THE GOVERNMENT’S HEALTH >>> WE HAD A REPORT TODAY THE
GLOBAL DEATH RATE AT 3.4% AND A
REPORT THAT THE OLYMPICS COULD
BE DELAYED.
BE DELAYED. YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK 3.4% IS REALLY
A FALSE NUMBER.
NOW, THIS IS JUST MY HUNCH, BUT
BASED ON A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS
WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO
THIS, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE
WILL HAVE THIS AND IT’S VERY
MILD.
MILD. THEY’LL GET BETTER VERY RAPIDLY.
THEY DON’T EVEN SEE A DOCTOR,
THEY DON’T EVEN CALL A DOCTOR.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
THOUSANDS OR HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT GET
BETTER, JUST BY, YOU KNOW,
SITTING AROUND AND EVEN GOING TO
WORK.
WORK. SOME OF THEM GO TO WORK, BUT
THEY GET BETTER, AND THEN WHEN
YOU DO HAVE A DEATH, LIKE YOU
HAD IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON,
LIKE YOU HAD ONE IN CALIFORNIA.
I BELIEVE YOU HAD ONE IN NEW
YORK, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SEEMS
LIKE 3% OR 4% SEEMS LIKE A VERY
HIGH NUMBER AS OPPOSED TO A
PRAKZ OF
PRAKZ OF FRACTION OF 1%.
>> OH, MY GOD.
A FALSE NUMBER.
WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLED THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION’S
LATEST GLOBAL DEATH RATE OF THE
CORONAVIRUS TALKING ABOUT A
HUNCH WHAT HE HAS GOING ON.
>> INSTEAD OF THE SCIENTIFIC
NUMBERS, HE HAS A HUNCH.
>> WHEW.
>> WHEW. >> WILLIE, EVEN MORE STERNING
THAN THAT IS THE FACT THAT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
IS TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY’RE
GOING TO GET BETTER BY SITTING
AROUND AND "GOING BACK TO WORK"
WITH THE CORONAVIRUS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IS CAUSING
RIGHT NOW CONSTERNATION UP IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE A DARTMOUTH
HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE WAS TOLD TO
SELF-QUARANTINE AND INSTEAD WENT
OUT THAT NIGHT TO A SCHOOL
EVENT, AND NOW, WHO KNOWS HOW
FAR IT SPREAD.
YOU LOOK AT THE NEW YORK CASE TO
SEE THAT ONE MAN HAS INFECTED
HIS ENTIRE FAMILY, INFECTED THE
MAN WHO DROVE HIM TO THE
HOSPITAL, WHO THEN AFFECTED HIS
FAMILY.
FAMILY. THIS SPREADS QUICKLY AND EASILY.
SO FOR DONALD TRUMP TO BE
SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST
SIT AROUND AND GET BETTER AND,
HEY, YOU CAN EVEN GO BACK TO
WORK IS ABOUT AS RECKLESS AND
IRRESPONSIBLE.
IRRESPONSIBLE. YOU CAN IMAGINE, LET’S HOPE THE
WHITE HOUSE CLARIFIES THAT LATER
ON TODAY.
ON TODAY. >> IT’S TOTALLY RECKLESS.
IT’S NOT A TIME FOR DONALD
TRUMP’S HUNCHES.
TRUMP’S HUNCHES. IT’S A TIME FOR SCIENCE.
IT’S A TIME FOR DOCTORS.
IT’S NOT A TIME FOR DONALD TRUMP
TO BE CALLING INTO CABLE SHOWS
AND RIFFING ON THINGS HE DOESN’T
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.
IT’S NOT A TIME FOR HIM TO TELL
PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO WORK WHEN
EVERY SCIENTIST AND EVERY DOCTOR
HAS SAID JUST THE OPPOSITE.
IT’S A TIME FOR THE CDC, IT’S A
TIME FOR THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION TOEXPLAINING TO THE
WHAT THIS IS, HOW THIS PANDEMIC
IS TAKING HOLD AND WHAT
AMERICANS SHOULD DO ABOUT IT AND
WENT SO FAR YESTERDAY, JOE, AS
TO BLAME THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, VERY VAGUELY.
