When It Comes To Getting The Facts Wrong, Joe Biden Has Not Lost His Fastball As His List Of Errors, Gaffes And Misleading Information Continues To Grow

The Facts:

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S LIST OF ERRORS, GAFFES, AND FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENTS CONTINUES TO GROW THROUGHOUT THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

THROUGHOUT THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE, MORE DAMNING INFORMATION HAS CONTINUED TO BE RELEASED CONCERNING JOE BIDEN'S HORRIBLE TRACK RECORD HANDLING HEALTH EMERGENCIES

This week, it was revealed the Obama/Biden Administration's HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before Congress in 2009 warning about the inadequate supplies of H95 respirator masks in the U.S. Sebelius told Congress that the U.S. did not have adequate stockpiles or the manufacturing capacity to meet the required protocol regarding H95 respirator masks in the case of a health emergency.

The Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg News reported that the Obama/Biden Administration was the reasons N95 masks were depleted from the national stockpile.

Fox News reported the Obama/Biden Administration sought cuts to the Centers for Disease Control in five of its eight years.

Over the course of his career, Biden has supported laws that have made the opioid epidemic " far deadlier " than it had to be according to public health experts.

During the swine flu outbreak of 2009, the Obama White House had to publicly apologize for the fear cause by Biden's comments to NBC regarding the flu.

During the HIV/AIDs epidemic, Biden supported a highly unpopular amendment, one that categorized HIV as a dangerous infectious disease and banned HIV-positive immigrants and tourists, that was considered a major embarrassment to the Clinton administration.

In 2007, Biden generated controversy by saying he went into the "black sections" of town trying to convince black men to wear condoms to stop the spread of AIDS.

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER ROUND OF ERRORS, LIES OR GAFFES FROM FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN REGARDING THE CORONAVIRUS

On April 5, 2020, Former Vice President Joe Biden Called On President To Enact The Defense Production Act And Appoint A Supply Chain Commander To Combat The Coronavirus Despite President Trump Having Already Done Both Those Things

On April 5, 2020, Joe Biden Again Called On President Trump To Invoke The Defense Production Act And Appoint A Supply Chain Commander. "Today, Joe Biden called on realDonaldTrump to enact the Defense Protection Act & appoint a supply commander to combat coronavirus. Trump has already done that. On March 18, POTUS invoked the DPA. Rear Adm. Polowczyk has been in charge of supplies. Biden's not rapid." ( Twitter Feed , 04/05/2020)

In March 2020, Joe Gabriel Simonson, A Reporter For The Washington Examiner, Noted Vice President Joe Biden Demanded President Trump Invoke The Defense Production Act Minutes After President Trump Invoked The Act. ( Twitter Feed , 3/18/20)

President Trump First Invoked The Defense Production Act On March 18, 2020. "By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.) (the "Act"), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows." ( The White House , 03/23/20)

On March 24, President Trump Named Rear Admiral John Polowczyk As The Head Of The Supply Chain Task Force For FEMA. "The President has named Rear Adm. John Polowczyk as the head of a @fema task force to work on getting much-needed medical supplies to the nation's health care facilities." ( Twitter Feed , 03/24/20)

During The Same Interview, Biden Forgot The Name Of The Coronavirus… Again

During An April 5, 2020 Interview, Biden Appeared To Forget The Word "Coronavirus." "Joe Biden appears to forget the word 'coronavirus.' It's not called the 'cona.'" ( Twitter Feed , 04/05/20)

In An April 2, 2020 Video, Biden Called The Coronavirus The "Conavirus." "Joe Biden just called the coronavirus the 'conavirius.'" ( Twitter Feed , 04/02/20)

In An Extremely Slow Flip Flop, Biden Has Walked Back His Earlier Criticism From Months Ago That The China Travel Ban Was Xenophobic And Now Says He Supports The Ban

On April 3, 2020, The Biden Campaign Announced They Support President Trump's January 31 Decision To Ban Foreign Nationals Who Had Been In China During The Last 14 Days. "Joe Biden's campaign said Friday the former vice president supports President Donald Trump's January 31 decision to ban foreign nationals who had been in China within the previous 14 days from entering the United States." ( CNN , 04/03/20)

The Biden Campaign: "Science Supported This Ban, Therefore He Did Too." "'Joe Biden supports travel bans that are guided by medical experts, advocated by public health officials, and backed by a full strategy,' Kate Bedingfeld, Biden's deputy campaign manager, told CNN. 'Science supported this ban, therefore he did too.'" ( CNN , 04/03/20)

