In his first video to address the White House’s coronavirus response, former Vice President Joe Biden was nowhere to be found.
On Saturday, Joe Biden’s campaign released the first of a planned series of video recordings to address President Trump’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. But instead of Biden explaining the details of his hypothetical plans to slow the spread of the coronavirus, former Obama-era Ebola response coordinator Ron Klain took viewers through the candidate’s proposal.
Everyone knows that we’re facing a real crisis from the coronavirus. But do you know how we got here and what we need to do next? Ron Klain, former White House Ebola Response Coordinator, breaks it down for us: pic.twitter.com/XRkIw2EzM4
— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 21, 2020
“First, Joe Biden would fix the testing fiasco,” he said. “Second, he would direct the FEMA or the U.S. military to set up emergency hospitals, 500-bed units that could be dropped on the parking lot, wherever they’re needed.”
“Third, he would give the doctors and nurses the help that they need. That means protective gear so they can be safe as they treat coronavirus patients, and it means accelerating our work on cures and vaccines,” Klain said. “And finally, because the coronavirus crisis is going to have huge impacts on our economy, people are going to need help. Joe Biden would make sure those people get the help they need to deal with their bills.”
Klain also accused Trump of initially downplaying the seriousness of the virus, even though Trump halted all travel to and from China on Jan. 31.
“Anyone who raised a red alarm about this or a red flag was silenced,” he said before playing recordings of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Nancy Messonnier warning about the coronavirus outbreak on Feb. 25. Klain noted that Messonnier has not appeared at public briefings since that date.
Biden has been criticized by some for failing to appear during the past few days as the coronavirus pandemic reaches American shores. A top staff member of the Republican Party shared the Biden-less video, asking simply: “Where is Joe?”
Biden has spent much of this last week speaking with health officials by phone, and his campaign staff is wearing gloves and face masks around the septuagenarian candidate to keep him from possibly being infected. Biden’s last appearance on video ended awkwardly, with Biden being told to leave the podium by his wife Jill after his speech ended.
