Internet fumes as Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden came up with confusing excuse to explain ‘Where’s Jackie?’ slip-up

Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to explain why President Joe Biden asked for the late Rep Jackie Walorski at an anti-hunger event in 2022
PUBLISHED JUL 10, 2024
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to explain why President Joe Biden asked for the recently deceased Rep Jackie Walorski (R-IN) at an anti-hunger event in 2022 (Getty Images)
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to explain why President Joe Biden asked for the recently deceased Rep Jackie Walorski (R-IN) at an anti-hunger event in 2022 (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden was the one who came up with the confusing excuse for one of his most notorious verbal slip-ups regarding the late Rep Jackie Walorski in 2022.

The Democrat statesman instructed his staff to say that he was looking for Walorski at an event - a month after her death - because she was "top of his mind," stated White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by President Joe Biden (@potus)


 

According to the New York Post, when Jean-Pierre was questioned about her previous explanation to reporters regarding her boss's embarrassing 2022 blunder, she deflected the blame on the 81-year-old incumbent president.

"Honestly, I spoke to the president right before coming out that day, and that is what the president told me," she said while defending her previous statements on the president's cognitive abilities.

"It's not something that came from me, that is something that came from the president," Jean-Pierre clarified in response to queries from CNN's MJ Lee.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by President Joe Biden (@potus)


 

The White House spokeswoman added, "That was coming from him, and I was delivering directly from the president what he was thinking at the time."

Additionally, Jean-Pierre affirmed that the embattled Commander-in-Chief is committed to serving a full second term if he wins the November 5 election, despite widespread doubts and concerns including among fellow Democrats.

If President Biden were to serve a full second term, he would be 86 by the time it ends in January 2029.

What did reporters at the White House press briefing say to Karine Jean-Pierre’s explanation?

The POTUS surprised viewers when he asked about Rep Jackie Walorski at an anti-hunger event two years ago. He had publicly mourned the death of the Indiana Republican in a car accident about a month earlier, including issuing a public statement, offering his condolences to her family, and lowering the White House flags for two days in her honor.

The president's inquiry, "Where's Jackie?" sparked intense media coverage and speculation about his declining memory due to age.

Following up with reporters from ABC, CNN, CBS, and the Washington Post, Jean-Pierre promptly reiterated the "top of mind" explanation in a briefing a few hours later.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 24:  U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) speaks as Speaker of the House Rep.
In 2022, President Joe Biden looked for Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) at an anti-hunger event following her death by a car accident a month ago (Getty Images)

At one point during the briefing, Newsmax reporter James Rosen jokingly commented, "Karine, I have John Lennon top of mind just about every day, but I’m not looking around for him anywhere!”

Another time, Al Jazeera's Kimberly Halkett objected, stating, “Top of mind is not an answer. We were asking about the mental acuity of the president. These moments of confusion are happening with increased frequency. Americans are watching this, and they’re having concerns. What do you say to that?” 

Jean-Pierre deflected this direct line of questioning by admonishing Halkett, saying, "It is not your turn to speak, and you're being rude to your colleagues," despite it being commonplace for White House journalists to interject and continue another reporter's line of questioning.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 21: Principal Deputy White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre when asked about the strange excuse she once gave to reporters over her boss’s embarrassing 2022 gaffe, passed the blame onto President Joe Biden  (Getty Images)

The late lawmaker's brother, Keith Walorsk, expressed his thoughts on President Biden's mistake, saying, "I just feel sorry for him. I don't think anyone would look at the things that he's done and say that his mind is as sharp as it used to be. ... He is doing the best he can do with what he's got right now."

The president apologized to Walorski's family during an Oval Office meeting the following month.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by President Joe Biden (@potus)


 

President Joe Biden's fitness for office has been the primary focus of the presidential campaign since his dismal debate outing against former President Donald Trump on June 27, during which Biden appeared confused and made perplexing remarks, including claiming that he "finally beat Medicare."

Following the debate, nine House Democrats and the New York Times editorial board urged President Biden to withdraw from his reelection bid. Other elected Democrats have expressed concerns about his capability and predicted his defeat against Trump come November.

Internet fumes as Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden came up with ‘top of mind’ excuse his 2022 slip-up

One X user remarked, "Such an embarrassment."



 

Another user claimed, "They're just going to toss any explanation out there that they can think of. It's all just a big ruse."



 

Another user asked, "Did Poor Old Joe say, "They all look the same to me" again?"



 

One user wrote, "What I don't get at all is that the Dem's seem to have been caught by surprise. They have been wheeling this corpse out since 2020, signing and enacting all sorts of crazy s**t in his name. It makes me think his incapacity was essential to their designs, him and no other..,"



 

Another X user quipped, "Smh."



 

Finally, this user tweeted, "She’s being played and used as Democrats, like the Clintons, always do….Chew em up and spit ‘em out."



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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