On January 31, The Trump Administration Declared A Public Health Emergency And Said It Would Suspend Entry Into The United States By Any Foreign Nationals Who Had Traveled To China In The Last 14 Days. "The Trump administration restricted travel from China The Trump administration said it would suspend entry into the United States by any foreign nationals who had traveled to China in the last 14 days, excluding the immediate family members of American citizens or permanent residents. By this date, 213 people had died and nearly 9,800 had been infected worldwide." ( The New York Times , Updated 2/27/20)

Just Days Later, Former Vice President Joe Biden Hammered President Trump On His Response To The Coronavirus Saying "This Is No Time For Donald Trump's Record Of Hysteria And Xenophobia - Hysterical Xenophobia - And Fearmongering." "Former Vice President Joe Biden hammered President Trump for cutting health programs amid an outbreak of the coronavirus that originated in China and has since spread to the U.S. 'We have, right now, a crisis with the coronavirus,' Biden said in Iowa Friday. 'this is no time for Donald Trump's record of hysteria and xenophobia - hysterical xenophobia - and fearmongering to lead the way instead of science.'" ( The Hill , 2/1/20)

On March 30, 2020, In Order To Boost Relevancy, Biden Launched A Coronavirus Podcast Which Has Been Called "Bad," And "Nearly Impossible To Get Through"

On March 30, 2020, Joe Biden Debuted His "Here's The Deal Podcast" In His Latest Effort To Stay Relevant During The Coronavirus. "Joe Biden has struggled to stay relevant as the coronavirus pandemic bumped his campaign for the White House way down the news bulletins. In his latest attempt to reach American voters when most normal campaign methods are impossible, the former vice president has launched a podcast." ( The Daily Beast , 03/30/20)

New York Magazine : "5 Ways Joe Biden Can Make His Bad Podcast Better" ( New York Magazine , 04/07/2020)

"I Find The Show Nearly Impossible To Get Through…It Is So Stilted And Awkward That It Makes Me Legitimately Alarmed." "But as a longtime podcast aficionado - and an amateur podcast producer myself - I find the show nearly impossible to get through. In fact, it is so stilted and awkward that it makes me legitimately alarmed." ( New York Magazine , 04/07/2020)

"But as a longtime podcast aficionado - and an amateur podcast producer myself - I find the show nearly impossible to get through. In fact, it is so stilted and awkward that it makes me legitimately alarmed." ( New York Magazine , 04/07/2020) "If They Can't Get Something This Simple Right, What's Going To Happen In November?" "If They Can't Get Something This Simple Right, What's Going To Happen In November?" ( New York Magazine , 04/07/2020)

Joe Biden Has Continued Flubbing Responses About The Coronavirus Including Recently Giving An MSNBC Interview Where He "Struggled Mightily" To Answer Questions And Said It's "Probably Best I Don't" Keep Talking

Just Recently, Joe Biden "Struggled Mightily" To Give Coherent Answers To MSNBC Regarding The Coronavirus. ".@JoeBiden struggled mightily at the top of his @msnbc interview where he looked to be reading from notes to answer a question. "We have to depend on what the president's going to do right now. And first of all he has to tell, wait til the cases..." ( Twitter Feed , 03/30/20)

During The Interview, Biden Falsely Insisted He Wrote An Op-Ed On January 17th About The Coronavirus When He Did Not. "Joe Biden is flat out lying to the American people about his coronavirus response. This is the second time Biden has said he wrote an op-ed for "US News & World Report" on "January 17" about coronavirus. THOSE THINGS NEVER HAPPENED." ( Twitter Feed , 03/25/20)

During The Interview, Biden Stated The Coronavirus Started In The "Luhan Province" In China When It In Fact Started In The City Of Wuhan Which Is Located In The Hubei Province. "Joe Biden suggests the coronavirus started in the "Luhan Province" in China, Hubei was the province." ( Twitter Feed , 03/30/20)

The New York Times' Charles Blow After Watching The Interview: "Why Does This Make Me Nervous." "Watching this interview with Joe Biden on MSNBC. Why does he make me nervous?" ( Twitter Feed , 03/30/20)

