Democrats and the Biden campaign have been relentless in attacking President Donald Trump and his campaign for continuing to hold large rallies during the coronavirus pandemic. But during an appearance on The View Wednesday morning, Dr. Jill Biden seemed to imply that Trump supporters are demonstrating a lack of personal responsibility as well.
“We can’t do anything until we get this virus under control,” Biden said early in the interview. “And you’ve heard the scientists and the doctors, that’s who we're following. And they are saying, wear your mask, socially distance, and we’ve got to come together.”
She said the COVID-19 response must be a “public health issue” as opposed to a “political issue,” adding, “And if you are not going to wear your mask for yourself, wear it for your neighbor who is undergoing chemotherapy and her immune system is down, wear it for the little boy down the street who has asthma and he could get sick or his grandmom could get sick. Do it for someone else if you are not going to do it for yourself.”
That brought co-host Sunny Hostin to the Trump rallies, which stand in sharp contrast to the socially distant or entirely virtual Biden campaign events.
“Even with over 220,000 Americans dead from COVID, there are still these angry protests over safety measures and President Trump supporters are still packing into rallies,” she said, asking why those supporters “still believe [Trump] over our scientists and our trusted experts like Dr. Fauci?”
“Well, I think this administration has made it political,” Biden replied. “We need to listen to the doctors and the scientists. That’s what we have to do. And I think it’s totally irresponsible that people are going to these rallies and they’re not wearing masks, they’re not socially distancing. It's irresponsible and people will die because of this.”
Increases in coronavirus cases related to Trump rallies have already been reported in states like Minnesota and Michigan. Most notably, former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died from the virus just one month after attending the president’s indoor and maskless rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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