Symone Sanders-Townsend calls Biden’s Walorski gaffe ‘unfortunate’

Symone Sanders-Townsend, the former spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, said on Sunday that President Biden’s gaffe on late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) was “unfortunate.” 

Biden was delivering a speech last week at the White House conference on hunger when he recognized the lawmakers who helped make the event a reality, saying “Where’s Jackie?” in reference to the Walorski, who died last month in a car crash. 

The White House refused to admit that Biden had made a mistake, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying repeatedly that Walorski was “top of mind” for Biden during the event.

During a roundtable discussion on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” moderator Chuck Todd asked Sanders-Townsend, now an MSNBC host, how she would have handled the slip-up.

“Look, Karine Jean-Pierre has a very tough job. And I think she goes out there every single day. And a number of people could not do what she does every day,” Sanders-Townsend said. 

“Look, I think it’s very clear that the president had a slip of the tongue, obviously. And I’m sure he is extremely apologetic to the family of the congresswoman if he caused them anymore trauma or agony.” 

Biden signed a bill on Friday honoring Walorski, with her husband, mother, brother and staff in attendance.

Sanders-Townsend said it’s time to move on from the error. 

“No one – I mean, I think everyone understands that the president unfortunately uniquely understands how the family is feeling, and I’m sure he made that very clear to them when they came to the White House on Friday. I think just to acknowledge it, he had a slip of the tongue,” Sanders-Townsend added. 

“Move on. It’s unfortunate. Again, life is here. He understands and empathized. I think that’s what’s most important here. And I think Karine did try to do that.” 

The new bill will name the Veterans Affairs clinic in Mishawaka, Ind., as the Jackie Walorski VA Clinic. 

Walorski, who had served in Congress since 2013, was killed alongside two of her staffers in a car accident in August.