Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Touts His COVID Plan: 'We'll Let Science Drive Our Decisions'
CNN: Biden Seeks To Demonstrate His Differences With Trump On Managing The Pandemic In 2020 Race's Closing Days
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden sought Wednesday to make the differences in how he and President Donald Trump have approached the coronavirus pandemic a part of his closing message, sitting for a briefing with health experts and addressing the crisis as Trump campaigned out West as if it was over. Wednesday's event was the latest in Biden's series of demonstrations of how he would handle the pandemic -- which have become a regular feature of his campaign, underscoring his aides' belief that the virus' spread on Trump's watch is the dominant factor in the November 3 election. (Bradner and Mucha, 10/28)
NPR: How Would Joe Biden Fight COVID-19?
[Democrat Joe] Biden's campaign has a seven-point plan to beat COVID-19 and other proposals for health care and economic recovery that support that vision. NPR asked his advisers for details on his approach, which includes some familiar elements, as well as some less-expected ones. (Aubrey, 10/28)
In other news related to the Biden campaign —
Reuters: Biden, In LGBTQ Interview, Vows To Pass Equality Act In First 100 Days
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to put top priority on passing the LGBTQ rights legislation known as the Equality Act, hoping to sign what would be a landmark civil rights law within 100 days, should he win Tuesday’s election. Biden, a leading voice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer rights as vice president under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017, also pledged in an interview with the Philadelphia Gay News to expand queer rights internationally by making equality a centerpiece of U.S. diplomacy if he assumes office in January. (Trotta, 10/29)
WebMD: A Closer Look At Joe Biden's Health
Uncertainty and contention surround the presidential election that is mere days away, but there is one thing we know for sure: No matter who wins, the next president of the United States will be the oldest to ever take office. President Donald Trump set the most recent record when he was sworn in at the age of 70. Now 74, he is only slightly younger than the soon-to-be 78-year-old Joe Biden. So just how healthy is Biden? Quite healthy, according to the most recent medical assessment released by Biden’s doctor in December 2019. The report from Kevin O’Connor, DO, associate professor of Medicine at George Washington University, called Biden “vigorous” and fit to successfully be president. (Kalter, 10/28)
NBC News: Latino Voters Targeted By Abortion Misinformation Campaigns
In the final days before the election, Spanish-language misinformation about Joe Biden's and running mate Kamala Harris' positions on abortion is specifically targeting religious Latinos on Facebook and its messaging service, WhatsApp. Several of the memes about their positions on abortion that are circulating are false. (Glaser, 10/29)
Fox Business: Zuckerberg 'Not Aware' That Facebook Election Integrity Official Worked For Biden
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that he was "not aware" that a Facebook election integrity official used to work as a policy adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden during the Senate Commerce Committee's Section 230 hearing on Wednesday. "My understanding is that the person that is in charge of election integrity and security at Facebook is a former Joe Biden staffer, is there someone closely associated with President Trump in the same role at Facebook?" Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., asked the CEOs. "How do you all respond to that argument that there isn't sufficient balance in terms of the political ideology or diversity in your companies, and how do you deal with the lack of trust that creates among conservatives?" (Fordham, 10/28)