HE SAID, WE HAD TO UNDO A
DECISION THEY DID.
WHY OUR RESPONSE HAS BEEN SO
SLOW.
SLOW. NO ONE SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THERE WAS NO DECISION TO BE
UNDONE.
UNDONE. JOINING US NOW FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE, NBC NEWS WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENT GEOFF BENNETT.
GEOFF, GOOD MORNING.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PRESIDENT
CALLING INTO HANNITY LAST NIGHT
AND THE RIFFING ON A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC THAT DR. FAUCI HAS SAID
WILL BECOME A PANDEMIC AT SOME
POINT.
POINT. IS THERE ANY STRATEGY?
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE WHO CAN SAY TO DONALD
TRUMP, IT’S SORT OF BECOME A
MOOT QUESTION OVER THE YEARS,
BUT ANYONE WHO CAN SAY, THIS IS
TOO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE
RIFFING OFF THE TOP OF YOUR
HEAD?
HEAD? >> IF SOMEONE IS TELLING THE
PRESIDENT THAT IT’S CLEAR HE’S
NOT LISTENING.
NOT LISTENING. REMEMBER LAST WEEK WE REPORTED
THE VICE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE WAS
GOING TO USE A HEAVIER HAND IN
CONTROLLING ALL OF THE
CORONAVIRUS MESSAGING COMING OUT
OF THIS WHITE HOUSE.
WELL, THEN, AS IT IS NOW IT
APPEARS PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF
IS THE MAIN ONE SPREADING
DISINFORMATION.
DISINFORMATION. COMPLETELY CONTRADICTING THE
INFORMATION AND THE DATA PUT OUT
BY PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS.
THE PRESIDENT DISPUTING THE 3.4%
DATA-DRIVEN ASSESSMENT OF THE
OVERALL CORONAVIRUS DEATH RATE
SAYING IT’S A FALSE NUMBER, NO
EVIDENCE TO BACK IT UP ONLY
SAYING IT’S A HUNCH AND
COMPLETELY DISCARDING, YOU
RIGHTLY POINT OUT, ADVICE FROM
PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS TO PEOPLE
SAYING, IF YOU FEEL SICK, STAY
AT HOME.
AT HOME. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING PEOPLE
HAVE GONE TO WORK AND SOMEHOW
HAVE GOTTEN BETTER AND ALSO SAID
THERE’S BEEN A DEATH REPORTED IN
NEW YORK.
NEW YORK. THERE HAD BEEN NO DEATHS
REPORTED IN NEW YORK FROM
CORONAVIRUS.
CORONAVIRUS. THERE HAS BEEN THAT CASE THAT
JOE MENTIONED.
JOE MENTIONED. SO CLEARLY THE PRESIDENT IS
TRYING TO PUT A ROSY SHEEN ON
THINGS, TRYING TO REASSURE THE
PUBLIC THAT THE ADMINISTRATION
HAS IT UNDER CONTROL, BUT HE’S
DOING IT IN A WAY WHERE HE’S
SPREADING DISINFORMATION.
SPREADING DISINFORMATION. THAT SAID, THOUGH, PUBLIC HEALTH
EXPERTS DO SAY THE
ADMINISTRATION IS DOING A COUPLE
OF THINGS RIGHT, IN PART NAMING
DEBBIE BURKS.
DEBBIE BURKS. OBAMA APPOINTEE, STATE
DEPARTMENT AMBASSADOR AT LARGE
BRINGS 30-PLUS YEARS AT
REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE.
REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE. SOMEONE WHO IS SERIOUS,
SOBER-MINDED, A REAL
PROFESSIONAL NOW COORDINATING
THE DAY-TO-DAY CORONAVIRUS
RESPONSE.
RESPONSE. I’VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO SAY
THEY HOPE SHE’S FULLY EMPOWERED
TO DO THE JOB.
MIKE PENCE GOING TO THE 3M
HEADQUARTERS TODAY.
HEADQUARTERS TODAY. THIS GOVERNMENT CONTRACTED WITH
3M TO MAKE MORE OF THOSE MASKS
AND THEN HEAD TO WASHINGTON
STATE GRAPPLING WITH THE
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK THERE, TOO.