Biden Has Even Acknowledged His Own Incoherence Regarding The Coronavirus Telling MSNBC's Nicole Wallace It's "Probably Best I Don't" Keep Talking. "Biden apologized, 'That's a stupid way to say that but I really -' Wallace who had begun her next question said, 'Donald Trump was asked on -" Biden apologized again, 'Sorry.' Wallace said, 'Go ahead.' Biden said, 'No. No. Probably best I don't.' Wallace laughed as she said, 'All right.'" ( Brietbart.com , 03/24/20)

Biden Went On Admit His Previous Statements About The Coronavirus Were A "Stupid Way To Say It I Guess." "Joe Biden reviews his MSNBC interview: 'That's a stupid way to say it I guess.'" ( Twitter Feed , 03/24/20)

A Pro-Biden Ad Recently Launched By Biden Supporters Undercut Biden's Own Directive To Listen To Dr. Fauci By Contradicting Dr. Fauci's Statement That The Trump Administration's Travel Ban Helped Stop The Spread Of The Virus

A Pro-Biden Super Pac Has Launched An Ad Accusing President Trump Of Letting The Virus Spread Unchecked Around America. "'Crisis comes to every presidency. We don't blame them for that. What matters is how they handle it,' the narrator says over those images of past presidents. "Donald Trump didn't create the coronavirus, but he is the one who called 'hoax,' who eliminated the pandemic response team, and who let the virus spread unchecked across America.'" ( CNN , 03/25/20)

Dr. Anthony Fauci Has Denied These Attacks And Said President Trump's Travel Restrictions Absolutely Helped Stop The Spread Of The Virus. "Dr. Anthony Fauci commends President Trump's travel restrictions: 'absolutely' helped, 'the right public health call'" ( Twitter Feed , 03/12/20)

Biden Himself Has Said Publicly That Americans Should Listen To Dr. Fauci. "'Listen to the scientists. Listen to the doctors. Listen to what they have to say,' Biden told the hosts. 'I would respectfully suggest that you should have Dr. [Anthony] Fauci on a lot more than the president -- or anyone who's not an expert like Fauci -- laying out exactly what's going on.'" ( ABC News , 03/24/20)

In Early March, The Biden Campaign Posted A Doctored Video That Was Edited To Show President Trump Said The Coronavirus Was A "Hoax;" This Video Was Immediately Shot Down By Fact Checkers As False Despite Mainstream Media Running It

At A Rally In South Carolina On March 2, President Trump Accused Democrats Of Politicizing The Coronavirus Outbreak Arguing The False Narrative That His Administration Had Fumbled Response Efforts Was Another In A Long Of Hoaxes Pushed By Democrats To Smear The Trump Administration. "The kerfuffle began at the rally in North Charleston, South Carolina when Trump accused the Democrats of 'politicizing' the coronavirus outbreak. 'Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus, you know that, right?' he said. 'Coronavirus, they're politicizing it. We did one of the great jobs. You say, 'How's President Trump doing?' They go, 'Oh, not good, not good.' They have no clue. They don't have any clue. They can't even count their votes in Iowa.' Then the president, who often dismissed special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation as a hoax, continued, 'They tried the impeachment hoax. That was on a perfect conversation. They tried anything. They tried it over and over. They'd been doing it since you got in. It's all turning. They lost. It's all turning. Think of it. Think of it. And this is their new hoax.' Trump went on to praise his administration for taking 'the most aggressive action in modern history to prevent the spread of this illness in the United States,' referring to travel restrictions on foreign nationals who recently visited China." ( FactCheck.org , 3/3/20)

A Day Later, Joe Biden Tweeted Out A Video That Made It Seem President Trump Was Calling The Disease Itself A Hoax By Editing Out Nearly A Minute Between The Two Clips, Eliminating The Context That Makes It Clear President Trump Was Not Talking About The Virus Itself. "In a video tweeted March 3, Joe Biden's campaign made it look like President Donald Trump called the 2019 coronavirus outbreak a 'hoax' … The video cycles through a slew of soundbites from Trump. One clip shows the president's Feb. 28 rally in North Charleston, S.C. 'Coronavirus - this is their new hoax,' Trump is pictured saying. The video makes it seem like Trump is calling the disease itself a hoax, which he hasn't done. The words are Trump's, but the editing is Biden's. During the North Charleston rally, there was nearly a minute between when Trump said 'coronavirus' and 'hoax.'" ( PolitiFact , 3/15/20)

PolitiFact Rated Biden's Video "False." "Biden's video is inaccurate. We rate it False." ( PolitiFact , 3/15/20)

The Washington Post : "The Full Quote Shows Trump Is Criticizing Democratic Talking Points And The Media's Coverage Of His Administration's Response To Coronavirus. He Never Says That The Virus Itself Is A Hoax." "The full quote shows Trump is criticizing Democratic talking points and the media's coverage of his administration's response to coronavirus. He never says that the virus itself is a hoax, and although the Biden camp included the word 'their,' the edit does not make clear to whom or what Trump is referring." ( The Washington Post , 3/13/20)

Joe Biden Falsely Said That Trump Turned Down Testing Kits From The World Health Organization Despite The Organization Never Offering Testing Kits To The U.S.

