White House Press Secretary Faces Negative Reaction to Biden’s Neurologist Visit

The finger is pointed at White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who told reporters that a January 2024 meeting with a neurologist was not related to President Joe Biden’s health when actually it was.

Reports revealed that the president met with a neurologist on January 17 as a part of an annual physical. Reporters asked Jean-Pierre whether the meeting between neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard and Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, concerned the commander in chief.

According to White House visitor records, the 2 doctors only met between July 2023 and March 2024. “Since the date was not mentioned in the question, I want to be clear that the January 17 meeting between Dr. O’Connor and Dr. Cannard was for the purpose of conducting a medical examination of the president,” Jean-Pierre said.

“This was one of three times the president saw Dr. Cannard, each time for a physical examination. The results of each examination have been made public.”

The chronology of events was controversial, as Cannard allegedly visited the White House eight times during that period.

Jean-Pierre has been required to make clear answers to questions on the president’s health since his performance within the June 27 debate raised concerns. In early July 2024, she told reporters that the president “has not been examined by a doctor” due to a noticeable cold in the course of the debate.

Shortly afterward, Biden himself said during a reported private meeting with Democratic governors that he had been examined by doctors after the talk ended. Jean-Pierre repeated her comments, saying she meant that Biden had not undergone a full physical but had “check-ins” together with his doctor, normally several times every week.

According to a letter released by O’Connor on July 8, he explained the the reason why he needed to see a Parkinson’s disease specialist. Cannard since 2012 he has served as a neurology consultant within the White House medical officehence his need to visit the White House multiple times a yr. In addition to serving as an authority on Parkinson’s disease, he runs neurological clinics for active-duty troops.

The doctor reiterated that the president’s February 2024 medical examination didn’t reveal any findings indicative of “any cerebellar disease or other central neurological disorders, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor any evidence of cervical myelopathy.”

“Seeing patients at the White House is something Dr. Cannard has been doing for more than a dozen years,” the letter reads.

“Dr. Cannard was selected for this responsibility not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly skilled and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed and throughout the Military Health System, with a very broad range of experience that makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”

After the letter was released, Jean-Pierre said on July 9 that “many of the things I said here in this conference room” were repeated within the letter. She acknowledged that she was at fault for among the comments and that she and other White House press aides were doing “the best we can in this conference to provide the information that we have.” “I’ll be the first to admit: Sometimes I’m wrong. At least I admit that,” she said.

“And sometimes I don’t have information. And I always, always admit it.”