Internet shreds White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre as she criticizes New York Times' reporting on Joe Biden's age and mental fitness

Karine Jean-Pierre slammed the NY Times, echoing the words of its ex-public editor Margaret Sullivan, who criticized the coverage surrounding Biden's age
UPDATED FEB 22, 2024
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre doesn't like to answer questions about President Joe Biden’s age (Getty Images)
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre doesn't like to answer questions about President Joe Biden’s age (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, February 21, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, criticized The New York Times for its coverage regarding President Joe Biden's age and mental competence. 

This came after the publisher of The New York Times, AG Sulzberger, recently asserted that the White House was "extremely upset" about his outlet's coverage of the POTUS' age.


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Karine Jean-Pierre (@k_jeanpierre)


 

Jean-Pierre showed agreement to former The New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan's critique of the paper for relentlessly questioning Biden's age and his fitness for office, as per Fox News.

NY Times publisher AG Sulzberger called Joe Biden a 'historically unpopular incumbent'

During an interview with The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Sulzberger stated, "We are going to continue to report fully and fairly, not just on Donald Trump but also on President Joe Biden."

The journalist asserted, "He is a historically unpopular incumbent and the oldest man to ever hold this office. We’ve reported on both of those realities extensively, and the White House has been extremely upset about it."


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by President Joe Biden (@potus)


 

Sulzberger was essentially speaking about a series of reports published by The New York Times that scrutinized Biden's advancing age and his deteriorating mental faculties following Special Counsel Robert Hur's comprehensive 388-page report on the president's classified documents case.

This includes a piece by The New York Times correspondent Michael Shear, in which he called the POTUS' response to Hur's account of his memory a "political disaster." The newspaper also published an editorial claiming that Biden's attempts to reassure Americans about his memory's being fine, "didn't work."

Karine Jean-Pierre cites Margaret Sullivan's critique of the NY Times' coverage of Joe Biden's age 

During the press gathering, a reporter asked Jean-Pierre, "The publisher of the New York Times has talked about getting flak from the White House for its coverage of the president’s age. Can you talk to us a little about what you think is sort of fair game when covering the nation’s oldest president and what might be off-limits?"

The White House press secretary began with a little spiel regarding Biden's accomplishments, "You all ask me pretty regularly about the president’s age and we lay out what our perspective is. We lay out what we see — we’ve seen this president do in the last three years, which is, deliver on historic pieces of legislation that’s going to change the lives of Americans for generations to come."

She then stated, "Now, to your question, more specifically, about The New York Times coverage, is that that display what we believe a journalistic objectivity about coverage of the president’s age speaks to why we agree with former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan."

Jean-Pierre, citing Sullivan's latest Substack.com post, noted, "And she says, ‘Maybe The Times and other major media outlets ought to look in the mirror... Self-scrutiny, and course correction are not among (Big Media’s) core strengths.’ And I'll leave it there."


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Karine Jean-Pierre (@k_jeanpierre)


 

In the article titled "The media's circular logic and destructive obsession with Biden's age," Sullivan quoted one of The New York Times articles that said, "While Mr. Biden, 81, has been dogged by doubts and concerns about his advancing years from voters, Mr. Trump, who is 77, has not felt the same blowback."

"'Dogged by,' you say? Who, exactly, is doing the dogging?" asked the former media columnist for The Washington Post, adding, "Maybe the Times and other major media outlets ought to look in the mirror."

Sullivan further proposed in her post, "How about a note from New York Times publisher AG Sulzberger to two key people who report to him directly — the opinion editor and the top newsroom editor — that goes something like this: 'Katie and Joe, I’m concerned that we’re going overboard with both coverage and commentary about Biden’s age. Let’s keep this in better perspective and tone it down.'"

"Believe me, those two sentences would make a world of difference. Nonetheless, she concluded, "Alas, self-scrutiny and course correction are not among Big Media’s core strengths. Wagon-circling and self-satisfaction? Better grades there," concluded the former The New York Times public editor. 

Internet slams Karine Jean-Pierre for getting flustered about reporting on President Joe Biden's age

People on X (formerly Twitter) lambasted Jean-Pierre for criticizing The New York Times and denying to comment on Biden's age. 

One remarked, "She is so vile! Fits right in with the administration," and another quipped, "JP RIPS BIDEN SLIPS A day at the White House."

A person expressed, "Gee even the NYT goes against Biden, proves how bad Biden really is," while someone else chimed in, "How is she upset that they are asking questions about his age? It’s LITERALLY her JOB to answer questions regarding the president. LAWD!!! Incompetence at its finest!"

An individual suggested, "Yes JP, take a good long look into the mirror. You may see why the country is beginning to fall apart. Step down."



 



 



 



 



 

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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