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Reporter Gets Devastating Silence on Follow-Up Question About Transfer of Power to Kamala Harris

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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not respond directly to a question about whether there is a plan in place to transfer power to Vice President Kamala Harris if President Joe Biden’s COVID illness worsens.

Jean-Pierre released a statement Thursday saying, “This morning, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is fully vaccinated and twice boosted and experiencing very mild symptoms.”

According to a memo from White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president was “experiencing mild symptoms, mostly rhinorrhea (or ‘runny nose’) and fatigue, with an occasional dry cough, which started yesterday evening.”

The doctor placed Biden on the anti-viral Paxlovid to treat the illness.

The president himself then appeared in a brief video posted on social media Thursday with his voice sounding raspy.

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“I’m doing well,” he said. “Getting a lot of work done. Going to continue to get it done. And in the mean time, thanks for your concern. And keep the faith. It’s going to be okay.”

I certainly do wish him well as a fellow American, and truthfully, it’s a little scary to think what the United States would look like under a President Kamala Harris.

Should the White House have responded to the transfer of power question?

When a reporter asked Jean-Pierre during her daily news briefing on Thursday if there was a transition plan if Biden’s sickness worsened, the press secretary did not answer the question.

“The president has mild symptoms. He’s able to do the business of the American people from the residence, and that’s what matters right now,” she said.

“So there’s no plan in place then?” the reporter followed up to which Jean-Pierre did not respond.



All she needed to say was, “Of course,” and then re-emphasize that Biden is doing well so such a transfer likely will not be necessary.

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Temporary transfers have happened before.

In fact, Biden briefly transferred the powers of the presidency to Harris when he underwent a medical procedure in November.

Transfers took place during Ronald Reagan’s and George W. Bush’s times in the White House under similar circumstances.

Then-President Donald Trump did not transfer power to his vice president, Mike Pence, when the former went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for COVID-19 treatment in October 2020, NBC News reported.

Based on the video, Biden certainly appears capable of performing the duties of the president as well as he ever has.

Why Jean-Pierre could not answer the transfer question is a bit of mystery.

Regardless, here’s hoping it never comes to that.

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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