White House won't explain 8 visits by Parkinson’s expert to Biden's home

The White House has declined to clarify why a Parkinson’s expert made eight recent visits to President Joe Biden’s residence, citing “security reasons” despite the visits being recorded in public logs.

On Sunday, reports surfaced that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a renowned neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease, had visited the White House, prompting speculation about Biden’s health. Further reports on Monday confirmed that Dr. Cannard had visited Biden eight times in the past eight months.

When questioned by journalists, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, on the night of July 8, refused to verify the visits or confirm the doctor’s name, citing security concerns.

She also did not elaborate on what specific security concerns were related to Dr. Cannard’s visits and accused reporters of making “personal attacks.”

White House won't explain 8 visits by Parkinson’s expert to Biden's home — Dr Kevin Cannard

“There are thousands of military personnel who come onto this White House, many of them receive care from the White House Medical Unit. So, we have to be extremely cautious,” the press secretary emphasized.

“The medical unit hosts a wide array of specialists, from dermatologists to neurologists, and therefore, I cannot discuss each individual because there are legitimate security reasons to protect their privacy.”

Cannard’s visits included a meeting in January with presidential physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, initially highlighted by The Post following President Biden’s challenging performance in a June 27 debate, during which he seemed confused and made nonsensical remarks.

In February, Biden underwent a physical examination, after which the White House confirmed he did not have Parkinson’s disease.

During the briefing, Jean-Pierre mentioned that Biden had only consulted with a neurologist three times during his presidency, during each of his annual physical exams, but she carefully avoided ruling out the possibility that Cannard’s visits were related to Biden’s health.

“They’re listed in the White House visitor logs. It’s public! I checked it before I came out here. It’s right there for everyone to see,” Ed O’Keefe of CBS News pointed out.

“I cannot confirm any of that from here because we must respect their privacy. I believe they would appreciate that as well,” Jean-Pierre insisted.

“The patient or the doctor?” O’Keefe persisted.

“We have to respect their privacy,” Jean-Pierre replied, sidestepping the question.

White House refuses to explain why Parkinson?s disease expert made 8 visits in eight months to Biden — White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre

“It is public,” reiterated NBC News correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, as CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe exclaimed, “You’re going to let this linger longer, Karine, unless the White House simply answers the question!”

Jean-Pierre admonished O’Keefe, stating, “There’s no need to engage with me in this aggressive manner.”

“We’re a bit frustrated here with how information has been shared with the press corps about him!” shot back O’Keefe, noting that Jean-Pierre had previously provided incomplete information regarding whether Biden had undergone medical check-ups following the debate.

“I am telling you right now, I will not confirm names from here,” she reiterated firmly. “It’s for security reasons. I will not do that, Ed. No matter how hard you push me or how upset you get with me.”

“I will not confirm a name, even if it’s listed in the log,” Jean-Pierre concluded.

Later, O’Donnell emphasized that reporters were simply seeking clarity and highlighted that Biden could choose to make his medical records immediately available by waiving his protections under federal law.

“One reason we are pressing here is because we are unclear on what has transpired,” O’Donnell explained. “Therefore, the American people, to whom we report, do not have a sense of what’s going on. That’s what we’re trying to achieve.”

“Personal attacks are not acceptable,” Jean-Pierre added firmly. “I want to be very, very clear about that.”

Jean-Pierre also accused reporters of making “personal attacks.”

“The president does not need a cognitive test. That’s not my assessment; that’s the assessment of the president’s doctor and his neurologist,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated during the press conference on the same day.

Since his lackluster performance in the June 27 debate, Biden, who is the oldest-ever president, has faced intense scrutiny regarding his cognitive sharpness and readiness to compete against former President Donald Trump, 78, in the 2024 election.

He stumbled over his words several times and notably paused awkwardly before delivering a non sequitur in response to a critical question about his management of entitlement programs.

Source: LIB

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