WH plays damage control yet again after Biden search for deceased Rep. Walorski adds to list of walk-backs

The White House was again put on the defensive by President Biden on Wednesday after the president's search for deceased Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind. — whose death he had previously mourned — baffled viewers and reporters alike.

"The President speaks directly and candidly — straight from the shoulder, as he often says," White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson told Fox News Digital in a statement, when asked about the president's long track record of saying things his staffers later corrected.

"Doing so has been critical to his success in everything from rallying the world to support Ukraine to empowering Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices," Patterson added. "And when he feels the need to add context to something he said, or to direct his staff to do so — as every President has — he doesn’t hesitate to."

The White House's comments came after press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre struggled to explain away his latest gaffe. On Wednesday, during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, Biden appeared to search for Walorski, who died in a car accident last month.

"I want to thank all of you here, including bipartisan elected officials like … Senator Braun, Senator Booker, Representative … Jackie, Jackie are you here?" Biden said, searching for the late congresswoman. "I think she was going to be here to help make this a reality."

A video tribute to the late Republican congresswoman was scheduled to play at the event but was not shown while the president and White House press pool were at the event.

After the bizarre episode, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden "was naming the congressional champions on this issue and was acknowledging her incredible work."

"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," Jean-Pierre said. "So, of course, she was on his mind. She was at top of mind for the president."

Jean-Pierre doubled down on the White House’s cleanup of Biden’s fumble when pressed by reporters.

Earlier this month, the White House was also forced to walk back comments Biden made to CBS News at the Detroit Auto Show about the pandemic.

"The pandemic is over," the president said during an interview with "60 Minutes" anchor Scott Pelley at the Detroit auto show. "We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it … but the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape."

Jean-Pierre later explained that Biden only made those comments because he was "looking around" the auto show. She noted the auto show had not taken place for three years.

"What he really meant is that the very severe stage of the pandemic of having … 3,000 deaths a day — that stage is no longer present," Anthony Fauci, the top White House medical adviser, separately told Politico. "People should not be cavalier that we’re out of the woods."

Multiple times during his presidency, Biden has seemingly confused U. S. policy regarding Taiwan.

"Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack," Biden said when Pelley asked whether the U. S. would intervene if China were to invade Taiwan during the interview this month.

Under the federal government's "one China" policy created in 1979, the U. S. does not recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. However, the U.S. does acknowledge the Chinese government's position that Taiwan is a part of China and has never explicitly stated it would defend the nation from attack.

"When the President of the United States wants to announce a policy change, he will do so. He has not done so," White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said after the CBS News interview, walking back Biden's comments.

The president has made similar comments on at least three other occasions, which have also triggered White House walk-backs.

Amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Biden has also made a series of comments that have earned corrections or clarifications from White House and administration officials.... (Read more)

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