PRESIDENT SEEMS TO WANT TO
REJECT.
EVERY EXPERT SAYS THEY’RE THE
THINGS TO DO.
>> OKAY.
SO I GOT TWO POINTS ON THAT.
THE FIRST IS THIS, THE TESTIMONY
FROM THE FORMER GOVERNMENT
DOCTOR WHO SAYS THAT HE LOST A
KEY POST LAST MONTH AFTER
OPPOSING THE PRESIDENT’S PUSH TO
USE AN UNPROVEN DRUG TO TREAT
CORONAVIRUS.
RICK BRIGHT, WHO WAS IN CHARGE
OF THE FEDERAL AGENCY, RON, THAT
DEVELOPS VACCINES, TOLD HOUSE
LAWMAKERS YESTERDAY, THERE WAS
NO PLAN AT THE START OF THE
OUTBREAK, AND THAT THERE IS
STILL NO PLAN TODAY.
LET’S TAKE A LISTEN.
>> OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
CLOSING.
IF WE FAIL TO IMPROVE OUR
RESPONSE NOW, BASED ON SCIENCE,
I FEAR THE PANDEMIC WILL GET
WORSE AND BE PROLONGED.
THERE WILL BE LIKELY A
RESURGENCE OF COVID-19 THIS
FALL.
IT’LL BE GREATLY COMPOUNDED BY
THE CHALLENGES OF SEASONAL IN
INFLUENZA
INFLUENZA.
WITHOUT BETTER PLANNING, 2020
COULD BE THE DARKEST WINTER IN
MODERN HISTORY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE NEED TO
BE TRUTHFUL WITH THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
AMERICANS DESERVE THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH MUST BE BASED ON
SCIENCE.
WE HAVE THE WORLD’S GREATEST
SCIENTISTS.
LET US LEAD.
LET US SPEAK WITHOUT FEAR OF
RETRIBUTION.
OUR NATION WAS NOT AS PREPARED
AS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
AS WE COULD HAVE BEEN.
SOME SCIENTISTS RAISED EARLY
WARNING SIGNALS THAT WERE
OVERLOOKED.
PAGES FROM OUR PANDEMIC PLAYBOOK
WERE IGNORED BY SOME IN
LEADERSHIP.
I BELIEVE, WITH PROPER
LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION
ACROSS GOVERNMENT, WITH THE BEST
SCIENCE LEADING THE WAY, WE CAN
DEVISE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.
THE TIME IS RUNNING OUT BECAUSE
THE VIRUS IS STILL SPREADING
EVERYWHERE.
PEOPLE ARE GETTING RESTLESS TO
LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST
FORE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, WOULD
YOU DESCRIBE THE GOVERNMENT’S
AND THE ADMINISTRATION’S
RESPONSE AS A SUCCESS OR A
FAILURE?
>> I BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE DONE
BETTER.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE CRITICAL
STEPS THAT WE DID NOT TAKE IN
TIME.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE, IF YOUR
SUGGESTIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED,
LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED, AND
THE SEVERITY OF THE PANDEMIC
MIGHT HAVE BEEN LESSENED?
>> I BELIEVE LIVES WOULD HAVE
BEEN SAVED IF WE HAD PROPER
MEDICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR
OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS, YES.
>> SO PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE YOU
WEREN’T LISTENED TO?
>> PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE THEY
DIDN’T HAVE APPROPRIATE
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO SAVE
THEIR LIVES AND PROTECT THEM
FROM GETTING INFECTED.
>> THERE WAS A VISIT TO THE CDC
ON MARCH 6th.
AT THAT VISIT, THE
ADMINISTRATION SAID, ANYONE WHO
WANTS A TEST WILL GET A TEST.
WAS THAT TRUE THEN?
>> THERE STILL ARE NOT ENOUGH
TESTS.
>> SO EVEN THIS WEEK, AS WE’RE
BEING TOLD, "ANYBODY WHO WANTS A
TEST CAN HAVE A TEST," IS THAT
TRUE IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA?
>> NO. >> IT’S JUST PAINFUL.
>> IT’S JUST PAINFUL.
SECRETARY AZAR, RON, SAID
EVERYTHING IN THE TESTIMONY HAD
BEEN MET NOW, CALLING THEM
BENCHMARKS.
THE PRESIDENT CALLED HIM
DISGRUNTLED.
YOUR REACTION?
>> I KNOW DR. BRIGHT A LITTLE
BIT.
I WORKED WITH HIM ON THE EBOLA
RESPONSE.
HE IS APOLITICAL.
HE IS A PROFESSIONAL.
HE CARES ONLY ABOUT THE SCIENCE
AND ABOUT PROMOTING VACCINES AND
OTHER THERAPEUTICS, OTHER DRUGS
THAT COULD HELP FIGHT THIS
DISEASE.
YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION THAT THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STILL
HASN’T REALLY ANSWERED IS WHY
WAS HE REMOVED FROM THIS POST?
