Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
2020 Democratic Candidates Seize Opportunity Coronavirus Presents In Criticizing Trump's Ability To Handle Crisis
The New York Times: Warren, Bloomberg And Rivals Agree: Trump Is ‘Not Ready’ For Coronavirus
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called Wednesday for the federal government to redirect money from the construction of President Trump’s border wall and put it toward the containment of the fast-spreading coronavirus. “I’m going to be introducing a plan tomorrow to take every dime that the president is now taking to spend on his racist wall at the southern border and divert it to the coronavirus,” Ms. Warren said on a CNN town hall program from Charleston, S.C., joining her opponents in the Democratic presidential primary in excoriating the Trump administration’s response to the threat. (Ruiz, 2/27)
The Associated Press: White House Hopefuls Target Trump On Coronavirus Response
Democratic White House hopefuls are seizing on President Donald Trump’s delayed response to the coronavirus outbreak, calling it the latest evidence of his incompetence and warning that the crisis may only deepen as a result. But some experts and Democrats warn that the candidates risk exacerbating a public health crisis if they go too far in politicizing the virus that causes the COVID-19 illness. (Jeffe, 2/27)
The Hill: Sanders Rips Pence: His Last Response To An Epidemic Was To 'Pray' It Away
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Wednesday slammed President Trump’s appointment of Vice President Pence as point man on the coronavirus outbreak, noting the HIV outbreak that occurred during Pence’s tenure as governor of Indiana as well as Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar’s refusal to promise that a coronavirus vaccine would be affordable to all. “Trump's plan for the coronavirus so far: Cut winter heating assistance for the poor. Have VP Pence, who wanted to 'pray away' HIV epidemic, oversee the response. Let ex-pharma lobbyist Alex Azar refuse to guarantee affordable vaccines to all. Disgusting,” Sanders tweeted Wednesday. (Budryk, 2/27)