During A Democrat Primary Debate, Former Vice President Joe Biden Said That The World Health Organization Offered The Testing Kits That They Have Available To Give To The U.S. "Now" And President Trump Refused Them. "Joe Biden stated on March 15, 2020 in a Democratic primary debate: 'The World Health Organization offered the testing kits that they have available and to give it to us now. We refused them. We did not want to buy them.'" ( PolitiFact , 3/15/20)

PolitiFact: The World Health Organization "Never Offered To Sell Test Kits To The United States" And All Other Developed Countries With Advanced Research Capabilities Developed Their Own Tests. "The WHO never offered to sell test kits to the United States. The CDC opted to develop its own coronavirus test and did not use the WHO's protocol for the test. Other developed countries with advanced research capabilities developed their own tests." ( PolitiFact , 3/15/20)

Biden Has Said That Trump Cut Funding For The Centers For Disease Control; In Reality, Funding For The CDC Has Gone Up Under The Trump Administration

Former Vice President Joe Biden Said The Trump Administration Had "Cut The Funding For The CDC." "But Democrats, including Biden, also have dropped the qualifier 'tried' from their claims, saying uncategorically that Trump had reduced the CDC funding. On ABC's 'This Week' on March 1, Biden said: 'They've cut the funding for the CDC.'" ( FactCheck.org , 3/3/20)

CDC Funding Has Gone Up Under President Trump. "The CDC's operating budgets, not adjusted for inflation, show the CDC funding has gone up a bit under Trump." ( FactCheck.org , 3/3/20)

The Associated Press : "The National Institutes Of Health And The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Aren't Suffering From Budget Cuts That Never Took Effect." "The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aren't suffering from budget cuts that never took effect." ( The Associated Press , 2/26/20)

PolitiFact: "It's Not Accurate To Say That Trump 'Cut' Funding For The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention." "It's not accurate to say that Trump 'cut' funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention … As the chart below shows, funding increased every year from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2020. (We have not included the 2017 proposal, since that was submitted by the Obama administration. The figures for 2020 are preliminary." ( PolitiFact , 3/18/20)

John Auerbach, President Of The Nonpartisan Trust For America's Health, Dismissed Charged That President Trump Decimated The CDC, Saying The Organizations Response To The Coronavirus "Has Been Excellent." "'The CDC's response has been excellent, as it has been in the past,' said John Auerbach, president of the nonpartisan Trust for America's Health, which works with government at all levels to improve the nation's response to high-risk health crises. Some Democrats have charged that Trump decimated the nation's public health leadership, but Auerbach said CDC's top scientific ranks have remained stable during the past three years." ( The Associated Press , 2/26/20)

Biden Falsely Accused President Trump Of Firing The NSC Team In Charge Of Pandemic Response When In Reality The Office Had Been Reorganized In 2018

Vox Reported That The Trump Administration "Disbanded" The Team In Charge Of Pandemic Response In Spring 2018. "The Trump administration, with John Bolton newly at the helm of the White House National Security Council, began dismantling the team in charge of pandemic response, firing its leadership and disbanding the team in spring 2018." ( Vox , 3/14/20)

Former Vice President Joe Biden Said That Trump Had "Eliminated" The Office In Charge Of Pandemic Response. "Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said in a March 1 interview that Trump 'eliminated that office.'" ( The Washington Free Beacon , 3/17/20)

In May 2018, Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, Senior Director Of Global Health And Security, The NSC Team Responsible For Pandemic Response, Left The Administration And The Global Health Team He Headed Was Reorganized . "In May 2018, Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, the senior director of global health and biodefense on the National Security Council, left the administration. He was in charge of the U.S. response to pandemics. After Ziemer's departure, the global health team was reorganized as part of an effort by then-National Security Adviser John Bolton. Meanwhile, Tom Bossert, a homeland security adviser who recommended strong defenses against disease, left shortly after Bolton arrived." ( PolitiFact , 3/18/20)

