Joe Biden let slip he had been given a checkup a few days after last Thursday’s debate debacle when he spoke to a Wednesday night White House meeting of Democrat governors concerned about Biden’s candidacy. Earlier in the day White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre hold told reporters that Biden had not been examined by White House doctors since February.
Biden told donors Tuesday he almost fell asleep during the debate.
Politico reported on Biden’s admission at the meeting with the governors, “When a gov asked @POTUS tonight how he’s feeling, he told them he’d just gotten a check-up and is fine, per 3 people w/ knowledge of the meeting. He had a brief exam days after the debate bc of his cold.”
NEWS: When a gov asked @POTUS tonight how he’s feeling, he told them he’d just gotten a check-up and is fine, per 3 people w/ knowledge of the meeting.
He had a brief exam days after the debate bc of his cold.
w @ec_schneider @SallyGold https://t.co/JysTdSbZTD
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) July 4, 2024
Earlier Wednesday Jean Pierre said Biden had not been examined by a doctor.
WH press sec says Biden has not had any medical exams since his annual physical in February. pic.twitter.com/pox0oeywWJ
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 3, 2024
CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang got confirmation by the White House that Biden had been examined by a doctor, “President Biden had a medical check up days after the debate for his cold, a WH official confirms. Today, @PressSec said he had not had any medical exams since his last physical in February: “We were able to talk to the to his doctor about that, and that is a no.” Q: “He hasn’t had any kind of medical exam?” @PressSec: “No.”…During his meeting with Governors at the White House, the President told them he had a checkup after the debate.”
During his meeting with Governors at the White House, the President told them he had a checkup after the debate.
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) July 4, 2024
ABC News reporter Rachel Scott also got confirmation:
Politico was first to report this news.
During White House press briefings – reporters asked if the president had any medical exams since his last annual physical in February
“We were able to talk to his doctor about that and that is no,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said
— Rachel Scott (@rachelvscott) July 4, 2024
On Tuesday, Jean Pierre also said Biden had not been examined by a doctor (White House transcript excerpt):
Q Was he taking any medication that would have interfered with his performance?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He was not taking any cold medication. That is what I can speak to. I’ve asked the doc- — his doctor, and that’s what he stated to us.
Q After the debate, did the president get exam-ed by a doctor, or did he get a neurological scan?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: A neurological scan? Look, what I can say is that — just to take a step back, it was a bad night. We understand that it was a bad night. And the president has spoken to this, and he understands that.
And so, I cannot speak to anything beyond what I just shared. The president has regular annual physicals that we release in a thorough report. We’re going to continue to do that. I don’t have anything else beyond that.
Q So, was the last time he was seen by a doctor, then, in February?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I just don’t have anything beyond that — beyond the question of a neurological exam.
Jean Pierre said Biden’s White House doctor traveled with Biden to the debate in Atlanta last Thursday:
Q Did — did Dr. O’Connor watch the debate?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I believe Dr. O’Connor traveled with us to the debate, so —
Q So, did he have any concerns after seeing the president’s —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, not at all.
Q — debate perform- —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Not at all.
(Note: Everyone in the country is concerned about Biden after watching his debate performance except his doctor?)
Jean Pierre said Biden was not taking cold medicine at the debate:
Q Thanks, Karine. So, I’ve spoken to a lot of donors since the debate. And, you know, they want to know what exactly happened that night. So, just to follow up on M.J.’s question, I know you said —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q — he hadn’t taken any cold medication. Was there any other medication he had taken? That’s — that’s what many of them are asking.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, I understand. I was asked about the — I — I was asked about the cold medicine. I asked about the cold medicine. He was not taking any cold medicine. And I don’t have anything beyond that. I — I don’t have anything beyond that to share.
And, look, I’ve — I’ve answered this question multiple times at this point. I don’t have anything else to add beyond what I have shared with your colleagues here in the room.
A frustrated Jean Pierre lashed out at Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich over her questions on Biden blaming jet lag and a cold for his poor debate performance:
.@JacquiHeinrich: “Can you also clarify Seung Min’s question?”
KJP: “Sure.”
Heinrich: “I mean, how — how is it that the President was still tired 12 days after returning from Europe, had a cold but then went to the Waffle House, and then the following day, staged such a huge… pic.twitter.com/pRr1v4sy0B
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 3, 2024
