Kamala Harris blames Trump for severity of U.S. coronavirus outbreak: He failed to take it ‘seriously from the start’
“When other countries are following the science, Trump pushed miracle cures he saw on Fox News,” Harris said. “While other countries were flattening the curve, he said the virus would just, poof, go away, quote ‘like a miracle.’ So when other countries opened back up for business, what did we do? We had to shut down again.”
During the same event, Biden vowed, if he is elected, that his administration “will have a comprehensive plan to meet the challenge of Covid-19 and turn the corner on this pandemic.”
“Masking, clear science-based guidance, dramatically scaling up testing, getting states and local governments the resources they need to open the schools and businesses safely,” he said.
He asked Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to “take responsibility” for the outbreak.
“With more than 5 million reported infections and 165,000 people dead and climbing as a consequence of Covid-19 and still months later no real leadership or plan from the president of the United States how to get this pandemic under control. No real help for the states and local governments trying to fill the vacuum of leadership from the White House,” he said.
On Tuesday, Biden announced Harris as his running mate, fulfilling his pledge to select a woman and making Harris the first Black woman ever to appear on a major party ticket.
Biden’s pick of Harris as his vice presidential candidate brings him a powerful ally in the fight against the coronavirus if the Democratic Party slate wins the 2020 presidential election.
Harris has pushed for free Covid-19 testing and free masks as well as legislation aimed at addressing health-care disparities in communities of color as the virus continues to rapidly spread throughout the United States. The senator from California has called for a slew of changes aimed at protecting Americans, including federal laws barring landlords from evicting renters and monthly checks for people who make less than $120,000.