The Washington Post Gave Biden Four Pinocchios For Falsely Claiming A Top Official At The Centers For Disease Control Was "Silenced"

The Biden Campaign Claimed In A Viral Video That Received More Than 4 Million Views That A Career Official At The Centers For Disease Control, Dr. Nancy Messonier, Was Silenced For Speaking Up About The Coronavirus. "All the while, anyone who raised an alarm about this - a red flag - was silenced. Look no further than Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a career official at the Centers for Disease Control who was the first to raise the alarm. … Starting the next day, Dr. Messonnier no longer appeared at public briefings of the White House coronavirus task force. The president and the White House sent a clear message to scientists in the government - there would be a price for speaking out and speaking up." ( The Washington Post , 03/24/20)

The Washington Post Fact Checked The Viral Video Saying It Created A False Narrative And Awarded It Four Pinocchios . "But instead, the video created a false narrative. The Biden campaign earns Four Pinocchios." ( The Washington Post , 03/24/20)

However, The Washington Post Reported That Messonnier Continued To Hold Regular Telephone Briefings With Reporters And Had Not Been Silenced By The Administration. "Messonnier continued to hold her regular telephone briefings with reporters for another two weeks. The task force briefings moved to the White House after Pence was named to head the task force, but Messonnier was not a regular participant and she appears not to have been senior enough to share the stage with the president. And although the CDC's voice has been muted in recent weeks, that development does not appear related to her Feb. 25 comments." ( The Washington Post , 03/24/20)

The Washington Post : "No Excuse For This Video To Claim Messonnier Was Silenced." "But that's no excuse for this video to claim Messonnier was silenced when, in fact, she kept briefing reporters. Klain would have been on more solid ground to refer to the reporting that Messonnier's message annoyed Trump." ( The Washington Post , 03/24/20)

Biden Has Even Lied About Saying He Hasn't Criticized The President's Coronavirus Response

On March 24, 2020, Biden Told ABC's The View That He Has "Not Been Criticizing The President" On His Handling Of The Coronavirus. "I've not been criticizing the president, but I've been pointing out where there's disagreement as to how to proceed,' Biden said on ABC's The View. 'The coronavirus is not his fault, but the lack of speed and alacrity with which to respond to it has to move much faster.'" ( The Free Beacon , 03/24/20)

The Very Same Day, The Biden Campaign Sent An Email About Holding The President "Accountable For His Failures In Handling This Pandemic." "On the same day his campaign sent an email about holding the president 'accountable for his failures in handling this pandemic,' presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden claimed not to have criticized President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus." ( The Free Beacon , 03/24/20)

BIDEN'S FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS ARE CONSISTENT WITH HIS HORRIBLE TRACK RECORD ON HANDLING PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES

This Week, It Was Revealed The Obama/Biden Administration's HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Testified Before Congress In 2009 Warning About The Inadequate Supplies Of H95 Masks In The U.S. In The Event Of An Emergency

In 2009, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Was Asked Whether The Government Had Enough Protective Materials For Healthcare Workers In Event Of A Rush On Hospitals Due To A Viral Disease. REP. GREG WALDEN (R-OR): "Are you and your folks confident that in these environments where all of us that get sick are going to rush that there is adequate, um, whatever we call it, the materials, the masks, the protective equipment, the whatever so that those that we rely on for our healthcare will, in and of themselves, be healthy in the process and not at unnecessary risk." ( Youtube , Accessed 04/08/20)

Obama/Biden HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Responded That They Did Not Have "Adequate Supplies To Follow Protocol. HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS: "Congressman, that discussion is actively underway and as I said the guidance from the CDC is about to be issued. The scientist have not been in complete agreement about the right protocol particularly with the use of respiratory masks. So, the request went to the institute of medicine to do a rapid response study and they came back with a protocol which I would suggest is the ideal case scenario, a respirator per provider per every patient seen. There are not adequate supplies to follow that protocol.

