Nikki Haley Calls for Competency Tests at 75. Jean-Pierre on Biden at 86: 'Yes. ... Yes' (February 16, 2023)

Nikki Haley had just launched her presidential campaign with a call for mental competency tests for older politicians, and a reporter brought it to the White House. “She is calling for mental competency tests for politicians 75 and up, clearly a dig at the current President,” the reporter said on Feb. 16, 2023. “In her first speech, she — since announcing her run, she said, ‘America is not past our prime, it’s just that our politicians are past theirs. We won’t win the 21st century if we keep trusting politicians from the 20th century.’ Does the President have any response to that statement?” [1]

“So, I’ll say this — again, I’m going to be very careful, as I am speaking about a candidate,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, according to the official White House transcript. “So, I’m not going to speak to her directly and her comments specifically.” [1]

Then she listed Biden’s wins. “You know, we’ve heard these types of attacks or remarks before. And, you know, if you go back to 2020, they said that the President couldn’t do it in 2020 and attacked him there, and he beat them,” Jean-Pierre said [1]. “In 2022, when everyone was talking about a red wave and saying that we were going to get another shellacking, if you will, the President beat them as — at their own game there as well. And so, I don’t know. Maybe they’re for- — they’ve forgotten,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

The video above shows the exchange at the Feb. 16, 2023, briefing. Quotes are from the official White House transcript and The Associated Press [1][2].

”Yes. You Asked Me If He’s Going to Be Up to It”

The same day, Biden had his annual physical. A reporter asked about his stamina. “Can you speak to how confident he is that he’s going to feel up to it — he’s going to feel good getting up in the morning to do this job — a very grueling job — not just today or even in two years to finish out this term, but in six years from today, when he would obviously be, you know, 86?” [1]

“Yes,” Jean-Pierre said. “Yeah. Yes what?” the reporter asked. “Yes. You asked me if he’s going to be up to it. Yes. (Laughs.)” [1]

“No, no, no. I asked — I asked, ‘Are you…’ — does he —” the reporter said. ”— express how confident he is? That’s not a ‘yes.’” [1]

“The President always says this, which is: Watch him,” Jean-Pierre said. “State of the Union, I believe he spent 90 minutes speaking to Congre- — congressional members in front of him, to the American people. After that, he spent an hour shaking hands.” [1]

“Any Flags in the Physical?”

“I know the President is back from his physical. Are we going to get a readout from his physician at some point?” a reporter asked. Jean-Pierre said “the exam was straightforward” and promised “a comprehensive written report from his doctor.” [1]

“Any flags in the physical?” the reporter asked. “I don’t want to get ahead of — of the doctor,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

The reporter added that Biden was about to give a speech “on the unidentified objects that have been shot down, on the Chinese spy surveillance program, on the balloon.” [1]

The FBI at the University of Delaware

A reporter raised another search for Biden’s papers. “Last night, there were some reports that the — the FBI searched the University of Delaware — the President’s papers there from his time in the Senate. Did the President consent to that search?” [1]

“I will not give any comments about this ongoing investigation. I would refer you to the Department of Justice,” Jean-Pierre said. Asked what prompted the search, she said: “Again, I would refer you to Department of Justice.” [1]

“Mayor Pete — in Sec- — I Always Say That”

On the East Palestine train derailment, a reporter asked whether Biden still had “confidence in Secretary Buttigieg.” Jean-Pierre answered: “We do have absolute confidence in — in Mayor Pete — in Sec- — I always say that — Secretary Buttigieg.” [1]

Another reporter noted that “The mayor of East Palestine said yesterday it was the first time he had heard anything from the White House about the train derailment.” Jean-Pierre said “the health and safety of the community is our top priority” and that “EPA had been on the ground since February 4th.” [1]

By the Numbers

75: the age at which Haley proposed competency tests, per the reporter [1].
86: Biden’s age at the end of a second term, as the reporter put it [1].
Feb. 4: when Jean-Pierre said the EPA arrived in East Palestine [1].

What Happened Next

Biden quit the race. On July 21, 2024, Biden wrote: “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” [2]

For Jean-Pierre’s “Watch him” answer on Democrats who did not want Biden to run again, see HYGO News’ page on Feb. 6, 2023. For the East Palestine response a week later, see the page on Feb. 23, 2023.