The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

OPINION | With a mask and everything, Biden crushes Trump

2020-05-28T14:56:29.057Z


Biden's brand is decency. But Americans want more than that, especially now. They want a leader who can safely bring them out of the current calamity.


  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
  • Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)

Editor's Note: Frida Ghitis, a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a frequent contributor to CNN opinion, a contributing columnist for the Washington Post, and a columnist for the World Politics Review. Follow her on Twitter @fridaghitis. The opinions expressed in this comment are specific to the author. Read more opinion at CNNe.com/opinion

(CNN) - "He is a fool, an absolute fool," former Vice President Joe Biden said of President Donald Trump's refusal to wear a mask. "Every doctor in the world says you should wear a mask when you're in a crowd." Biden, the alleged Democratic candidate, did not raise his voice and smiled frequently. But he did not hit. "Presidents," he said, "are supposed to lead, not engage in madness and be falsely male."

It was Biden's first in-person interview since the pandemic forced him to abandon the campaign two months ago, and CNN aired it moments after Trump made another of his bizarre, conspiracy-laden, self-aggrandizing presentations on the White House grounds. . The two performances had a lot in common: both outdoors on a beautiful late spring day, both candidates campaigning, dressed in the role. But the content, in case someone forgot, was a reminder of how different the two men are.

  • MIRA: Biden criticizes Trump for making fun of the use of masks to prevent the coronavirus

Trump's remarks were his already familiar mix of lies, boast, misdirection, and insults. He had brought the media together for an event promoting an agreement to reduce insulin costs for older people. "Insulin. Many people. Much needed, ”she said, turning away from her prepared text with snippets of phrases and non-sensual reflections. "I don't use insulin. Should I do it? Hey? Never thought about it".

Older voters tell pollsters that they prefer Biden, so there is no question why Trump declared "we love our older adults" and claimed he will always protect health coverage for pre-existing conditions, even when his administration is in the court trying to eliminate Obamacare, the program that finally expanded Americans' access to health insurance.

The president repeated his latest vile distraction: He again promoted the completely unfounded claim that Joe Scarborough of MSNBC, a former Republican congressman who fiercely criticizes him, may have been involved in the death of an aide in his Florida office 19 years ago. The death of the woman, who had a heart condition, was declared an accident. The same day the woman's widower pleaded for an end to the use of his dead wife's memory for political games, Trump did so without apology. "Very suspicious," he said.

It was another shameful performance; the kind that Americans have been watching for more than three years. The kind that has put Biden ahead in the polls, which is possibly the reason why Trump again falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to large-scale fraud. Without mail ballots, millions of Americans fearful of a possible polling station infection amid a pandemic may not feel able to vote in November. Trump attacked the media, "Sleepy Joe," and spoke about the great work he has done to combat the pandemic that, under his guard, has killed nearly 100,000 Americans. It would have been many times worse, he bragged, if he hadn't done such a good job.

But the president's approach to the pandemic is a chaos of contradictions. After retweeting a post from a Fox News personality mocking Biden for wearing a face mask at a Memorial Day event, Trump this time belittled a journalist who asked him about it. Trump told the reporter to remove his mask for the follow-up question. The journalist said he would keep it on and speak louder instead, "Okay, okay," Trump said, "you want to be politically correct." Doctors and federal guidelines urge Americans to wear face masks; the president refuses to do it and mocks those who do it.

Biden was asked if wearing a mask is a sign of weakness or strength. He said it is a sign of leadership. "A president must lead by example," he told CNN's Dana Bash. "These macho things are costing people their lives." Bash and Biden were sitting more than 3 meters away. Bash said they wore face masks whenever they got closer than that.

Biden hit Trump hard, but the former vice president also did a credible job of acknowledging his mistakes. After an interview in which he joked that African American voters who do not support him are not really black, Biden again apologized, saying that there is nothing wrong with admitting a mistake, especially if he has hurt someone. "If I say something offensive, I should apologize.

Biden's brand is decency. But Americans want more than that, especially now. They want a leader who can safely bring them out of the current calamity. We need to reopen the economy intelligently, he said, we cannot separate economic well-being from health. "There are ways to rationally reopen," "put people in a position where they don't have to risk their lives to earn a living."

Biden managed to come at the same time, strong and polite. If Trump watched the interview, you can bet he hated it. All those references to his false masculinity, his lies, his folly, hit the mark. Let's see how Trump ventures on Twitter.

Biden was smiling, but raised the temperature on the run. Voters who saw both events saw the contrast, almost side by side. If you liked one of them, you might not like the other.

coronavirusJoe Biden

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2020-05-28

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.