Sebelius: "The Stockpiles In The Country And The Manufacturing Capacity Would Not Allow Us To Follow That Protocol." WALDEN: "So one new respirator for every patient. So every time you see a patient, the doctor would have to put on a new respirator. SEBELISU: "The stockpiles in the country and the manufacturing capacity would not allow us to follow that protocol so right now we are working actively with OSHA and CDC and the healthcare providers to develop a protocol that actually is more in fitting with what the supply looks like because IOM was told not to take into account what's available or what could be available over the next six months." ( Youtube , Accessed 04/08/20)

Click To Watch

The Los Angeles Times And Bloomberg News Recently Reported That The Obama Biden Administration Was Responsible For Failing To Replenish The National Stockpile Of N95 Respirator Masks

The Los Angeles Times And Bloomberg News Reported On March 23 That The Obama/Biden Administration Was Advised To Replenish A National Stockpile Of N95 Respirator Masks But Did Not. "The national shortage of N95 respirator masks can be traced back to 2009 after the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, when the Obama administration was advised to replenish a national stockpile but did not, according to reports from Bloomberg News and the Los Angeles Times." ( The Washington Examiner , 03/23/20)

Charles Johnson, President Of The International Safety Equipment Association, Said That The Advice Was Never Heeded To Replenish The Stockpiles. "Charles Johnson, president of the International Safety Equipment Association, said that advice was never heeded. 'Our association is unaware of any major effort to restore the stockpile to cover that drawdown,' he said." ( The Washington Examiner , 03/23/20)

Bloomberg News: "After The H1N1 Influenza Outbreak… The [N95] Stockpile Distributed About Three-Quarters Of Its Inventory And Didn't Build Back The Supply." "Bloomberg News reported similar findings last week, noting, "After the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009, which triggered a nationwide shortage of masks and caused a 2- to 3-year backlog [of] orders for the N95 variety, the stockpile distributed about three-quarters of its inventory and didn't build back the supply." ( The Washington Examiner , 03/23/20)

Undercutting Biden's Own Attacks, Fox News Reported That The Obama/Biden Administration Sought Hundreds Of Millions In Funding Cuts To Centers For Disease Control Including Seeking Cuts In Five Out Of Eight Years

On Friday March 27th, Fox News Reported That The Obama Administration Repeatedly Sought Hundreds OF Millions In Funding Cuts To The Centers For Disease Control. "The Obama administration repeatedly sought to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), yearly budget requests show -- seemingly undercutting former Vice President Joe Biden's repeated attacks on the Trump White House for its pandemic preparedness." ( Fox News , 03/31/30)

Fox News Found That The Obama Administration Sought CDC Cuts In Five Of Its Eight Years. "The proposed cuts take into account money budgeted for The Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 to bolster the nation's health care system. When not including that fund, the Obama administration sought CDC cuts in five of its eight years." ( Fox News , 03/31/30)

The Report Appears To Undercut Biden's Repeated Attacks On The Trump White House For Its Pandemic Preparedness Response. "The Obama administration repeatedly sought to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), yearly budget requests show -- seemingly undercutting former Vice President Joe Biden's repeated attacks on the Trump White House for its pandemic preparedness." ( Fox News , 03/31/30)

Over The Course Of His Career, Democrat Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Has Supported Laws That Have Made The Opioid Epidemic "Far Deadlier" Than It Had To Be According To Public Health Experts

In 2019, Politico Reported That Democrat Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Has Supported Laws Throughout His Career That Have Made The Opioid Epidemic "Far Deadlier" Than It Had To Be. "The reality of Biden's long career as a drug warrior, however, suggests something different: That he didn't get "stuck with" writing drug legislation; he chose to make it a priority of his 36-year tenure in the Senate. In the War on Drugs, Biden was the "tough on crime" face of the Democratic Party, used his legislative skills to forge a bipartisan consensus for severe anti-drug legislation and specifically wrote or sponsored several laws that public health experts believe have, over the course of the opioid crisis, made it far deadlier than it has to be." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

Since The Late 1990's, More Than 700,000 Americans Have Died From Drug Overdoses, More Than The Amount Of American Killed In Vietnam And Iraq Combined. "Since the late 1990s, more than 700,000 Americans have died from drug overdoses, and for each of the past four years, more Americans have died from drug overdoses than were killed in the wars in Vietnam and Iraq combined. Unless America drastically changes course, an estimated 500,000 more people are expected to die from an overdose in the next decade. Because of overdose deaths, America's life expectancy has fallen for the past three years-which, as economists have noted, is unusual for a country that isn't at war." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

