On Thursday’s New Day, CNN hosts John Berman and Alisyn Camerota hurled juvenile attacks at President Trump over his public disagreement with CDC director Robert Redfield claiming masks would be more effective in stopping the coronavirus than an eventual vaccine.
Camerota began with "President Trump escalating his war on facts and science," and added "Mr. Trump is also blaming blue states for the U.S. having the highest death toll in the world, as though we're no longer the United States. Nearly 200,000 Americans have been killed across the country."
The morning show anchors claimed that the President disagreeing with Redfield's coronavirus vaccine comments somehow made Trump anti-science.
Berman then taunted the president with an on-screen graphic comparing the scientific credentials of Redfield and Trump: "What you're seeing on the screen here is some context for the differing voices on vaccines and masks." Berman highlighted both the medical degrees and experience of Dr. Redfield and then said for Trump, "his uncle taught at M.I.T. He also lies about everything from crowd sizes to injecting disinfectant, so there’s that.”
CNN knows that Joe Biden also doesn't have a medical degree....but the Democrats love "science," so there's that.
The conflict began with Director Redfield’s appearance before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee. At a later press briefing, a White House reporter took the Director’s words out of context.
This prompted the President to call the Director "confused" and assure that the vaccine would be available sooner rather than later. None of this was accurately reported by CNN, but instead they took the opportunity to push nasty Biden campaign talking points that the President was putting politics and his own self-interest over science and the lives of the American people.
The network routinely attacks the President with partisan coverage that perfectly matches rhetoric from Democratic nominee Joe Biden. The former Vice President claimed yesterday: “I trust vaccines, I trust scientists, but I don’t trust Donald Trump.” This was a point that was emphasized by Berman and Camerota through their broadcast.
This was clearly shown during a report minutes later, when Berman self-righteously proclaimed: “I don't want to present this as a ‘two sides’ thing, because there aren't two sides here. What there is, is a scientist, a head of the CDC, a doctor, a man with extensive medical training telling Americans they should be wearing masks.” This was in contrast to their coverage of President Trump’s statements over the past few days which were met with contempt and scorn by both the hosts and their guests.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a political commentator for CNN, added that Trump "has sought to put his political self-interest today or tomorrow or in the election, over what is sound public health in the midst of the pandemic that has taken nearly 200,000 lives. This is in keeping with the fact that this President has consistently put his own self-interests over the interests of every American in this country."
CNN didn't note that their doctor/expert ran for Governor of Michigan in 2018 as a Democrat -- losing to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He was endorsed by radical leftists Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Linda Sarsour.
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A transcript of the September 17 coverage is included below:
New Day
09/17/20
6:00 AM ETALISYN CAMEROTA: President Trump escalating his war on facts and science after the CDC director testified on Capitol Hill that wearing a mask is more effective protection than any vaccine. And that a coronavirus vaccine will not be widely available until next summer. President Trump then undermined Dr. Robert Redfield by saying he was, quote, “confused and misunderstood the questions.” The CDC is trying to walk back Dr. Redfield's comments, seemingly to back up the President. Mr. Trump is also blaming blue states for the U.S. having the highest death toll in the world, as though we're no longer the United States. Nearly 200,000 Americans have been killed across the country. Cases are rising this morning in 23 states. And deaths are on the rise in 25 states. Nearly 1,000 Americans died just yesterday from the virus.
JOHN BERMAN: What you're seeing on the screen here is some context for the differing voices on vaccines and masks. In terms of scientific credentials, Dr. Redfield has a medical degree from Georgetown. He's a Professor at the University of Maryland school of medicine, he served on an advisory counsel on HIV/AIDS under George W. Bush, he's been CDC director since 2018. As for Donald Trump, his uncle taught at M.I.T. He also lies about everything from crowd sizes to injecting disinfectant, so there's that.6:16 AM ET
JOHN BERMAN: CDC director Robert Redfield testifying under oath at a senate hearing on the importance of wearing masks. The President, who is never under oath, in many ways, doesn't agree. Joining us now CNN Political Commentator Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, and CNN National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem. Doctor, I want to start with you and with what Dr. Redfield said, because I don't want to present this as a "Two sides" thing, because there aren't two sides here. What there is, is a scientist, a head of the CDC, a doctor, a man with extensive medical training telling Americans they should be wearing masks. Why is that important and why should we listen to him?
ABDUL EL-SAYED [Political Commentator]: A mask is the single greatest, most important tool that any one of us has to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from covid-19, full stop. Let's put this in context, though. The president has marginalized the CDC, he's pressured the FDA, he's marginalized Anthony Fauci. He has sought to put his political self-interest today or tomorrow or in the election, over what is sound public health in the midst of the pandemic that has taken nearly 200,000 lives. This is in keeping with the fact that this President has consistently put his own self-interests over the interests of every American in this country. And here we see it again. He is trying to marginalize his CDC Director, who is bringing the facts of the matter to the case, in front of the senate, under oath, and it's shameful to watch.
