Sometimes, it's better for a comms person in politics to say nothing at all. That is a lesson White House Deputy Secretary Andrew Bates has never learned and often to comical effect.

The setup involves Joe Biden's odd shift to wearing "lifestyle sneakers" with formal suits while doing official events. As RedState reported, he recently began wearing them after previously switching from dress shoes to "dress sneakers." That wasn't enough to keep him from taking multiple falls, and the move to oversized tennis shoes that provide "maximum stability" was eventually made. 

READ: The Mystery of Biden's New Boat Anchor Shoes Has Been Solved, and It's Worse Than Speculated

Intellectually honest people are willing to admit exactly what is going on here. None of those exist in the White House, though, so Bates instead snarkily responded by claiming the shoes are for "exercise" while taking a not-so-veiled shot at Donald Trump. 

Reached for comment by Fox News Digital, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates explained that the president uses the shoes for exercise.

“I know y’all don’t care for presidents who exercise. But don’t worry – you’ll get used to it,” Bates told Fox News Digital.

You see, Joe Biden can barely walk, but he's started to wear boat anchors on his feet with suits for formal events because he's just so into exercising. That makes sense, right? 

“Exercise” pic.twitter.com/8mazx8b0IS

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) March 18, 2024

If Biden sitting at a table with a tie on counts as "exercise," then Trump, despite Bates' attempt at a shot, is a regular Olympic athlete. I mean, come on. Bates' explanation is insulting. Everyone knows what's going on here. Presidents do not wear "lifestyle sneakers" to meet world leaders because they are really into exercising. The only reason we've seen this escalation in Biden's footwear is because he's so feeble that his handlers believe he could face-plant at any moment. 

People can make fun of Trump's gut and penchant for McDonald's if they'd like, but he never had to use the short stairs to board Air Force One because the normal way was just too hazardous. He's also able to still wear dress shoes in situations that demand them. The provisions being made to protect Biden are not subtle, and no amount of gaslighting from his handlers is going to change what is obvious to anyone with even the most basic critical thinking skills. 

Bates and company are not going to convince people that a guy with the gait of a nursing home patient is so physically active that he needs to wear "lifestyle sneakers" at all times. The president is very old. He is in steep physical and mental decline. It'd be better for his handlers to just not draw attention to it instead of telling people to not believe their own eyes and ears.