In 2003, Biden Expanded A Law, Intended For Crack Cocaine In The 80's, To "Allow Prosecutors To Go After The Operators Of Temporary Locations Where Drugs Are Used, Like The Owners Of Warehouses Or Fields Where Music Festivals Are Held." "'The abuse of crack cocaine is reaching epidemic proportions,' Biden said while introducing the 1986 Emergency Crack Control Act on the Senate floor-legislation he co-sponsored, which was later folded into the Anti-Drug Abuse Act. '[We] are proposing new criminal offenses with stiff penalties for … opening or maintaining a building, or 'crack house,' where the drug is produced, sold and used.' The law makes it illegal to 'knowingly open, lease, rent, use or maintain any place, whether permanently or temporarily, for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing or using any controlled substance,' or to 'manage or control any place … and knowingly … make available for use, with or without compensation, the place for the purpose of unlawfully … using a controlled substance.' Far from simply being a relic of the crack era, Biden expanded the statute in the early 2000s by authoring the Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy, or RAVE Act, in response to fears about the use of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, at raves. Whereas the crack-house statute originally applied to permanent locations, Biden's RAVE Act-which was signed into law in 2003 as a section of the PROTECT Act-expanded the provision to allow prosecutors to go after the operators of temporary locations where drugs are used, like the owners of warehouses or fields where music festivals are held." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

In 2001, Biden Claimed That If He Was A Governor, He Would Be Passing "New Ordinances Relating To Stiff Criminal Penalties For Anyone Who Held A Rave," And Place In Jail The Promoters, And People Who Owned The Properties. "'If I were governor of my state or mayor of my town,' Biden said in a 2001 hearing on ecstasy, 'I would be passing new ordinances relating to stiff criminal penalties for anyone who held a rave. The promoter, the guy who owned the building, I'd put the son of a gun in jail!' Apparently referencing the annual Burning Man festival in Black Rock, Nevada, Biden added, 'There is no doubt about where these raves are: in the middle of the desert!'" ( Politico , 5/23/19)

Yet, Now As Cities Look To New Approaches To Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths, "Federal Prosecutors Are Arguing That Owners And Operators Of Overdose Prevention Sites Would Be In Violation Of Biden's Crack-House Statute." "Throughout the country, as cities look to new approaches to reduce opioid overdose deaths, federal prosecutors are arguing that owners and operators of overdose prevention sites would be in violation of Biden's crack-house statute." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

The Threat Of Federal Lawsuits, Because Of Laws Like Biden's, Has Prevented Cities From Opening Overdose Prevention Sites. "In recent years, medical experts and activists in cities including Denver, Seattle, New York and San Francisco have mobilized to try and open overdose prevention sites. But the threat of federal lawsuits like the one in Philadelphia has stalled their efforts." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

Research Shows That The No. 1 Reason Why People Don't Call 911 For Help During Overdoses Is Thanks To A Law Co-Authored By Biden-A Crack-Era Provision That Is Part Of What Is Collectively Known As The "Len Bias Law," That Imposed Life Imprisonment For Any Person Who Distributed Drugs Resulting In A Fatal Overdose. "Research shows that the No. 1 reason people cite for not calling 911 for help during overdoses is the possibility they'll face criminal charges. And that's a fear that exists in large part thanks to another law co-authored by Biden-a crack-era provision that, along with copycat legislation at the state level, is part of what is collectively known as the 'Len Bias Law.' Bias was a college basketball star who died in 1986 from a cocaine-related seizure two days after the Boston Celtics selected him with the second overall pick in the NBA draft. The nation was shocked and politicians felt pressure to do something, culminating in a new federal law that imposed life imprisonment for any person who distributed drugs resulting in a fatal overdose." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

After Biden's Crime Bill, The Incarcerated Population In America Doubled, From 1994 To 2009, With 12 Percent Of People Incarcerated In U.S. Jails Reporting Regular Use Of Opioids. "From 1994 to 2009, the incarcerated population doubled. Today, nearly 2.3 million Americans are in prisons, jails and other detention facilities-a fact with especially grim consequences during the opioid crisis. Around 12 percent of people incarcerated in U.S. jails report regular use of opioids. Behind bars, people are unlikely to receive treatment for opioid-use disorder, especially if those treatments require the use of medications like buprenorphine or methadone." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

"One 2017 Report From The Massachusetts Department Of Public Health Found That After Being Released From Prison Or Jail, Formerly Incarcerated People Were 120 Times More Likely Than The Average Citizen To Die Of An Opioid-Related Overdose." "Which means that once released, people are likely to start using opioids all over again, only with a diminished tolerance, and are exponentially more likely than the general population to die from a drug overdose. One 2017 report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health found that after being released from prison or jail, formerly incarcerated people were 120 times more likely than the average citizen to die of an opioid-related overdose." ( Politico , 5/23/19)

