If there’s one thing President Biden loves, it’s passing off somebody else’s work as his own.
The president on Thursday took full credit for the pace of COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution in the United States, declining to give even a scrap of praise to the Trump-era program that made the to-date total of 98 million doses possible.
“Two months ago,” Biden said during his first national address as president, “this country didn’t have nearly enough vaccine supply to vaccinate all or anywhere near all of the American public, but soon we will.”
He added, “Now, because all the work we’ve done, we’ll have enough vaccine supply for all adults in America by the end of May. That’s months ahead of schedule.”
Missing from Biden’s speech was any mention of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed program, which worked hand in hand with private biomedical companies to get vaccines developed and distributed all within a year’s time. You’d think the “unity” candidate would at least throw a bone to the men and women who worked tirelessly to make Operation Warp Speed such a resounding success, but you’d be wrong.
“When I took office 50 days ago,” the president continued, “only 8% of Americans after months, only 8% of those over the age of 65 had gotten their first vaccination. Today, that number is 65%. Just 14% of Americans over the age of 75 — 50 days ago had gotten their first shot. Today, that number is well over 70%.”
The first vaccine shots were administered last year on Dec. 14. By Jan. 20, 2021, the day of Biden’s inauguration, 15.6 million people had already been dosed. In other words, even before the president took office, Operation Warp Speed had already put the U.S. on the path to making his campaign promise of 100 million vaccinations in 100 days a reality. Indeed, on Inauguration Day, nearly 1.5 million inoculations were administered, ones with which Biden had nothing to do. Yet, listening to Biden’s speech Thursday evening, you’d think he alone is responsible for the success of vaccine distribution in the U.S., not the men and women of Operation Warp Speed.
“When I came into office, you may recall I set a goal that many of you said was kind of way over the top. I said I intended to get 100 million shots in people’s arms in my first 100 days in office,” Biden continued.
This may come as a shock to the president, but no one — and I mean no one — said his goal was “over the top.” In fact, most recognized it at the time as being a rather modest one.
“Tonight,” the president said, “I can say we’re not only going to meet that goal, we’re going to beat that goal. Because we’re actually on track to reach this goal of 100 million shots in arms on my 60th day in office.”
This is precisely why Biden’s people spread that malicious lie earlier this year, claiming there was no COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan in place when he took office. The entire purpose of that lie was to position Biden to take all the credit for something set in motion even before he was sworn in as president.
Well, enjoy your undeserved victory lap, Mr. President. If nothing else, the men and women of Operation Warp Speed at least know what they accomplished.
