these challenges, questions about Biden’s fitness for office persist.
