Rudy Giuliani Mocks ‘Totally Ridiculous’ NY Contact Tracing Plan, Then Calls for Tracking of Non-Contagious Health Issues Like Cancer, Obesity

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani appeared on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle on Thursday night, and, along with its host, mocked New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s ambitious plan to  identify and isolate possible Covid-19 infections in an attempt to slowly reopen the state’s economy.

Speaking with Laura Ingraham, Giuliani gave the governor an above average grade of B for his leadership in responding to the coronavirus outbreak. But he then brusquely dismissed the plan announced by Cuomo in partnership with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to hire 10,000 contact tracers for coronavirus containment before any widespread restart of the state’s businesses.

Last week, none other than the Trump administration’s own infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, called for a substantial increase in both testing and contact tracing capability in order for the nation’s economy to return to normal and also avoid a dangerous second wave in the outbreak.

Fauci’s recommendation wasn’t mentioned by Ingraham, however, when she touted New York’s plan, tongue firmly planted in cheek.”That’s all right, Rudy,” she said. “Michael Bloomberg is going to handle the tracing. ‘Army of tracers’ in New York we learned today.”

“That’s totally ridiculous,” Giuliani shot back.

“Army of tracers,” Ingraham repeated, laughing.

“Then we should trace everybody for cancer,” Giuliani said.

“Yeah, army of tracers,” Ingraham said a third time, driving home her mockery.

Then it was Giuliani’s turn to repeat himself, as he suggested massive contact tracing for several other health issues that are not not at contagious. “We should trace a provider for cancer and heart disease and obesity and — I mean, a lot of things kill you more than Covid-19,” Giuliani said. “So we should be traced for all those things. Because life is a certain degree of risk and we have to be willing to live with it.”

“New York has to come back,” Ingraham said, getting a few words in edgewise, before Giuliani rambled on.

“The Democratic governors, Laura. The thing I fault the Democratic governors for is trying to keep us closed in and not trying to open us, take some steps towards opening up businesses,” Giuliani continued, before beating down a straw man argument no one has made. “Try a few experiments. Let’s get back to work again because we are ready to go back. We can’t be protected forever from everything.”

“Can’t live in a bubble, that doesn’t work.” Ingraham agreed, before wrapping up the segment.

Watch the video above, via Fox News.