Sunday School Extra Credit 3/1/20

As we learn now that six Americans in Washington State have died from the coronavirus, and we have at least 100 known cases, let's take a look at what some of the Trump administration folks were saying yesterday in the classrooms. 

The numbers reflected below were what was known at the time of the interviews. 

Let's start with the vice president and Chuck Todd on Meet the Press. Pence said we still don't know the gentleman whose death was announced on Saturday contracted the virus but that state, local and federal officials were working on it. He also said the risk of infection remains low.  

And in terms of people having confidence that this is under control?

... it's important that people in this country understand that while there are 46 Americans that we brought home from China and 22 Americans, now sadly with one loss of life, that the vast majority of, of those people and the vast majority of any American that would contract a coronavirus will, will be treated, they will recover--

And, he said,

 -- let's be clear on this point. What our health experts have told me...is that, if President Trump had not made the decision to suspend all travel from China into the United States and establish a quarantine effort for people returning to the United States, we'd be in a very different place.

(Note that the China travel ban was very limited, and applied to Chinese citizens, not anyone else coming from China into the US.)

Todd asked whether folks were over-reacting, noting that some companies have limited foreign and domestic travel and cancelled public events, and some schools had closed as well. Pence noted that state and local officials would make whatever decisions they feel are necessary, and that as far as business decisions go, he 

would defer, whether it's foreign travel for those companies and their employees or gatherings in various places around this country. Look, it's a good time to use common sense this time of the year, even if the coronavirus wasn't a reality... I think the president would respect any decisions that are made at the state and local level...

Todd shifted to the 'politicization' of everything surrounding the coronavirus. And while he said that Pence himself had worked hard to stay above the fray, he provided three examples from key Administration allies:

Medal of Freedom honoree Rush Limbaugh: The coronavirus is being weaponized, as yet another element to bring down Donald Trump.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair: Democrats are using this for their political gain to try and stoke fear in the American people, which is shameful, wrong, and I think un-American.

Donald Trump Jr: For them to try to take a pandemic and seemingly hope that it comes here and kills millions of people so that they could end Donald Trump's streak of winning is a new level of sickness.

Todd asked for facts that supported those comments, and said that it "seems like people are asking questions" and are concerned, but suggested implying there was "some sort of political motivation, which is kind of gross."

VP: Well, I will tell you, there's been a lot of irresponsible rhetoric among Democrats and commentators --

CT: Who? Who is this?

VP: -- on the left.

CT: Name some names, sir.

VP: Well --

CT: Because this is just -- it just feels like gas-lighting. Please name some names. I’m -- we're all big -- we're all big people here. Name some names.

VP: There was a column in the New York Times by a prominent liberal journalist that said, "We should rename it the Trump virus." --

CT: Okay, that is - does that apply, does that apply to all people -

VP: -- so that the president would be blamed. Chuck, --

CT: Does this apply --

VP: -- this virus began in China. The president took --

CH: Why take this -- here’s what I want to ask you --

VP: Chuck --

CT: This doesn't help. This does not help us no?

VP: This is decisive action to protect the American people. And when you see voices on our side pushing back on outrageous and irresponsible rhetoric on the other side, I think that's important.

CT: Do you think this rhetoric from your side helps?

VP: I, I never begrudge people responding to unwarranted, unjustified attacks. 

No, he would never do that...

I'll have a sidebar on that NY Times article Pence mentioned; if you read it, you'll see it's not doing what he suggests it is. And I don't know about you, but I think Donny Jr has issues.

Chris Wallace and HHS Secretary Alex Azar chatted in the Fox News Sunday classroom. Wallace asked about community spread of the disease and if it was concerning.

Any community transmission is concerning. That's why we've been very clear from the outset, we're going to have more cases here in the US in spite of the president's aggressive efforts at containment. We'll see some forms of community spreading. But the risk to any individual American remains low. But things can change rapidly.

Wallace asked whether there was any serious consideration to close the US/Mexican border.

Well, right now Mexico has very few cases. So that would -- that would take a real change in the epidemiological profile and the risk to the US from there.  I think (the president) is trying to say is, all things are on the table. We're not going to take anything off the table in our armamentarium of tools we have to protect the American people. 

Two final subjects in this one: the issue of the administration 'lowballing' the risk for political purposes. He quoted Trump and Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC director, saying very different things.

Trump: Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away. Oh, that's true. 

Redfield: I think this virus is probably with us beyond this season or beyond - and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.

Wallace asked Azar if the virus will be gone in April.

No, we don't know that. The normal coronavirus, the annual cold, and - as well as the flu and other respiratory illnesses, often do dissipate and go away in warmer seasons. The virus just doesn't survive well in the warmer climate, warmer atmosphere. But we do not know as to this novel coronavirus how it will interact.

And he asked if Azar understood how people are concerned about the mixed messaging. Azar said yes, but added

We're trying to level with the American people at all times... The president, though, is also trying to keep balance in messaging so that the American people don't engage in unwarranted panic... But we're also trying to be radically transparent with our information to make sure folks know what might be coming so they can mentally prepare, as well as engage in normal prepared effectiveness.

And finally, the conversation turned to the whistleblower who reported that some workers were sent to deal with Americans evacuated from Wuhan without proper training or protective gear. And, from the WaPo article linked above,

The whistleblower is seeking federal protection, alleging she was unfairly and improperly reassigned after raising concerns about the safety of these workers to HHS officials, including those within the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. She was told Feb. 19 that if she does not accept the new position in 15 days, which is March 5, she would be terminated.

Wallace asked if the woman had been reassigned, as she said in her complaint.

So, first, we -- it is vitally important that we protect our employees in any situation. It is vitally important that we follow the appropriate isolation or quarantine protocols in dealing with individuals. And it's important that no whistleblower ever be retaliated against. And we will never permit retaliation against the whistleblower. 

He also said "the facts we know so far" are that everyone involved is now beyond 14 days from having any interaction with the evacuees and "nobody is symptomatic or has the disease,"

so, there was no risk -- there's no risk to the people of HHS, no risk to the community, even if the allegations prove to be true. So that's a very important fact. We also have offered voluntary testing to our employees. It's not medically indicated because they don't have the virus - but if it comforts them, we're going to get them tested so they know

Honestly? I think that they dodged a bullet, that no one appears to have been negatively impacted by the alleged exposure. Wallace wondered again about the woman and whether she had been reassigned.

Well, I'm not going to discuss personnel matters. That wouldn't be proper for me to do. But there will be no retaliation against this individual or any other individual. We are grateful -- if our employees raise concerns about our processes, if something proves not to be right, we are grateful for that.

Wallace tried again, asking if it turns out that she was reassigned for filing the complaint, would she get her old position back? Azar said that "nobody would ever be reassigned or discriminated against or prejudiced or retaliated against because of raising concerns about the functioning of the department."

And one last time, Wallace tried, but failed.

I cannot -- I'm not going to tell you whether that happened because that's still under investigation. We are doing a comprehensive, thorough investigation. 

Let's hope that Wallace and other journalists don't let the whistleblower issue fall by the wayside.

See you around campus.