Headline Roundup • July 8th, 2024
Parkinson's Specialist Visited the White House Eight Times; Comer Requests Testimony From Biden's Physician
Summary from the AllSides News Team
According to White House visitor logs, Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who specializes in treating Parkinson’s disease, made eight visits to the White House between last August and March. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Chair of the House Oversight Committee, wrote a letter on Sunday to Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the physician to the president, asking him to provide an interview to the committee, citing his reported decision not to order a cognitive test for President Joe Biden.
The Details: Cannard met with the White House medical team numerous times, with the first reported visit taking place in July 2023. There is no clear statement on what prompted the frequent visits. Comer has suggested that Biden's physician, O'Connor, could be influenced by his business dealings with James Biden related to Americore.
Key Quotes: “Has the president been treated for Parkinson’s? No. Is he being treated for Parkinson’s? No, he’s not. Is he taking medication for Parkinson’s? No,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. In his letter to Cannard, Comer wrote, “The Committee now turns to you to provide answers regarding your independence because of the mixed and confused messaging coming from the White House regarding the President’s ability to perform his job... The Oversight Committee is concerned your medical assessments have been influenced by your private business endeavors with the Biden family.”
How the Media Covered It: Media outlets presented varying levels of scrutiny into the matter. Outlets on the right provided a more detailed account of Cannard's visits, while outlets on the left primarily focused on relaying the administration's responses.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
The Biden administration refused to explain on Monday why a Parkinson’s disease specialist visited President Joe Biden’s physician earlier this year, one of eight visits to the White House, as the president’s advanced age, 81, continues to be in the spotlight because of his disastrous debate performance.
Parkinson’s disease expert Dr. Kevin Cannard visited Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, in January, one of eight visits Cannard has made over an eight-month period starting last year, according to visitor logs first reported by the New York Post over the weekend.
The White House on Monday tangled with reporters during heated exchanges over whether the administration had been forthcoming about President Biden’s health in the wake of a disastrous debate performance that has sparked calls from some Democrats for Biden to end his reelection bid.
Reporters grilled press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a press briefing over reports that indicated visitor logs showed a neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease was at the White House eight times over an eight month period, including for a meeting with presidential physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
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Marvin Joseph/The Washington PosT
House Republicans on Sunday demanded that President Biden’s personal physician explain whether he can provide “accurate and independent” assessments, citing his reported refusal to order a cognitive test for the 81-year-old president and other matters related to the Biden family.
The House Oversight Committee “is investigating circumstances surrounding your assessment in February of this year that ‘President Biden is a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old-male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency,’” Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) who chairs the committee, wrote in a letter on Sunday to Kevin O’Connor, the physician to the...
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