Despite the fact President Trump banned flights from China from entering the U.S. back in January (a move praised by Dr. Anthony Fauci as crucial to the fight against the coronavirus), the CBS Evening News and White House correspondent Weijia Jiang spent a portion of Wednesday’s program pushing suggestions the administration had acted too slowly and it was costing American lives.
The assault against the President was vicious. “That change in policy comes amid criticism of the administration by governors nationwide over a lack of desperately needed medical supplies,” anchor Norah O’Donnell declared. Playing off of O’Donnell, Jiang discounted reassurances from the President that the supplies were on the way. “He says the country is preparing for the worst as questions continue to mount over whether he acted too late,” she chided.
Jiang also knocked Vice President Mike Pence for having reminded people that early CDC projections showed America with a low risk of a widespread outbreak. Now, they latch onto projections that show 100-240,000 Americans possibly dying. She followed up by touting liberal governors who were looking to China and praising the communists:
But governors across the country are struggling to cope and pleading for supplies from the administration, including test kits, ventilators, masks, and gloves. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is so desperate, he's asked airline CEOs to fly in supplies from China. New York's Andrew Cuomo said it is China, not the U.S., who is manufacturing almost everything they need.
While Jiang was glorifying China (the ones responsible for the Wuhan Virus) for making supplies, CBS Evening News still has yet to report on the American companies stepping up to make the supplies health care workers desperately need.
Even though previous administrations had not replenished the national stockpile after drawing upon it, Jiang scolded Pence for defending Trump against claims “he underestimated the virus, leaving the country unprepared and costing lives.” She also suggested Trump was “downplaying the danger” well into February.
In reality, the Trump administration had expanded airport screenings, created the Coronavirus Task Force, and banned travel from China all in January.
CBS were the ones not taking the virus seriously. On the day the Trump administration banned travel from China, O’Donnell pushed it back in order to obsess about impeachment. “We'll get to the U.S. declaring a public health emergency over that deadly coronavirus in just a moment, but we are going to begin tonight with late drama on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Senate voting 51-49 against calling witnesses in the President's impeachment trial,” she said.
In fact, back on the March 12 newscast after the President announced a ban on travel from Europe, O’Donnell and transportation correspondent Kris van Cleave complained about how Trump created “confusion,” “panic,” and “shrugged off the backlash from European leaders.” The same European leaders who dragged their feet on banning travel from abroad, even as the virus ravaged Italy.
Jiang concluded her Wednesday report by taking another shot a Pence. “And contrary to Vice President Pence's claim that the CDC predicted in January that there would be a low risk to Americans, we know that the U.S. intelligence community warned in the same month of the grave threats we are watching play out now,” she sneered.
But those same intelligence community reports showed that China was lying about their infection and death rates along with trying to cover up the spread of the virus (making doctors, journalists, and whistleblowers disappear). Meanwhile, two weeks ago, CBS aided China’s propaganda push by lauding the communists for how they “attacked” the virus.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
April 1, 2020
6:38:23 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Now to an update on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. Nearly 100 sailors on board the aircraft carrier tested positive for coronavirus. When we spoke with Defense Secretary Mark Esper here last night, he told us the ship did not need to be evacuated. But just moments ago the chief of naval operations said 2700 of the ship's almost 5,000 sailors will be isolated and taken ashore in Guam.
That change in policy comes amid criticism of the administration by governors nationwide over a lack of desperately needed medical supplies. We go now to Weijia Jiang who is at the White House tonight. Weijia.
WEIJIA JIANG: Well Norah, tonight, President Trump is pushing back on that saying large cargo planes filled with supplies from around the world are about to land in big cities from coast to coast. He says the country is preparing for the worst as questions continue to mount over whether he acted too late.
[Cuts to video]
Today, Vice President Mike Pence appeared to blame the CDC for incorrectly predicting how devastating a coronavirus outbreak would be.
VP MIKE PENCE: In mid-January, the CDC was still assessing that the risk of the coronavirus to the American people was low.
JIANG: But governors across the country are struggling to cope and pleading for supplies from the administration, including test kits, ventilators, masks, and gloves. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is so desperate, he's asked airline CEOs to fly in supplies from China. New York's Andrew Cuomo said it is China, not the U.S., who is manufacturing almost everything they need.
NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D): China is selling to the world, literally. [Transition] And every governor will tell you this. They're trying to buy-- I'm trying to buy. I'm calling everyone I know. But it all comes back to China.
JIANG: The shortage comes as the national stockpile of emergency supplies is almost depleted. Vice President Pence, who visited a Walmart distribution center today, defended the President against critics who say he underestimated the virus, leaving the country unprepared and costing lives.
PENCE: I don't believe the President has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus.
JIANG: But well into February, when health officials were issuing warnings about the virus, Mr. Trump was downplaying the danger it posed.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away. Hope that's true.
[Cuts back to live]
JIANG: And contrary to Vice President Pence's claim that the CDC predicted in January that there would be a low risk to Americans, we know that the U.S. intelligence community warned in the same month of the grave threats we are watching play out now. Norah.
O’DONNELL: All right, Weijia, thank you.
