(Headline USA) White House Karine Jean–Pierre abruptly ended a radio interview this week after being asked about President Joe Biden’s mental fitness.
Jean–Pierre spoke to Mark Garrison, news director of 99.3 WBT Charlotte, ahead of Biden’s visit to Raleigh, North Carolina, this week.
At one point, Garrison asked the press secretary whether Biden has dementia, saying it’s a question many of his listeners have been asking.
The White House official dismissed Garrison’s question as “offensive” and “insulting,” arguing that Biden’s physicians had already released a “comprehensive” report on his health.
“I can’t even believe you’re asking me this question. That is an incredibly offensive question to ask,” Jean-Pierre said.
“Let me be very clear about this. For the past several years, the president’s physician has laid out in a comprehensive way the president’s health,” she continued. “… And so I’m not even going to truly, truly, really, you know, take the premise of your question. I think it is incredibly insulting.”
Garrison then moved on to how Biden planned to win over voters who were struggling in the current economy.
Jean–Pierre gave another half-hearted answer blaming the Trump administration and Russia, among other things, before abruptly ending the conversation.
“When the president walked into this administration, there were multiple problems happening,” Jean-Pierre said.
“But the president took action on gas prices,” she continued. “… Eggs, milk, seafood products, all the important groceries—those prices have gone down because of what this president has been able to do. And with that, thank you so much, Mark, have an amazing day.”
Garrison said afterward that he was shocked by how Jean–Pierre had conducted herself, noting that the White House had requested the interview in the first place.
“I was supposed to get more time with her, and the fact that, all of a sudden, she decided to just hang up the phone took me by surprise because I had a couple of questions that weren’t as controversial,” he told listeners. “But I’ll never get to ask them, I guess.”
