Reporter Confronts Karine Jean-Pierre About ‘New Excuses’ For Biden’s Poor Debate Performance

3 months ago

During Wednesday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about President Biden explaining his performance during the first presidential debate.

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00:00I want to share a bit of additional updates

00:02for all of you before we start.

00:05I know some of you have been trying to confirm

00:08some of this information that I'm about to share,

00:09so I'll do it right now at the podium.

00:11The President has connected with Leader Jeffries,

00:15Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Representative Clyburn,

00:19former Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Coons.

00:22Today, President Biden taped two black radio interviews

00:26that will air tomorrow morning.

00:28One is with Earl Ingram on Civic Media Network,

00:32which airs across Wisconsin,

00:34and one with Andrea Lawful Sanders

00:37on WURD's The Source in Philadelphia.

00:40And as Governor Walz of Minnesota announced today,

00:44the President will meet with more than 20

00:47Democratic governors.

00:48Now, as you know, these governors

00:50are some of our closest partners

00:53when it comes to creating jobs,

00:55building new roads and building bridges,

00:58and so much more.

00:59And so, the President certainly looks forward

01:01to meeting with them.

01:02And with that, I am happy to take your questions.

01:05So, I'm in.

01:06Thank you.

01:07Last night at the fundraiser,

01:09the President blamed jet lag for his debate performance.

01:13But he was back stateside for well over a week.

01:16So, does he really need more than a week

01:19and a half to recover from traveling in Europe?

01:23And did he really — is that really what he thinks

01:25caused his poor debate performance?

01:26Yeah, just a couple of things.

01:28And I do appreciate the question because you —

01:29you know, the President has certainly spoken

01:31to this many times about the debate.

01:33And so, he had an opportunity

01:35to do that in front of supporters.

01:37And as you just stated, he did that.

01:38He talked about — he owned that the debate

01:41was not his best night.

01:43And he said himself,

01:44it's not an excuse, but it's an explanation.

01:46I was standing here yesterday,

01:48and many people were asking why

01:49and what's the explanation.

01:51And that's what you heard from him.

01:52Look, the two — I think,

01:54in addition to the two major trips,

01:57he was also doing —

01:59continued to do his presidential duties.

02:01He worked late in doing that.

02:02And he also prepared for the debate.

02:04And on top of that, there was obviously the jet lag,

02:07as you just asked about.

02:09And also, he had a cold.

02:10And you all heard directly — you heard from him.

02:13During the debate, he had a hoarse voice.

02:15Many of you reached out to me and my team

02:17and some other members of the White House

02:20asking what was going on.

02:21We confirmed that he had a cold.

02:23And so, I think those two things —

02:25continuing, obviously, to do his duties

02:27as Commander-in-Chief, as the President.

02:29And so, I think some of you here in this room

02:32can certainly relate to, you know,

02:35what could happen when you're having an important moment

02:39and you're not feeling well.

02:41And also, you wish you could have done better.

02:44And so, he took ownership.

02:46I think that's important.

02:48And he's going to continue to make a strong case

02:50for his agenda, and that's what you're going to see.

02:53And he was given an explanation,

02:56and that's what he wanted to do.

02:57He wanted to get that out there

02:58and for people to hear directly from him,

03:00as he has been doing since Friday of last week.

03:03It just seems like there — I know you're calling it

03:05an explanation, not an excuse,

03:06but it does seem like there are new excuses

03:08since the debate of what went wrong there.

03:11I would say I don't think it's a new excuse.

03:12I think some of you — some of your colleagues

03:14reached out to us about the schedule.

03:17Some of your colleagues asked if the schedule was too strenuous

03:20or was it because of the jet lag.

03:23And so, we are laying out and explaining exactly what happened.

03:28You heard from the President. You've heard from me.

03:30And it was, you know, indeed a schedule where,

03:35you know, the President traveled six time zones

03:37forward to G7 in Italy, nine time zones back to L.A.,

03:42and three time zones forward again to D.C.

03:45That's something that the print pooler on that day

03:49laid out for all of you and those who read the pool notes.

03:55And on top of that, he did have a cold.

03:57So, it is an explanation. I don't think it is an addition.

04:01I don't think it's —

04:02we certainly don't want to explain this away.

04:05But you all asked me for an explanation yesterday.

04:07The President gave that directly yesterday to his supporters.

04:12He wanted to make sure,

04:13knowing that all of you would get that information

04:15as he's speaking to his supporters last night.

04:17You mentioned all the calls that he has made in your topper.

04:20Why wasn't he doing that on Friday?

04:22And why wasn't he doing this sort of damage control?

04:23Why was he waiting on doing that,

04:25waiting to do that until the middle of this week?

04:27I mean, look, I was asked a similar question

04:30by one of your colleagues yesterday.

04:33And look, you know, the President,

04:35obviously, right after the debate,

04:37he visited four states in two and a half days,

04:40gave a couple of remarks.

04:42He met with supporters, whether at the Waffle House

04:45or in Atlanta at a watch party or in North Carolina,

04:48where there were hundreds of supporters there in Raleigh.

04:52And so he was busy dealing with, you know,

04:55dealing with his schedule and also speaking directly

04:58and engaging with his supporters

05:00and then spend time with his family.

05:02I think what's important is that he has done this outreach.

05:05He's having these conversations.

05:07It is important to him to do so.

05:10And the folks that I laid out that he spoke to

05:14are or some of them have been his colleagues.

05:18Some of them have been elected officials

05:21that he's known for some time.

05:23Obviously, you know, Leader Jeffries

05:26is a new relationship that he has,

05:28someone that he obviously respects.

05:30And so, you know, it is I think it's important to note

05:33that they were strong conversations.

05:36That's something that the President told me

05:37and my team directly moments ago.

05:39He was walking around and we happened to see the President

05:42and he said they were strong conversation.

05:45And by the way, he looks great.

05:46The Vice President is great.

05:47And they are ready to continue working

05:49on behalf of the American people.

Reporter Confronts Karine Jean-Pierre About ‘New Excuses’ For Biden’s Poor Debate Performance

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