The arrival of summer has signaled a relaxation period for President Biden, as he prepares to take breaks in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and Camp David, Maryland, in the lead up to the first presidential debate. Despite only having Monday and Tuesday allocated for White House press briefings, the press corps certainly didn’t hold back.
Diving in headfirst, Karine Jean-Pierre, who has a track record of fumbling, dismissively referred to videos raising concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities as “cheap fakes.” This term, coined to describe videos that have been edited to portray misleading narratives, serves to wave away concerns about Biden’s mental health. However, it does nothing to answer the troubling questions brought forth by the Associated Press and other media outlets about the disturbing trend in these videos.
Jean-Pierre responded to queries by brushing off the concerns and labeling right-wing critics as purveyors of misinformation. She went on to accuse Republicans of desperation and argued that emphasis should be placed on Biden’s performance and achievements in office. Nonetheless, Jean-Pierre failed to answer questions regarding the President’s surprising dependency on Italian Prime Minister Meloni and former President Obama for guidance in previous videos.
Fox Business’s Edward Lawrence took a different route, bringing attention to the teetering Biden economy. He discussed the soaring home prices, record-low inventory, and the inflation-induced increase in mortgage costs, asking whether the American Dream was becoming unattainable for many. Jean-Pierre’s response was to cite Biden’s actions to increase affordable housing and cut red tape but failed to give a solid answer on if and when prices would decrease.
Meanwhile, Philip Wegmann from Real Clear Politics sought clarity on rumors surrounding a potential pardon for Biden’s son, Hunter. Jean-Pierre confirmed that the President had ruled out any such action.
The briefing ended on a much softer note, with questions about Biden’s executive order for illegal immigrants. Rather than taking a critical stance on the political implications of this decision, the media seemed more concerned with why the order didn’t go far enough and whether it might be too bureaucratic for some immigrants.
In conclusion, what was intended to be a casual briefing ended up highlighting major concerns regarding Biden’s mental health, economic policy, and immigration stances. More notably, it exposed the unwillingness of the administration to address these valid concerns directly. As the President looks forward to his summer breaks, it remains to be seen whether he will manage to weather the stormy seas these issues have stirred up.
