Appearing on MSNBC Thursday afternoon, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told off anchor Andrea Mitchell as he exposed how the Biden campaign and the leftist media “colluded” to exploit the coronavirus pandemic and turn it into a “political weapon” against the President. To Mitchell’s utter contempt, Murtaugh also called out Biden’s “anti-vaxxer rhetoric” and the press sowing doubt about COVID-19 treatments.
“We are inches away from a vaccine in record time. Meanwhile, you have Joe Biden on the other side using this anti-vaxxer rhetoric, scaring people away from taking the vaccine, and then the media happily trumpeting the polls that say that people are afraid of the vaccine,” Murtaugh hammered. He emphasized how irresponsible the rhetoric was: “Joe Biden, a candidate for President, is warning people that it could be dangerous, that’s reckless.”
Mitchell rushed to cut him off: “Well, I just have to – I have to interrupt you....We have you on to talk about what the President’s policies are. Joe Biden is not using anti-vaxxer rhetoric.” Murtaugh countered: “Oh, he certainly is.”
A quick look at recent NewsBusters articles confirms Murtaugh’s criticism. As Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have repeatedly cast suspicion on any potential vaccine developed under the Trump administration, their allies in the left-wing media have pushed the same talking points:
Nets FAIL to Hold Kamala Harris Accountable for Anti-Vaccine Quackery
After Sowing Fear About COVID Vaccine, NBC Hypes Public Mistrust
Dangerous Spin: ABC Helps Biden Spread Fear Trump ‘Compromised’ COVID Vaccine Safety
Moderna President Shoots Down Media’s Vaccine Fear-Mongering
Dangerous: ABC, CBS Spread COVID Vaccine Misinformation, Cheer Cuomo Gaslighting
Minutes later in the contentious exchange with Mitchell, Murtaugh warned: “And it is absolutely true that the media and Joe Biden have turned this, they are the ones who have turned the entire coronavirus crisis into one big political weapon.” He went on to repeat that reporters “let Joe Biden get away with this anti-vaxxer rhetoric, where he is actively frightening people, with his running mate, frightening people away from using the lifesaving vaccine simply because he’s trying to score political points.”
Murtaugh concluded that Democrats and press were clearly working together to oppose Trump:
And Joe Biden and the media have colluded together to turn the entire crisis into one big political weapon to try to defeat President Trump. And they are doing a disservice to the public. And scaring people away from a vaccine is not something that is defensible, Andrea. It is not defensible.
Mitchell again attempted to deny: “Well, that is not at all accurate.” Murtaugh fact-checked: “Oh, it certainly is. It certainly is.”
Despite Mitchell’s assertions, even Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle scolded the Biden campaign for playing politics with the vaccine.
Mitchell’s attempt to served as a Biden campaign spokesperson was brought to viewers by Oscar Meyer and Fidelity. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a transcript of the October 29 segment:
12:36 PM ET
(...)
TIM MURTAUGH [TRUMP CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR]: When the President talks about rounding the corner, he’s talking about the therapeutics that are now in use. It was big news the other day when Remdesivir was approved for use by the FDA as a therapeutic against the coronavirus. If this were a Democrat administration, the media would be turning hand springs over this. We are inches away from a vaccine in record time. Meanwhile, you have Joe Biden on the other side using this anti-vaxxer rhetoric, scaring people away from taking the vaccine, and then the media happily trumpeting the polls that say that people are afraid of the vaccine.
MITCHELL: Tim –
MURTAUGH: Because Joe Biden, a candidate for President...
MITCHELL: Tim, he’s –
MURTAUGH: ...is warning people that it could be dangerous, that’s reckless.
MITCHELL: Well, I just have to – I have to interrupt you. He is – Joe –
MURTAUGH: That’s true.
MITCHELL: Tim, let’s have a conversation. We have you on to talk about what the President’s policies are. Joe Biden is not using anti-vaxxer rhetoric. He has said he will Listen to the scientists...
MURTAUGH: Oh, he certainly is.
MITCHELL: ...and will wait to see what the FDA – well, there’s certainly a lot of facts about that.
(...)
12:38 PM ET
MURTAUGH: And the problem with testing is not something that we ever hear the media talking about anymore, and why is that? It’s because it’s an enormous success. Remember, this was a novel virus that had never been seen before anywhere on the planet. The testing regime had to be created from nothing. And we now, by far, lead the world in testing. And it is absolutely true that the media and Joe Biden have turned this, they are the ones who have turned the entire coronavirus crisis into one big political weapon. Joe Biden has been unburdened by the responsibility of leadership every step of the way and everything he has suggested that the President do are things that the president has already done. And in fact, he has not been able to point out one thing that he would do differently from what President Trump has done. Except we know that he would not have limited travel from China, and as a nation, we would be in far worse position today than we are...
MITCHELL: Tim –
MURTAUGH: ...if Joe Biden had been president in January. That is certain.
MITCHELL: Tim – well, one thing he has done is worn a mask all the time, not held big rallies, not had super-spreaders at the Rose Garden, not had super-spreaders in Tulsa and in Wisconsin, in Duluth, Minnesota, and other places.
(...)
12:40 PM ET
MURTAUGH: The achievement is actually all the different accomplishments that the President has notched all along the way. The ramping up of testing created from nothing, the production of all the PPE, the gloves, the masks, the gowns, the ventilators. Remember, we heard about the great ventilator shortage that was about to occur when in fact the President marshaled the resources of the private sector and the federal government, produced those ventilators, and not one single American has died from lack of access to a ventilator. Getting along the way to having these therapeutics approved by the FDA, Remdesivir, just the other day. Again, huge news that the media really doesn’t focus on. We are very close to a lifesaving vaccine in record time. Those are all real accomplishments that the media never focuses on. And they let Joe Biden get away with...
MITCHELL: Well, I think –
MURTAUGH: ...with this anti-vaxxer rhetoric, where he is actively frightening people, with his running mate, frightening people away from using the lifesaving vaccine simply because he’s trying to score political points. And Joe Biden and the media have colluded together to turn the entire crisis into one big political weapon to try to defeat President Trump. And they are doing a disservice to the public. And scaring people away from a vaccine is not something that is defensible, Andrea. It is not defensible.
MITCHELL: Well, that is not at all accurate. But we can have a further conversation another time.
MURTAUGH: Oh, it certainly is. It certainly is.
MITCHELL: But that is not at all accurate.
(...)
