White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has answered 88 questions in two press conferences since Joe Biden's disastrous debate defeat. Not one has been about “why have you lied to us?”
The KJP came up with one excuse after another, trying to explain Biden's dismal performance in the debate away from jet lag and a cold.
Some White House reporters have scratched the surface of this deception, but no one has outright accused her of lying. Fox News' Jackie Heinrich confronted her but didn't directly ask why she was lying.
“Can you also explain the actions of the president who, 12 days after returning from Europe, was still tired and had a cold, went to a Waffle House, and then the next day made a huge comeback and made that comment about North Carolina?” Heinrich asked.
“He may have a cold or jet lag, but he continues to work day and night for the American people,” Jean-Pierre replied.
Other reporters were careful to touch on the truth of the administration's frosty relationship, but still refrained from directly calling out the White House's blatant lies.
“President Biden has always promised to tell the American people the truth. Can you be honest with us and the American people? Does the President have a clear understanding of what it takes to continue the campaign and what it takes to back down?” the reporter asked.
“The president is calm and intends to continue his campaign. There is nothing more to say,” Jean-Pierre replied. (Related: Biden media, supporters finally admit he's not actually running the country)
The reporters' refusal to admit lies stands in stark contrast to their response to the previous administration.
In 2018, a reporter asked Sarah Huckabee Sanders, President Trump's former White House press secretary, about payments that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen allegedly made to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
“How are the American people supposed to trust and believe what is being said here and what the president is saying when the president frequently says things that are not true and when the president and the White House seem to have a blatant disregard for the truth?” the reporter asked.
CNN's Jim Acosta, who has a notoriously antagonistic relationship with the Trump White House, also asked her bluntly: “Were you lying to us at the time, or did you not know anything?”
The current press corps' reporters could not pursue Jean-Pierre with the same aggressiveness.
After a video of Biden roaming the G7 summit hall went viral, Jean-Pierre called it a “cheap fake” in June and accused conservative media of trying to spin a narrative about Biden's age. But after his debate performance, many members of the media and Democratic lawmakers expressed concerns about Biden's age and cognitive abilities. (Related article: Democratic “kingmaker” says he'll support Kamala for president if Biden leaves office)
Despite the public speaking out and calling for his resignation, no White House reporter asked KJP at the post-debate press conference whether his “cheap fake” remarks were accurate.