(RepublicanPress.org) – On July 6, media outlets reported that a review of White House visitor logs revealed that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a top Parkinson’s expert, met with Joe Biden’s physician at the White House in late January. As one might expect, press corps members were anxious to confirm that story, considering the current rumors surrounding the president’s health. However, things didn’t go smoothly when a reporter pressed the White House press secretary for a direct answer regarding the controversy.
The showdown occurred between CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe and press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during her July 8 daily press briefing. The clash started when O’Keefe asked the press secretary to “state, like very clearly yes or no” if a Parkinson’s expert came to the White House “to participate in anything surrounding” the president’s care.
Jean-Pierre said the president undergoes a “comprehensive physical examination” annually that includes seeing a neurologist. Then, she quoted a portion of Biden’s latest report stating that “an extremely detailed neurological exam” didn’t find any sign of “cerebellar or other central neurological disorders” like Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or a stroke.
“That’s not an answer to the question, though,” O’Keefe quickly shot back.
“Well, here’s the thing,” Jean-Pierre interjected, restating that Biden has seen a neurological specialist during the three annual physical exams he received while in office.
“Was this the specialist that the president saw?” O’Keefe asked, referencing Dr. Cannard.
Jean-Pierre explained that “a wide range of specialists from dermatologist[s] to a neurologist” working out of the White House Medical Unit treat the “thousands of military personnel who come onto this White House.” Continuing, she said she could not provide an answer regarding a specific physician, noting that “there’s actually […] security reasons to protect their privacy.”
“I’m not going to share people’s names from here,” Jean-Pierre proclaimed from her podium.
O’Keefe and Jean-Pierre engaged in a heated exchange for a few more minutes as the CBS News reporter continued to press her to confirm Cannard saw or treated the president.
At one point, the press secretary had what many in the press have described as a “meltdown.” Visibly frustrated, she appeared to chastise O’Keefe, telling him to “hold on a second. There’s no reason to […] go back and forth with me in this aggressive way.”
O’Keefe eventually gave up, and Jean-Pierre took questions from other reporters.
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