CNN host Chris Cuomo and the owners of a New Jersey gym butted heads over what statistics the country should care about when responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
Frank Trumbetti and Ian Smith, the co-owners of Atilis Gym who have made headlines feuding with state and local officials over reopening their business during the health crisis, argued that the death rate is the main statistic worth considering in terms of mandating closures.
“We’re being villainized as small businesses in general, that we’re responsible for the spread, but over 50% of the deaths are coming from places that are supposed to be under a governor’s watch,” Smith said, noting that nursing homes have been the source of most COVID-19 deaths.
“You’re knocking Trump because of the total numbers,” Trumbetti later added. “53.3% of the deaths come from 0.6% of the population. Bottom line, that’s a f—ing stat that nobody’s talking about.”
Cuomo scolded Trumbetti, saying, “Watch your mouth. We’re on television.”
“I get the passion,” Cuomo said. “One, death isn’t the only metric. I’m not blaming the president for the pandemic. I’m not blaming the president when people die, except there’s a lot more they could be doing.”
