We need to take this virus seriously, said Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. (File)
Michigan:
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Friday President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis showed the importance of taking the pandemic seriously, telling Americans that wearing masks was more important than being a “badass “.
Biden’s remarks while campaigning in the battlefield state of Michigan hours after being tested negative for the virus twice, served as implicit criticism of the Republican president. Trump has downplayed virus mortality for months, frequently avoids masks, and organized campaign rallies of thousands with little social distancing.
Trump’s illness drew even greater attention to the novel coronavirus pandemic just over four weeks before the November 3 election. The president was exhibiting mild symptoms and will be indefinitely outside the box. The White House said Trump is being moved to a special suite at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., For the next few days, as a precaution.
In a Grand Rapids union hall, Biden said he and his wife, Jill Biden, prayed that Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, would make a quick and full recovery. He delivered the entire speech while wearing a blue medical mask, a departure from previous events where he typically removed his mask before speaking.
“It’s not a matter of politics,” Biden said. “It is a strong reminder to all of us that we must take this virus seriously. It does not go away automatically.”
Biden urged all Americans to follow scientific guidelines, including wearing masks, washing their hands frequently and staying 1.83 m (6 feet) apart. Health officials, including the chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, said masks were a crucial tool in slowing the spread of the virus.
“Be patriotic,” Biden said. “It’s not about being a badass. It’s about doing your part.”
In Tuesday’s chaotic presidential debate, Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask at his events, even when he is away from others.
Trump’s diagnosis is likely to reinforce Biden’s message about the president’s failed response to the disease, which has killed more than 207,000 people in the United States, and undermine Trump’s argument that the end of the pandemic is in sight. Opinion polls show voters trust Biden more than Trump to handle the pandemic.
“It’s hard to say ‘it’s under control’ when you have it,” Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis said. “If we talk about the pandemic for the next four weeks, Donald Trump loses.”
During a virtual grassroots fundraiser on Friday, Biden’s Vice President Senator Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama both wished the Trumps a speedy recovery.
“Doug and I share our deepest prayers for the health and recovery of the President and the First Lady,” Harris said. (Her husband is entertainment lawyer Douglas Emhoff.) “Let this be a reminder to all of us that we need to stay vigilant and take care of ourselves – and take care of each other.”
As Biden’s motorcade passed through Grand Rapids, dozens of supporters stood along the road, waiving signs. A woman was holding a small American flag and a cardboard sign reading “Masks Work”.
The Biden campaign is temporarily removing ads criticizing Trump for his handling of the coronavirus after his diagnosis, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Biden leads Trump in national opinion polls, although polls in the battlefield states that will decide the contest show a closer race. A Reuters / Ipsos poll last month showed Biden ahead of Trump by 5 percentage points among likely Michigan voters.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
