Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) criticized New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) for “undermining public confidence” in the Trump administration’s vaccine progress. Gov. Cuomo said he would work with gubernatorial counterparts from other states to “stop distribution” of a COVID vaccine developed under the Trump administration.
!@NYGovCuomo says it’s “bad news” Pfizer’s Covid vaccine came during the Trump Admin; says he’s going to work w/ other governors to “stop” distribution “before it does damage" pic.twitter.com/ULembNWokW
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) November 9, 2020
Leader McConnell tore into Gov. Cuomo’s outrageous comments, and his horrific COVID leadership, in a floor speech on Thursday:
“The Democratic governor of New York opined a few days ago that it was ‘bad news’ that a vaccine breakthrough may have reached because President Trump is still in office,” Leader McConnell said. “I understand Gov. Cuomo has found the time during this pandemic to write and publish a self-congratulatory book on leadership — this notwithstanding that his own state has absolutely been pummeled by the disease, and his own administration intentionally sent thousands of COVID-19-positive patients into vulnerable nursing homes. The governor has the temerity to say this vaccine breakthrough is partially bad news...because it occurred under the Trump administration...the governor of New York might want to devote more time and attention to developing this crucial plan, rather than undermining public confidence for the sake of politics.”
It is sad to see leading Democrats including some Governors treat the vaccine news like a mixed blessing because it occurred under a Republican administration. Some things must be bigger than politics.
— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) November 12, 2020
Leaders should be cheering this on, not baselessly undermining science.
Gov. Cuomo’s reckless comments do undermine public confidence, as Leader McConnell said. No matter which president sits in the Oval Office, the development of a COVID-19 vaccine is a win for the country’s progress in combating the virus.