White House Press Secretary Says It Doesn’t Matter How Biden Got Covid-19 — Prompting Pushback From Reporters
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it doesn’t matter who President Joe Biden got Covid-19 from.
Jean-Pierre announced earlier Thursday that Biden was diagnosed with Covid-19 and is “experiencing mild symptoms.”
In response to a reporter asking during the White House press briefing, featuring Jean-Pierre and White House Covid czar Ashish Jha, where Biden was when he got Covid-19, Jean-Pierre answered that it’s irrelevant:
I don’t think that matters, right. I think what matters is we prepared for this moment. I think what matters is what Dr. Jha just laid out. If we look at where we were a year-and-a-half ago, this is a president when he walked in, one of his first priorities was to make sure we had a comprehensive plan to get people vaccinated.
And so now today, look to today, more and more people are getting closer to having a more normal life. Vaccines are available and, as Dr. Jha said, if you have not gotten vaccinated, please do. If you have — if you have not gotten boosted, please do. These are treatments that are going to keep you safe, and I think that’s what matters here is making sure that we continue to do the work and the good thing is that the president, again, has been vaccinated and double boosted.
Later on, in response to a reporter objecting to what she said, Jean-Pierre clarified what she meant to say.
“I think what I was trying to say is what’s important now is that he has mild symptoms, is that he is working from the [White House] residence on behalf of the American people, that’s our focus,” she said. “Look, we knew this was going to happen.”
“What I am trying to say is the moment that we are in right now is what matters as we’re talking about the president and his treatment and how he’s feeling and how he’s continuing to work on behalf of the American public,” added Jean-Pierre. Jean-Pierre was pushed on the question again later in the briefing by Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich.
During the press briefing, Jha emphasized the importance of being vaccinated. Jean-Pierre and Jha reiterated that the president is double vaccinated and double boosted and has been given the antiviral drug Paxlovid.
First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative.
Watch above, via Fox News.
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