Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary, maintained that she didn’t observe any signs of mental decline from Joe Biden during the 2024 presidential debate. Interestingly, she mentioned that they shared a plane, yet she didn’t see him before the event.
During a conversation on Monday’s CBS Morning with anchors Tony Dokoupil and Gayle King, Jean-Pierre discussed insights from her upcoming book, The Independent: A look inside the broken White House across party lines.
In the book, she elaborated on her exit from the Democratic Party. She expressed her frustration over how other Democrats treated Biden, which led her to identify as an independent after suggestions arose for Biden to withdraw due to his age and perceived cognitive challenges.
Jean-Pierre wrote, “While Mr. Biden seemed thoroughly convinced of his decision, I found myself in a state of shock and emotional turmoil. It was infuriating and heartbreaking to see a man who had devoted over 50 years to American service face such disdain from his own party. It was just terrible.”
She mentioned, “Did you know? I’m planning on becoming an independent. I just can’t bear being a Democrat any longer.”
Dokoupil challenged Jean-Pierre, noting that many voters didn’t notice any signs of Biden’s mental decline.
“So when this book landed on my desk with the subtitle ‘The Broken White House,’ I expected you to suggest convincing Biden to bow out, particularly since he seemed to be struggling,” Dokoupil expressed. “Yet your book conveys anger towards those wanting him out of the race instead.”
Jean-Pierre recounted feeling approached by strangers in public, who questioned why Democrats weren’t more active in defending Biden. King echoed Dokoupil’s earlier point, asking for clarity on Jean-Pierre’s statements regarding Biden’s decline.
“You were on the same flight to the debate, and yet saw nothing,” King stated.
“Yes, it’s a tough concept to grasp,” King added.
Biden’s lackluster performance in the June debate has been acknowledged. Reports suggested that once donors started to show interest, Trump effectively finished his campaign in less than a month.
“Remember when we traveled to the debate on Air Force One? There were people from his campaign and family members on board,” Jean-Pierre explained to King. “In fact, I didn’t have the chance to speak with him until after the debate, despite being on the same flight.”
She underscored the seriousness with which she regards these questions, noting she interacted with Biden regularly in her role as press secretary.
“So you didn’t notice anything at all?” King inquired.
Jean-Pierre responded, “We never claimed he wasn’t aging. Yes, he’s older, and we accepted that. Aging naturally influences behavior.”
“Which behavior?” Dokoupil asked, prompting no direct response from Jean-Pierre.
“Concerning mental acuity, I take this very seriously. However, I’ve always seen someone dedicated, who understands policy and history,” she asserted.
Even mainstream media have started to notice that Biden’s team has tried to mask his declining abilities. A piece from the washington post editorial board indicated that his inner circle worked to hide signs of his decline.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged in her own book that Biden’s age was evident in his verbal and physical missteps. She also questioned whether it would have been “irresponsible” not to intervene regarding his potential re-election.