IF IT WASN’T FOR THE REASONS
THAT DR. BRIGHT SAYS, WHICH IS
THAT HE OPPOSED THE
POLITICIZATION OF SCIENCE,
OPPOSED THE WHITE HOUSE’S PLAN
TO SHOVE HYDROXY DOWN PEOPLE’S
THROATS, THOUGH IT WASN’T
PROVEN, HE WASN’T LISTENED TO
WHEN WARNING OF THE LACK OF
PROTECTIVE GEAR.
WHY WAS HE REMOVED?
WE HAVEN’T HEARD A GOOD ANSWER
ON THAT.
HIS WARNINGS, WHETHER HE WAS
REMOVED OR NOT, LOOK, HIS
WARNINGS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR AND
SEEM OBVIOUS TO ALL PEOPLE.
THE LAST POINT YOU SHOWED, HIM
TALKING ABOUT THE FACT, THE
PRESIDENT SAYING ON MARCH 6th,
EVERYONE WHO WANTS A TEST CAN
GET A TEST, WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE
IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, ALL
SECTORS, SAYING THAT THEY WANT
TO BE TESTED, CAN’T GET TESTED.
THEY NEED TO BE TESTED AND CAN’T
GET TESTED.
I THINK THAT PART OF THE
TESTIMONY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
>> SO, RON --
>> RON, ALSO, RICK BRIGHT -- OH,
SORRY.
GO AHEAD, MIKA.
>> GO AHEAD, WILLIE.
YOU TAKE IT.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, HE
ALSO POURED SOME COLD WATER ON
SOME OF THE OPTIMISM AROUND A
VACCINE.
THE PRESIDENT IS TALKING ABOUT
HAVING SOMETHING BY THE END OF
THE YEAR.
OTHER DOCTORS ARE SAYING, MAYBE
THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
HE SAID THE 12 TO 18 MONTH
WINDOW MAY BE TOO OPTIMISTIC.
HE ALSO ADDED, THE WINDOW IS
CLOSING TO ADDRESS THIS
PANDEMIC.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, THAT THE
WINDOW IS CLOSING TO ADDRESS THE
PANDEMIC?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, EXACTLY?
IF THE WINDOW CLOSES, THEN WHAT?
>> I THINK WHAT DR. BRIGHT IS
TALKING ABOUT IS -- OBVIOUSLY,
IT’S TOO LATE TO SAVE THE 80,000
PLUS LIVES WE’VE ALREADY LOST.
THAT FOREVER WILL BE SOMETHING
WE SHOULD LOOK AT AND SAY, "WHAT
WENT WRONG WITH THAT?"
I THINK WHAT HE’S SAYING IS
THIS, WE STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH
TEST.
WE STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH
PROTECTIVE GEAR.
WE STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH
PREPARATIONS.
AS DR. JHA JUST DISCUSSED, WE
STILL DON’T HAVE MEANINGFUL
GUIDELINES FROM THE CDC ON
REOPENING.
YET, WE’RE ABOUT TO PROCEED, ALL
OVER THIS COUNTRY, WITH
REOPENING THIS MONTH.
THE WINDOW THAT’S CLOSING IS THE
WINDOW TO GET READY FOR THE
RESURGENCE OF CASES THAT WILL
COME IN LATE SUMMER OR EARLY
FALL.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, WE SAW
THIS WAY BACK IN 1918 WITH THE
SPANISH FLU.
TURNED OUT, THE SECOND WAVE OF
THE SPANISH FLU WAS WORSE THAN
THE FIRST WAVE.
WE DON’T KNOW IF THAT’LL BE TRUE
HERE OR NOT, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT
IF THIS DISEASE HITS HARD, NOT
IN SPRING, LIKE IT HAS NOW, BUT
IN FALL OR WINTER, WHEN
HOSPITALS ARE ALREADY FILLED
WITH FLU CASES, IT’S GOING TO BE
A DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR OUR COUNTRY
AND FOR OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO GET READY FOR THAT
NOW.
I THINK THAT’S WHAT DR. BRIGHT
IS REFERRING TO.
>> SO, RON, GIVEN THE FACT THAT
YOU WERE INVOLVED AND KNEW WELL
OF AN OFFICE THAT WAS SET UP, A
TEAM THAT WAS IN PLACE, A
PLAYBOOK THAT WENT IN DEPTH
ABOUT EMERGING RESPIRATORY
VIRUSES, INCLOUDUDEING THE
CORONAVIRUS, AND WE HAVE UP TO
90,000 DEAD TO THIS DAY, AND A
PRESIDENT WHO SEEMS TO BE
FOCUSED ON RAGE TWEETING AND ON
CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT JOE
THAT ARE CRUEL TO THE PEOPLE HE
TALKS ABOUT, NOW HE APPEARS TO
BE GOING AFTER PRESIDENT OBAMA
DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME FOR
THE COUNTRY, DIFFICULT TO SAY
THE LEAST.
I GUESS I WOULD ASK, IN TERMS OF
HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW
SAFE THEY ARE, TO UNDERSTAND THE
REALITY OF THE LEADERSHIP THEY
HAVE, HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE
OUR RESPONSE SO FAR?
NEGLIGENCE, AVOIDANCE, CRIMINAL,
JUST A SEVERE LACK OF ABILITY TO
PROCESS?
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE
WAY THIS WHITE HOUSE AND THIS
PRESIDENT IS RESPONDING TO THIS
PANDEMIC?
>> WELL, I THINK IT’S BEEN
FOCUSED ON ALL THE WRONG THINGS.
I THINK THAT THERE’S BEEN THIS
OBSESSION WITH TRYING TO PROTECT
THE LEVEL OF THE STOCK MARKET.
THAT’S REALLY WHAT’S DRIVEN THE
PRESIDENT’S REACTION TO THIS.
IT’S WHY HE SPENT ALL OF JANUARY
AND FEBRUARY DENYING THE
EXISTENCE OF THE VIRUS OR
DENYING IT WAS GOING TO BE
SERIOUS, OR SAYING IT’D BE UNDER
CONTROL.
IT’S WHY HE SENT LARRY KUDLOW ON
TV TO TALK ABOUT IT LATE
FEBRUARY, OPPOSED TO TONY FAUCI.
I THINK THERE’S BEEN AN EFFORT
TO TRY TO PROTECT THE STOCK
MARKET FROM THE FALL THAT CAME.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, MIKA, IS
NOT ONLY DID THE PRESIDENT
REALLY DENY THIS WAS HAPPENING,
BUT HIS DENIALS REALLY PUNISHED
THE EXPERTS WHO SPOKE UP IN HIS
OWN ADMINISTRATION.
DR. NANCY MESSONNIER, A CAREER
OFFICIAL AT THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL, ISSUED A STARK
WARNING IN FEBRUARY ABOUT WHAT
WAS COMING.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THE
PRESIDENT CALLED UP SECRETARY
AZAR AFTERWARDS AND SAID, "YOU
NEED TO FIRE HER.
HER ADVICE HAS BEEN PUT TO THE
SIDE."
SHE’S THE HEAD OFFICIAL ON
RESPIRATORY DISEASE AT THE
CENTER FOR DISEASES CONTROL.
SHE’S BEEN SHUTTERED TO THE SIDE
DURING THIS WHOLE THING.
THAT SENT A SIGNAL TO THE
EXPERTS, DON’T SPEAK UP.
PEOPLE LIKE DR. BRIGHT WHO SPOKE
UP.
THERE WAS A CHANCE IN JANUARY
AND FEBRUARY TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT.
THE PRESIDENT REJECTED THAT,
DENIED THAT, AND I THINK THAT
SET US BEHIND.
NOW, WE’RE STILL, I’D SAY, ON
THAT PLAN, TO SOME EXTENT.
THE PRESIDENT STILL KIND OF
REFUSES TO FULLY EMBRACE MASKS.
INDEED, EVEN AS SCIENTISTS RACE
TO GET A VACCINE, THE PRESIDENT
SAID THE OTHER DAY, I’M NOT SURE
I’LL TAKE IT WHEN IT IS
AVAILABLE, WHICH ALSO INFLAMED
THE ANTI-VACCINE SENTIMENT IN
THIS COUNTRY, THAT WE’LL HAVE TO
TAME IF, WHEN WE GET A VACCINE,
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE TAKE
THAT VACCINE.
WE’VE SEEN A FAILURE OF
LEADERSHIP FROM START TO FINISH
HERE.
IT IS NOT JUST A BACKWARD
LOOKING STATEMENT.
THAT PLAGUES OUR RESPONSE RIGHT
NOW.
>> RON KLAIN, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
JUST A NOTE TO DONALD TRUMP
BEFORE YOU TWEET AND UNDERMINE
WHAT RON WAS SAYING ABOUT YOUR
DENIAL IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY,
JUST KEEP IN MIND, YOUR QUOTES
ARE THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
IN JANUARY, YOU SAID IT WAS
TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL.
JANUARY 24th, YOU THANKED CHINA
FOR EVERYTHING.
ON THE 30th, YOU SAID YOU’RE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH CHINA.
YOU THANKED THEM AGAIN AND SAID
IT’D BE A GOOD ENDING FOR THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
FEBRUARY 23rd, YOU SAID, "WE
HAVE IT VERY MUCH UNDER CONTROL
IN THIS COUNTRY."
THAT IS A COMPLETE DENIAL OF
WHAT IS GOING ON TODAY, WITH
90,000 DEAD.
FEBRUARY 26th, "OH, WHEN YOU
HAVE 15 PEOPLE, AND THE 15
WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS IS GOING
TO GO DOWN TO ZERO, THAT’S A
PRETTY GOOD JOB WE’VE DONE."
NOPE.
NOT A GOOD JOB.
IT’S NOT 15 PEOPLE.
WE’RE CLOSE TO 90,000 DEAD AND
MORE MORE TO COME.
FEBRUARY 27th, YOU SAID, IT IS
GOING TO DISAPPEAR LIKE A
MIRACLE.
IT WILL DISAGREE.
MARCH 7th, "NO, I’M NOT
CONCERNED AT ALL.
NO, WE’VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH
IT."
BACKING UP RON KLAIN’S POINT,
THAT THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF, WITH
HIS OWN WORDS, DENIED AND