US Politics

White House fields multiple questions on why President Biden appeared to look for deceased congresswoman

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington.

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President Joe Biden had deceased Rep. Jackie Walorski “top of mind” Wednesday when he looked for her in the audience at an event addressing hunger in the United States, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 

Jean-Pierre fielded roughly 10 questions Wednesday about the president’s gaffe during the White House press briefing. Jean-Pierre told reporters 14 times that the president wasn’t confused about whether Walorski was alive and in the room, but he had her “top of mind” because he will be meeting with her family on Friday. 

Walorski was killed in a car accident in August, which the White House noted in a statement at the time. 

The president was naming the congressional champions on this issue and was acknowledging her incredible work,” Jean-Pierre said. “He had already planned to welcome the congresswoman’s family to the White House. On Friday, there will be a bill signing in her honor this coming Friday. So, of course, she was on his mind. She was top of mind for the president.” 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Reporters weren’t satisfied with Jean-Pierre’s response. 

BIDEN APPEARS TO LOOK FOR DECEASED CONGRESSWOMAN IN CROWD: ‘WHERE’S JACKIE?’

Following questions about discussions between the United States and Saudi Arabia and pressing the White House on how it plans to respond to the suspected sabotage of two natural gas pipelines fueling Europe, reporters returned to the president’s confusion about whether the former Indiana congresswoman was still alive. 

If Walorski, who died in a car accident last month, was at the top of the president’s mind, another reporter asked, why was he looking for her in the room? 

“Again, I think people can understand. I think the American people out there who, you know, watch the briefing from time to time maybe at this moment will understand when someone is that top of mind,” she said again. 

Minutes later, a third reporter brought up the president’s slip, pushing Jean-Pierre to give an exasperated “Why one more time?” response. 

Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., participates in the House Ways and Means Committee Trade Subcommittee hearing on "The Effects of Tariffs on U.S. Agriculture and Rural Communities" on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. 

Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., participates in the House Ways and Means Committee Trade Subcommittee hearing on “The Effects of Tariffs on U.S. Agriculture and Rural Communities” on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. 
(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Jean-Pierre said the reporter, who…

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