Biden Goes After Officials ‘Working to Undermine’ Fight Against Covid: Instead of Encouraging Vaccination, They’re ‘Ordering Mobile Morgues’
In a speech on Thursday, President Joe Biden slammed those who he say have undermined his administration’s initiatives in combating the coronavirus pandemic.
“Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they’re ordering mobile morgues,” Biden said of officials he said have undermined his administration’s fight against the pandemic. Biden did not name any officials by name, though he apparently referred to Republicans including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed back against the administration, which has called out Florida’s response to the pandemic such as not having school mask mandates. Ahead of the president’s speech, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem tweeted, “South Dakota will stand up to defend freedom. @JoeBiden see you in court.”
South Dakota will stand up to defend freedom. @JoeBiden see you in court.
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) September 9, 2021
Biden remarked that it’s “incredibly frustrating” that 80 million Americans remain unvaccinated “even though the vaccine is safe, effective and free.”
“Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are still not vaccinated, even though the vaccine is safe, effective and free,” he said. “You might be confused about what is true and what is false about COVID-19.”
The president said that amid progress has been made in the fight against the coronavirus – for example, more than 175 million Americans are fully vaccinated – “the path ahead, even with the Delta variant, is not nearly as bad as last winter.”
Biden named major companies that have vaccine or testing requirements, such as Fox News.
In his speech, the president announced what the White House, ahead of the address, called a “six-pronged, comprehensive national strategy.”
One is that the federal government will now require all employees and contractors to be vaccinated and that the alternative of showing a negative Covid test will no longer be an option.
Other announcements included mandating vaccination or testing for employers that have more than 100 employees. A violation could result in a $14,000 fine.
Biden called on governors to implement vaccinations for school teachers and other staff. He warned that if governors don’t cooperate, he’ll use his executive power “to get them out of the way.”
Watch above, via MSNBC.
Update: This post has been updated to reflect that Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, has not mandated the vaccine, but has established a vaccine pass system in which unvaccinated employees have to comply with certain additional guidelines, like mask-wearing and social distancing.
