White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre raised eyebrows with a slip of the tongue when she was asked about a recent conversation between President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama.
On board Air Force One on the way to Berlin on Thursday, Jean-Pierre called Biden the”‘former president” when reporters asked her about the now-viral clip of Biden and Obama engrossed in a serious conversation at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral.
The video clip of the moment soared across social media where speculation exploded as X users and lip readers weighed in on whether the two Democrat leaders were discussing the presidential campaign and Vice President Kamala Harris.
I found the full exchange between Obama and Biden at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral — a VERY tense conversation 20 days out from the election.
If anyone can read lips, please let me know what they’re saying. It’s probably good. pic.twitter.com/BIZTL61SHT
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 16, 2024
“It’s been kind of busy the last couple hours on the plane, as you can imagine,” Jean-Pierre responded when pressed about the exchange.
“Look, I’ll say this, the president really very much appreciated being there at the funeral of Ethel Kennedy who he saw as someone who is incredible and was an incredible force obviously in her life during her years,” the press secretary, who appeared alongside National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, continued.
“And what he wanted to do was lift up – lift her up and speak to her accomplishment and what she meant to him, not just to him but to her family and to the country,” Jean-Pierre said. “So he appreciated doing that.”
“And we have said many times, the president and former President Biden they have a very close relationship,” Jean-Pierre added, clearly wanting to say ‘former President Obama.’
The White House transcript of her remarks shows the gaffe and the correction.
“They’ve had one for a long time, obviously, as he served as his vice president,” Jean-Pierrre continued in her response.
“I don’t have anything else to share on that,’ Jean-Pierre added. ‘I have not had this conversation with the president. Obviously, we’ve been pretty busy these last few hours on the plane,” she told reporters.