Karine Jean-Pierre chuckles at reporter urging Biden to do presser on his health: 'Ask him to step out'

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Karine Jean-Pierre laughs off call for Biden to talk to reporters about health

A reporter asks White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to urge President Biden to do a press conference about his health.

A reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Thursday if President Biden could come out and speak directly with journalists about his health.

"As far as questions about the president's health, I think that would be all cleared up if, once again, we could just ask him to step out of that door into this room for 45 minutes. So I ask you again to pass that along to him, to ask him to come out and see us," the reporter said to Jean-Pierre, who smiled and chuckled at the question.

"I appreciate the request. Thank you for the request. The president, as you know, you know, again, I appreciate the question and I get it. The president understands," Jean-Pierre said. "You guys want to ask him questions and have the opportunity for him to answer your questions."

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A reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if President Biden could come out and speak directly with journalists about his health. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

She then pivoted from Biden's health to the economy. 

"I do want to say, this is a president that has done more in the first two years, two-and-a-half years, when it comes to the economy, really giving the American people a little bit of breathing room than any other president. All you gotta do is look at the data. All you gotta do is look at where we are in this country."

A recent Quinnipiac poll indicates that voters believe that the economy is their most important issue going into the 2024 presidential election. Of those surveyed, 31% said that the economy was their most important issue, while just 7% said it was abortion, immigration or gun violence.

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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 19, 2023. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

"There was a conversation for almost two years about a recession, and now you have economist[s] saying that because of the work this president has done these past two years, we're not headed in that way," Jean-Pierre said. "So you know, this is a president that wakes up every morning thinking about the American people and doing that job and doing the work and you see that."

Biden's age has remained controversial throughout his presidency. A congressional Democrat told NBC News in an article published Monday that Democrats need to be more responsive to concerns about President Biden's age as aides continue to make adjustments in an effort to avoid "embarrassing and dangerous" incidents. 

If Biden wins re-election in 2024, he would be 86 at the end of his second term.

Biden has sometimes taken to joking about his age, telling diplomats at the White House that while he may look young, he benefits from the wisdom of advanced age, according to a CBS News article from July.

"I know I look like I am still only 29, but I've been around a long time," Biden said. "As one of my friends said, try to connect age and wisdom."

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Fox News' Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.