The White House is closely watching President Joe Biden’s coronavirus optics after he tested positive for the virus on Thursday morning.
The president has not appeared in public since the infection, opting instead to release a carefully choreographed and edited broadcast. A picture and social media videos created by White House staff.
The President did not appear in front of the press pool monitoring his activities and was not caught on camera by the foreign media.
The White House released a video of Biden speaking to the camera expressing his confidence in his health despite the infection.
“I had a double shot, I had a double shot, the symptoms were mild,” Biden said, urging his supporters to “hold their faith”.
“I’m fine, I’m working hard, I’ll keep doing it,” he said.
Update from me: pic.twitter.com/L2oCR0uUTu
— President Biden (@POTUS) 21 July 2022
The White House said the videos released by staff were enough to reassure the public about the president’s health.
“You saw the president’s photo. You’ve seen the president’s video. We do it very differently, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday.”
The White House said that despite Biden’s infection, a White House employee was able to appear on camera thanks to filming the president wearing an N95 mask and maintaining social distancing from the president.
The White House released on Friday another photo of the president signing the FORMULA Act on Thursday. The president was wearing a mask when he was photographed by a staff photographer.
Yesterday I signed the FORMULA Act, a bipartisan bill that will help expand baby food access for families nationwide. pic.twitter.com/ug1L2l3FiN
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 22, 2022
Despite historical precedent where presidential doctors have educated the public about the president’s health, it seems the White House doesn’t want to have Biden’s doctor Kevin O’Connor ready for questions.
Jean-Pierre seemed annoyed when journalists complained about what appeared to be a “telephone game” in which important details about the president’s health were withheld or left unanswered.
“I don’t think it’s a phone game,” he replied.
Senior White House correspondent George Condon said neither Jean Pierre nor Dr. President since Jah tested positive for the virus.
“The question is, Dr. O’Connor?” ‘ asked Condon. “Because simply making a statement and protecting it from questioning is the least amount of transparency of any White House in 50 years on the presidential illness.”
Jean-Pierre frowned at this question.
“Wow, I totally disagree with your last statement,” he said. “So we’re doing it in a very different way – very different from the previous administration, I’d say.”
Former President Donald Trump has received little media coverage since contracting the coronavirus, but he went to Walter Reed Hospital and later the President’s SUV to thank supporters outside the hospital for their well-wishes.
While at President Walter Reed, Trump’s doctor, Dr. Sean Conley and his entire team answered journalists’ questions about the president’s health.
Returning to the White House, Trump appeared on media cameras on the outside balcony and removed his mask to show that he was in good health.
Source: Breitbart
