Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Reporters press White House on Biden's health, visits from Parkinson's specialist


White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday feuded with reporters over President Joe Biden's health and reports that a specialist in Parkinson's disease visited the White House repeatedly.

Amid renewed speculation as to Biden's fitness for office in the wake of his widely panned debate performance, reports emerged highlighting White House visitor logs, which revealed that neurologist Dr. Kevin R. Cannard visited the White House and met with Biden's personal physician.

During the press briefing on Monday, Jean-Pierre grew frustrated with reporters who demanded information about Cannard, as she declined to confirm his identity, but confirmed that the presidential physician had met with a neurologist.

“It doesn’t matter how hard you push me, it doesn’t matter how angry you get with me, I’m not going to confirm a name,” she said, according to The Hill. “It doesn’t matter if it’s even in the log. I’m not going to do that from here. What I can share with you is the president has seen a neurologist for his physical three times.”

Much of the briefing was dominated by the discourse surrounding Biden's health.

Cannard is associated with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and has reportedly made 10 visits to the White House Medical Unite since November of 2022.

While Biden has long faced scrutiny over his age and conservative detractors have repeatedly suggested he is not mentally fit to serve, his performance in the debate drew wider concerns.

During the debate, he repeatedly stumbled over his words and often appeared lost on stage. The spectacle resulted in substantial media reporting on his health and prompted considerable calls for him to step aside in favor of an alternative Democratic nominee.

He has thus far resisted such calls, however, and urged Democrats to instead unite around his candidacy.


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