Vice President Mike Pence is either suffering amnesia or is just an out-and-out liar. Appearing on CNN Wednesday morning, he told Wolf Blitzer “I don't believe the president has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus.” As they say in the news business, roll tape:
- January 22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”
- February 10: “Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.”
- February 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. […] Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”
- February 28: “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
- March 4: “Some people will have this at a very light level and won’t even go to a doctor or hospital, and they’ll get better. There are many people like that.”
- March 9: “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!”
- March 10: “We’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.”
- March 15: “This is a very contagious virus. It’s incredible. But it’s something that we have tremendous control over.”
To his credit, Blitzer pushed back. “What I'm suggesting that he was saying at one point,” he interrupted Pence to emphasize, “it wasn't as bad as the regular flu and he was talking about automobile accidents. He seemed to be suggesting at one point there were 15 cases, it would get down to zero very quickly.” Pence’s response? “Well, look, the president is an optimistic person.”
Well, look, the vice president is a shameless, sniveling lackey: