McEnany: Democrats playing politics with American lives by sowing doubt over vaccine
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany responds to Joe Biden’s accusation that Trump is politicizing the coronavirus vaccine.
Democrats are “playing politics with people’s lives” by “sowing doubt” about a coronavirus vaccine, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.
McEnany made the comment reacting to statements made by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in Lancaster, Pa., on Monday.
A reporter asked Biden, “Would you take the COVID vaccine if the Trump administration offered it before the election?”
“I would want to see what the scientists said,” the former vice president said in response.
The reporter then asked, “Do you trust [Dr. Anthony] Fauci and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)?”
“I want full transparency on a vaccine,” Biden said in response. “One of the problems is the way he’s [Trump is] playing with politics.”
“He’s said so many things that aren’t true I’m worried if we do have a really good vaccine people will be reluctant to take it and so he’s undermining public confidence, but pray to God we have it,” Biden continued.
“If I could get a vaccine tomorrow, I’d do it. If it cost me the election, I’d do it.”
“We need a vaccine and we need it now, as quick as we can get it,” he went on to say. “We have to listen to the scientists.”
On Monday, President Trump claimed that a coronavirus vaccine could be delivered by October, saying it would be “very safe and effective.”
During a Labor Day press conference at the White House, the president touted his administration’s “Operation Warp Speed” program, a public-private partnership that he announced in May, which would produce a vaccine against the novel coronavirus.
“Under my leadership, we’ll produce a vaccine in record time,” Trump said.
The president has repeatedly said that the vaccine would be available by the end of the year, but his comments Monday seemed to suggest a possible vaccine against COVID-19 could become available to the public before the election in November.
The president went on to slam Democrats, claiming they are “disparaging” the vaccine.
“It is so contrary to all of the lies. They are political lies,” Trump said. “And it is so dangerous for our country.”
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McEnany stressed on Tuesday that President Trump will “depend on the scientists” as it pertains to a coronavirus vaccine, “which is what he’s done every single step of the way.”
She echoed Trump in saying that what Democrats are doing “is very, very dangerous.”
“They are literally playing politics with people’s lives here by sowing doubt about a vaccine,” McEnany said.
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She went on to note that “we have renowned experts over at ‘Operation Warp Speed’ that are working on this.”
“President Trump has tore through bureaucratic barriers so we can get a safe, effective, and timely vaccine,” McEnany said.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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