In case you missed President Trump’s coronavirus briefing Thursday, he and Drs. Fauci and Birx laid out a three-phase plan for getting the country back to work, or at least a little bit closer to normal. Phase 1 would let elective surgeries resume, which is a big deal.
In Phase One:
Schools that are currently closed should stay closed.
Visits to senior living facilities and hospitals should be prohibited.
Gyms can open with strict physical distancing protocols in place.
Elective surgeries can resume.
MORE: https://t.co/gdCIY9wJP8 pic.twitter.com/oIBUxOSQQ6
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 17, 2020
Sounds good to us, but Barack Obama’s Ebola czar and Joe Biden adviser Ronald Klain doesn’t agree:
This isn't a plan. It's barely a powerpoint.
— No provision to ramp up testing
— No standard on levels of disease before opening ("down" is a direction, not a level)
— No protections for workers OR customers pic.twitter.com/bE3GCYeECw— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) April 16, 2020
This is a data-driven, detail-oriented plan to reopen the U.S. economy. Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx are running through the top lines, and even then you're just selectively attacking one slide here.
Why is Team Biden attacking the experts? https://t.co/FOD3KoE4zX
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) April 16, 2020
Trust the Scientists(tm), unless the political operative with a law degree disagrees. https://t.co/Q3dnJnf3hc
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) April 16, 2020
Biden said during a CNN town hall on the coronavirus that he didn’t think this was much of a plan. It’s too bad this wasn’t a real town hall, because he could have asked Dr. Deboroah Birx about it, since she too was a guest and helped formulate the plan. At least he was able to share the screen with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who nodded every now and then.
Joe Biden, Dr. Deborah Birx, Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg join @AndersonCooper & @DrSanjayGupta live for Coronavirus – Facts and Fears, tonight at 8 p.m. ET pic.twitter.com/YrLM9BbtRN
— CNN (@CNN) April 16, 2020
So what’s Biden’s plan? It’s hidden somewhere in these five long minutes. (Those hour-long debates without teleprompters or notes are going to be something.)
"I wouldn't call it a plan," says Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, responding to Pres. Trump's plan to reopen the American economy. "…He's kind of punted. He's decided that he doesn't have the right to make the call for the country." #CNNTownHall pic.twitter.com/1Z9V3rhv55
— CNN (@CNN) April 17, 2020
It’s more that he thinks states with different circumstances should take those circumstances into consideration when deciding when to open up and how much.
What is Joe’s plan? Can he articulate a plan? Can he articulate a complete sentence?
— Eyes On (@retinaldoctor) April 17, 2020
So Joe’s solution to this crisis is to give gov control over private means of production in certain industries & guarantee free medical services to every American in the form of tests & treatment? But a democratic socialism has no place in American politics. Ok Joe.
— Jonathan Park (@jonpark91) April 17, 2020
He gave them guidance, as he should. But if they trample on our rights with no just cause, you can expect this to escalate to the DOJ.
— LadyBird Justice (@LadybirdJustice) April 17, 2020
No matter what he says it’s wrong. He’ll say that he has the power to reopen the states and they will have segments for days telling us that this is wrong and dangerous. Then when he says I’ll leave it up to the states? That’s wrong and dangerous!
— Dave (@daveshingle) April 17, 2020
For those of you who don’t live in America this is a hard concept to understand. But the county is huge and each area is different population wise. Like the governor of NYC said today even each buro differs. You would never make a one size fits all package for the US.
— Hagen (@mediachecker) April 17, 2020
You have to understand, what ever Trump proposed, he would be criticized. He was criticized when he said that he would make the call, now he is criticized for letting the states make the call. Letting the states make the call is the right call, so in the end, Trump is right.
— Jeff ❌iller (@millerjj660) April 17, 2020
“I wouldn’t call it a plan…..because…….what was the question? “
— Matsuzaka Satou (@satou_irl) April 17, 2020
I could have predicted this and by the way I did. The Dems will either say its really their plan or they would do it differently with a minor detail changed. Biden seriously has no plan but wants to try and be relevant.
— Dale K Combs (@dkcombs55) April 17, 2020
Even with the questions fed to him before hand, poor old uncle Joe can't remember his scripted answers written for him
— Not vegan (@Meatrecruiter) April 17, 2020
Holy shit, he really is morphing into "Sleepy Joe Biden". ?
— julie mah (@julie_m_88) April 17, 2020
Why's he reading this shit from paper if it's all his own thoughts?
— ?️Commandonaut?️ (@commandonaut) April 17, 2020
Jeez guys, he’s reading his talking points from notes.
— Denny Loggins (@DennyLoggins) April 17, 2020
He can't finish a sentence, he is jumping from one sentence to another, feel almost sorry for him! It is painful to watch! Why did we end up like this?
— Isabella Cascio Greggio (@CascioIsabella) April 17, 2020
He stayed awake and remembered where he was. This could be harder than anyone is expecting. Nah
— Harry Parker (@RaidersHLP) April 17, 2020
This is unbelievable, who voted for this guy.
— Troy (@walkingmerman) April 17, 2020
Spit it out joe. Poor guy
— jasonfoti (@jasonfoti) April 17, 2020
Biden sounds like that friend at the party that you know has had too much and they just keep rambling, but you don’t call them out on it out because what’s the point.
— Independent Politics (@burntsock2) April 17, 2020
My impression of Joe Biden: "You know what i think? I'll tell you what I think. I think that, that, that well you know what I think"
— Protocol (@Theprotocol2) April 17, 2020
You know the thing.
Does Joe even know he’s on TV?
— Beijing Biden (@leftsucks2) April 17, 2020
Joe Biden doesn’t even know what month it is.
— Dr. Norman LeCooter, PhD, MD (@fender_dee) April 17, 2020
Wasting time with this man. Democrats need another person to best Trump in November.
— David Chambers (@cleaningD) April 17, 2020
Biden, without index cards at a live debate, is going to be fun.
— Nick M (@NM_1031) April 17, 2020
If that’s not enough Biden for you, here’s a clip from this morning where the train goes off the tracks toward the end.
A very moving anecdote from the Democratic presidential candidate pic.twitter.com/jmRvRROe61
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 16, 2020
Jill Biden looks terrified
She has no idea what's going to come flying out of his pie hole
But she knows it will be crazy townI feel for her
He's close enough to lucid you can't hit him w/ a tranq dart
&
She doesn't want to be the one who kills his dream pic.twitter.com/zaZZ8tygEC— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) April 16, 2020
Related:
People are having too much fun with Joe Biden’s new ‘I’m on Team Joe’ avatar maker https://t.co/QDb2XZ7r1R
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 17, 2020