In this partisan political environment we find ourselves in, even coronavirus has become political. Almost as soon as President Trump was done giving his press conference on the outbreak of the disease, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi questioned his every word. The media didn't help either, with CNN running chyrons suggesting that the president was downplaying the threat of the disease.
That goes for other members of the administration. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney addressed a crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference about the disease, telling the audience that the outbreak was "absolutely" serious, but "it's not a death sentence," nor as serious as the Ebola or MERS crises. Democrats like Sen. Ted Lieu (D-CA) decided to embellish his remarks.
Dear @CDCgov: Do you agree with @realDonaldTrump Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney that the #coronavirus is a hoax? #fridaymorning question https://t.co/m6MV4OMZHg
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 28, 2020
Jake Tapper defended Mulvaney from the slander on Twitter and corrected the record.
In his questions for @SecPompeo, Rep. @tedlieu said Mick "Mulvaney told the Conservative Political Action Conference that the coronavirus was the hoax of the day."
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 28, 2020
That's not what Mulvaney said.
1/
2/ Mulvaney said at CPAC today that 5-6 weeks ago, the admin. held coronavirus briefings on the Hill and only 5 senators & 10-15 congressmen showed up.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 28, 2020
He attacked the media for covering impeachment: “We were dealing with it. The press was covering their hoax of the day.”
Having shared that, Tapper also suggested that Mulvaney was stretching part of the truth.
3/ So what Mulvaney said is ALSO not true.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 28, 2020
It's preposterous to assert that by covering an impeachment and impeachment trial of the president the media was covering our "hoax of the day."
Such falsehoods are a huge disservice to the public.
Concerns are at a new high after the U.S. confirmed the first coronavirus case of unknown origin was detected in California. The spread of the disease has also taken a toll on the stock market, after it posted its worst week since the financial crisis. Can't we agree this is no time for political games.
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