Biden deflects on Obama stockpile inaction and recommends national coronavirus lockdown

The likely 2020 Democratic nominee and two-term vice president said he had seen data suggesting stay-at-home orders should stay in place until May 31 or into June but added, “Nobody knows for certain.”

President Trump has come under fire for suggesting the country should relax its social distancing guidelines at the end of its 15-day trial, set to conclude on Monday. The president has expressed concern “the cure” can’t be worse than the “problem,” given the likelihood that extended business shutdowns due to the COVID-19 outbreak will lead to a recession.

Biden on Friday night said it was “a false choice” for Trump to believe he needed to pick between public health and the economy. He also called for a rent freeze and forgiveness program “for at least the next three months.”

Biden, who has spoken with Democratic and Republican governors, offered Trump some unsolicited advice after the president revealed earlier Friday evening he told Vice President Mike Pence not to waste time talking to critical state chief executives, such as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Both Democratic and GOP governors have voiced frustrations with federal-state procurement coordination.

“This is not personal. It has nothing to do with you, Donald Trump. Do your job. Stop personalizing everything. Stop it,” Biden said.

But Delaware’s 36-year former senator didn’t have a detailed response to whether the Obama administration should have better replenished the country’s Strategic National Stockpile of N95 respirator masks after the 2009 swine flu outbreak.

“We spent a lot of time. I was not part of it. Our administration spent a lot of time working with the incoming Trump administration,” he began, before not directly answering the question.