>> THANK YOU, GEOFF BENNETT AT
THE WHITE HOUSE.
MIKA, POINT IS THERE ARE REALLY
GOOD PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS.
THEY’VE PUT GOOD, SMART,
EXPERIENCED PEOPLE IN PLACE.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT CALLS INTO A
NEWS SHOW, SWAMPS ALL THE DATE
AND SCIENCE THAT IS THERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >>> STILL AHEAD WE’RE GOING TO
SPEAK --
SPEAK -- >> IF WE CAN SAY THIS ALSO,
MIKA.
MIKA. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT, WE ACTUALLY
HAVE -- I WON’T AA ROADSAY A ROA
HOW TO BETTER CONTAIN THIS
VIRUS, BUT THERE ARE COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE DEALT WITH THIS.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> CHINA DEALT WITH IT IN A
HEAVY-HANDED WAY, BUT
APPARENTLY, IF THE NUMBERS CAN
BE TRUSTED, THE NUMBER OF
INFECTIONS ARE GOING DOWN.
YOU SEE WHAT’S HAPPENED IN
SINGAPORE.
SINGAPORE. YOU SEE WHAT’S HAPPENED IN
JAPAN.
JAPAN. YOU SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING IN
ITALY.
ITALY. THERE IS AN AGGRESSIVENESS WHERE
PEOPLE ARE BEING ISOLATED, WHERE
SCHOOLS ARE BEING CLOSED DOWN,
WHERE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, THE
GOVERNMENTS ARE TAKING FAIRLY
AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS, AND IT IS
STOPPING AN EPIDEMIC.
>> HELPING.
>> HELPING. >> FROM BECOMING A PANDEMIC.
AT LEAST AT THIS POINT.
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO
HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE CAN
LEARN BY WHAT’S ALREADY BEEN
GOING ON IN CHINA.
THE MISTAKE THAT THEY MADE.
ONE OF THE MISTAKES THEY MADE
WAS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
THEY WEREN’T STRAIGHTFORWARD.
THEY KEPT TRYING TO DOWNPLAY THE
EPIDEMIC, AND BECAUSE OF IT
THEY’RE FACING A CRISIS THAT
COULD EXPLODE INTO A PANDEMIC
THAT COULD RAVAGE THEIR COUNTRY.
LOOK AT IRAN.
IRAN’S HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME.
ONCE AGAIN, THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT SIMPLY CANNOT TELL
THE TRUTH TO THE PUBLIC IN IRAN.
THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF
TRUTH-TELLING, AND BECAUSE OF
IT, YOU SEE THE EPIDEMIC CAUSING
A, RAVAGEING THEIR LEADERSHIP
RANKS IN IRAN.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM THE
MISTAKES OF CHINA AND IRAN.
SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT
THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT.
I KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP IS NOT
CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, I AM
HOPEFUL THAT VICE PRESIDENT
PENCE AND OTHER HEALTH CARE
OFFICIALS IN THAT
ADMINISTRATION, THAT PEOPLE
CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES CAN ASK HIM AT THE
VERY LEAST TO BACK UP AND BACK
OFF, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONSERVATIVES, THERE ARE A LOT
OF OLDER AMERICANS, WHO VOTED
FOR DONALD TRUMP BEFORE AND WHO
WILL VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >> HECK, THEY GO TO HIS RALLIES.
>> WHO WILL GO TO HIS RALLIES.
WHO WILL HEAR FROM THEIR
DOCTORS, AND UNDERSTAND THAT
WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING IS
RECKLESS AND FALSE AND COULD PUT
THEIR LIVES IN DANGER.
SO THERE’S NO POLITICAL UP SIDE
TO LYING ABOUT OUR DOWN PLAYING
THIS EPIDEMIC.
THIS EPIDEMIC. AND -- THE NET RESULT OF THAT IS
TURNING AND EPIDEMIC THAT CAN BE
CONTROLLED INTO A PANDEMIC THAT
RACES OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE
GLOBE AND KILLS FAR TOO MANY