Former US President, Barack Obama on Friday described Donald Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic as “an absolute chaotic disaster”.
During a private call with people who worked for him in the White House and across his administration, Obama stated that the response to the coronavirus outbreak served as a critical reminder that a strong government leadership is needed during a global crisis.
The blistering assessment came on a call intended to encourage over 3,000 members of the Obama Alumni Association to engage with former Vice President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
CNN reported that the former US President said;
“This election that’s coming up — on every level — is so important because what we’re going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party.
“What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life.
“It’s part of the reason why the response to this global crisis has been so anemic and spotty.
“It would have been bad even with the best of governments. It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset of ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘to heck with everybody else’ … is operationalized in our government.
“That’s why, I, by the way, am going to be spending as much time as necessary and campaigning as hard as I can for Joe Biden.”
While responding to Obama’s criticism, President Trump on Sunday slammed the Obama administration over the way it handled the swine flu pandemic.
“We are getting great marks for the handling of the Coronavirus pandemic, especially the very early BAN of people from China, the infectious source, entering the USA,” the president said on Twitter Sunday morning. “Compare that to the Obama/Sleepy Joe disaster known as H1N1 Swine Flu. Poor marks, bad polls – didn’t have a clue!”
During the 2009 swine flu pandemic, 12,469 people died in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated.
According to Johns Hopkins University, 78,799 Americans have died of the coronavirus so far.
In a series of tweets, the president also thanked Vice President Mike Pence for tweeting the number of medical supplies the Federal Emergency Management Agency distributed to Iowa.
“Under President @realDonaldTrump’s decisive leadership, @fema has been able to deliver millions of supplies and PPE to the people of Iowa as we continue our whole-of-America response to the Coronavirus,” Pence, who is heading up the White House coronavirus task force, tweeted on Friday.
And with California beginning to reopen parks, Trump noted that his golf course is open for business.
“So great to see our Country starting to open up again!” the president tweeted, linking to a posting from Trump Los Angeles.
“Game on! We are thrilled to announce the reopening of @trumpgolfla beginning Saturday May 9th! We look forward to welcoming you back Book your tee time now!,” the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles tweeted on Friday.
California announced that it would begin opening parks, hiking trails, beaches and golf courses and urged people to follow social distancing guidelines and wear masks.
Trump also went after “Fake Journalists” and the Russia and Ukrainian investigations.
“When are the Fake Journalists, who received unwarranted Pulitzer Prizes for Russia, Russia, Russia, and the Impeachment Scam, going to turn in their tarnished awards so they can be given to the real journalists who got it right. I’ll give you the names, there are plenty of them!,” he said.
