(Elias Irizarry, Headline USA) As Americans eagerly awaited Thursday’s first 2024 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, hosted by CNN, members of the White House press corps had reportedly requested access to the debate stage out of concern that there may be a “medical emergency” involving one of the candidates.
The morning of the debate, senior reporter Paul Sperry of RealClearInvestigations, broke the news to the general public on X.
BREAKING: White House press corps has petitioned CNN to open up the debate studio to reporters, who for now have to watch a feed from a building across the street, b/c they believe there may be a "medical emergency" involving one of the prez candidates requiring on-scene coverage
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) June 27, 2024
“White House press corps has petitioned CNN to open up the debate studio … b/c they believe there may be a ‘medical emergency’ involving one of the prez candidates requiring on-scene coverage,” Sperry wrote.
Per the agreed upon debate rules, the debate was to take place with no audience out of concern that presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump might feed off the energy of the live crowd. Witnesses also would prevent subsequent edits in the event of a serious Biden blunder, or if Trump strays from the leftist talking points prescribed by moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
According to Perry, the reporters covering the debate for other news organizations had been relegated to a building across the street, where they were expected to watch the debate via televised feed.
NBC News’s Kelly O’Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents Association, confirmed on Thursday afternoon, several hours after Sperry broke the news, that the request had been made.
She expressed dismay over CNN’s rejection of allowing even one pool reporter into the studio.
WHCA respectfully requests that CNN grant access to the WH print pool reporter for the duration of the debate. Access matters. Independent observation matters. Precedent matters. pic.twitter.com/wNxf8du4t1
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) June 27, 2024
“WHCA is deeply concerned that CNN has rejected our repeated requests to include the White House travel pool inside the studio,” O’Donnell said in a statement.
“The pool is there for the ‘what ifs?’ in a world where the unexpected does happen,” O’Donnelll added. “Tonight’s debate will have no audience present and includes format rules that can silence candidates’ microphones. We don’t know how this will play out in real time.”
While Sperry did not name a specific candidate, users on X were quick to point to President Joe Biden—who has been the subject of frequent questions regarding possible cognitive decline concerning his age.
“I wonder which candidate that might be? The one who speaks off the cuff for 2 hours in 100 degree heat? Or the one who wears Velcro shoes?” replied Kevin Smith, founder of the Loud Majority.
I wonder which candidate that might be?
The one who speaks off the cuff for 2 hours in 100 degree heat?
Or the one who wears Velcro shoes
— kevin smith (@kevin_smith45) June 27, 2024
Other users had more sinister theories regarding the request, suggesting that Democrats would fake a medical emergency to provide an excuse to replace Biden as the nominee, as polling continues to show Trump ahead of Biden.
wouldn't be surprised if they don't stage a Biden medical emergency to 1) get out of the debate, 2) easy out to replace him as nominee.
— Hotsoup (@Hotsoup5280) June 27, 2024
Theories that Democrats would plan a bait-and-switch-type maneuver to replace Biden as the nominee have been swirling for months, with many hinting at the prospect of Gov. Gavin Newsom of California taking over the role.
Even Vice President Kamala Harris has been subject to possible replacement with suggestions that failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton could take over the role as Biden’s running mate.
