Seeking to repel speculation President Joe Biden could be affected by Parkinson’s disease, the White House released a letter Monday saying visits of a Parkinson’s expert had nothing to do with the president.
Dr. Kevin Cannard visited the White House eight times in eight months, The New York Times reported Monday. Visitor logs show that Cannard’s visits began in July and ended in March. One visit was with the White House physician — Dr. Kevin O’Connor — and a cardiologist.
Breaking News: A Parkinson’s expert visited the White House eight times in eight months from last summer through this spring, according to official visitor logs. The administration has said that President Biden has no signs of the disease. https://t.co/VSwOttPEGK
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 8, 2024
O’Connor’s letter trumpeted Cannard’s qualifications and sought to deflect any linkage between the visits and Biden’s health.
“Prior to the pandemic, and following its end, he has held regular Neurology Clinics at the White House Medical Clinic in support of the thousands of active-duty members assigned in support of White House operations,” he wrote.
“Many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Cannard regularly visits the WHMU as part of this General Neurology practice,” O’Connor said.
The letter said when Biden had his annual physicals, Cannard was the neurologist who examined him.
The White House physician quoted a Feb. 28 letter saying “‘there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor are there any signs of cervical myelopathy.’”
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“Seeing patients at the White House is something that Dr. Cannard has been doing for a dozen years,” the letter said, saying he was picked “not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist …”
On Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had a combative exchange with reporters on the issue.
“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,” she said, adding she would not discuss visits for “security reasons.”
“Did Dr. Kevin Cannard come to the White House specifically because of the president’s condition?” Ed O’Keefe of CBS News asked Jean-Pierre.
“For security reasons, we cannot share names,” the press secretary said. “We cannot share names of specialists broadly, from a dermatologist to a neurologist.”
“It doesn’t matter how hard you push me. It doesn’t matter how angry you get with me. I’m not going to confirm a name. It doesn’t matter if it’s even in the log,” she said. “It is inappropriate. It is not acceptable. So I’m not going to do it.”
After the exchange, the letter from O’Connor was released.
As Biden sought to fight back against the Parkinson’s question, more Democrats voiced their opinion that he should drop his re-election campaign.
“There would be a huge sigh of relief amongst just about every Democrat in the House” if Biden did so, Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington said.
“We would be better off with another nominee,” Smith told CBS News. “I believe that in my heart, my soul, my brain — I’m 100 percent convinced of that.”
During a Friday interview, Biden indicated he would not take a cognitive test to quell concerns about his fitness to be president.
The BBC noted that House Democrats will hold a caucus meeting on Tuesday in which Biden’s campaign, and their support for it, are expected to be prime topics.
