Former Democratic senator calls questions about Biden's health a 'nothingburger' in clash with CNN host
Former Sen. Doug Jones told CNN's Kasie Hunt Wednesday that concerns about President Biden's health amid reports about a Parkinson's specialist at the White House are a non-issue.
Former Alabama Senator Doug Jones told CNN host Kasie Hunt that she was putting forward a "nothingburger" about President Biden's health amid reports that a neurologist specializing in Parkinson's had previously visited the White House.
"That's a nothingburger now," Jones, a Democrat, told Hunt when he was asked if the White House was being transparent about Biden's mental acuity. "That's three days old."
The White House was forced to respond to questions Monday after reports revealed that Dr. Kevin Cannard — a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson's disease — met with Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, in the White House.
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The White House has since clarified that the meeting between Cannard and O’Connor was for a neurological exam as part of Biden’s annual physical.
"Do you think the White House is being candid about the state of the president's health?" Hunt asked Jones.
"Yes!" Jones said.
"They've answered the questions," Jones said of the White House's response to concerns over Cannard's visit.
"They had to issue a correction last night," Hunt responded. "It's not three days old. That's not fair," she added, laughing.
"The doctors have said exactly what happened," Jones said. "One would expect a neurologist to examine the president once a year as part of his physical. There's no question about that."
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Jones said that expectations for Biden should be adjusted to his age.
"Look, President Biden's 81 years old," he said. "He's not a president that is going to run up and down the steps. But he's also not trying out to be the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
In a letter released Monday night, O'Connor said Cannard was chosen for Biden's annual physicals "not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems."
The president did not see a neurologist outside his annual physicals, the letter stated.
The White House says the Jan. 17 meeting between O’Connor and Cannard at the White House was for a neurological exam of Biden, the results of which were later reported as part of his annual physical more than a month later. O'Connor reported the results on Feb. 28, stating that an "extremely detailed neurological exam" did not show Biden had signs of Parkinson's or any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder.
Fox News' Landon Mion and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.