During The Swine Flu Outbreak Of 2009, The White House Had To Publicly Apologize for the Fear Caused By Then Vice President Joe Biden's Comments On The Flu For Inciting A Panic

In April 2009, Then-Vice President Joe Biden Said On NBC He Would Tell His Family To Avoid Traveling On Airplanes Or Going Into Confined Spaces Like Subways, Cars Or Classrooms Due To The Swine Flu. MATT LAUER: "If a member of your family came to you and said look, I want to go on a commercial airliner to Mexico and back in the next week, would you think that's a good idea." VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: "I would tell members of my family and I have. I wouldn't go anywhere In confined places now. It's not that it's going to Mexico it's you're in a confined aircraft where one person sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft. That's me, I would not be at this point if they had another way of transportation suggesting they ride the subway so from my perspective what it relates to is mitigation. If you're out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes that's one thing. If you're in a closed aircraft, or closed container, or closed car or closed classroom it is a different thing." (NBC's "The Today Show," 4/30/09)

"The Official Word From The White House That Week Was That The Swine Flu Outbreak Was Not A Cause For Alarm." "The official word from the White House that week was that the swine flu outbreak was not a cause for alarm. Then came Biden, suggesting on national TV that people avoid planes, subways and classrooms to keep from catching the bug." ( Time , 12/8/09)

Then-Vice President Biden's Spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander Quickly Issued A Statement Walking Back Biden's Remarks. "Biden's spokeswoman, Elizabeth Alexander, released a statement shortly after the vice president's remarks, saying, 'The advice he is giving family members is the same advice the administration is giving to all Americans: that they should avoid unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico. If they are sick, they should avoid airplanes and other confined public spaces, such as subways. This is the advice the vice president has given family members who are traveling by commercial airline this week.'" ( ABC News , 4/30/09)

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Apologized At A Press Briefing For Biden's Remarks. "Biden's press team quickly sent out a statement after the interview claiming that he was trying to warn people who already had swine flu to avoid enclosed spaces, and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs at his daily briefing apologized on Biden's behalf." ( Time , 12/8/09)

White House Reporters Laughed As Gibbs Said "I'm Telling You What [Biden] Meant To Say." "When asked by ABC News' Jake Tapper whether the White House had a response to Biden's comments, Gibbs replied: 'I think ... what the vice president meant to say was the same thing that again, many members have said in the last few days, that is, if you feel sick, if you are exhibiting flulike symptoms -- coughing, sneezing, runny nose -- that you should take precautions, that you should limit your travel.' Gibbs apologized if anyone was 'unduly' alarmed but did not elaborate. 'Jake, I'm telling you what he meant to say,' he said to laughter." ( ABC News , 4/30/09)

The Same Morning As Biden's Remarks, Department Of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano Tried To "Temper" Biden's Remarks, Saying Biden Would Say It Differently "If He Could Say That Over Again." "Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano earlier today also tried to temper the vice president's remarks. 'I think the vice president, if he had, if he could say that over again he would say if they're feeling sick they should stay off public transit or confined spaces because that is indeed the advice that we're giving,' Napolitano said on MSNBC." ( ABC News , 4/30/09)

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) Was "Visibly Frustrated" For What He Called "Misinformation" From Vice President Biden. "Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who said Biden's comments were unfortunate, was visibly frustrated by what he called misinformation. 'I wish the vice president had checked with the Centers for Disease Control ... before he made that statement. ... As far as not riding on subways or planes, we're not going to shut down our system and that doesn't get to the nub of the problem, anyway,' he said on Radio Iowa. 'So I think that's very unfortunate that this kind of misinformation got out.'" ( ABC News , 4/30/09)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Disagreed With Joe Biden Saying That People Need To Take A "Common-Sense" Approach And Not Discouraging Travel. "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also had a different message. She said she would not tell her family to stay off planes and public transportation, but would recommend to them the 'common-sense' approach, washing hands and covering sneezes or coughs. 'They are living their lives and, again, practicing common sense, good practices. And so it's not a question of not encouraging, not to travel. It's also a question of encouraging them not to leave home ... just because their states ... are the most, shall we say, suspicious in this case," Pelosi told reporters." ( ABC News , 4/30/09)

During The HIV/AIDs Epidemic Biden Supported A Highly Unpopular Amendment, One That Categorized, HIV As A Dangerous Infectious Disease, That Was Considered A Major Embarrassment To The Clinton Administration

Biden's Most Notable Public Health Challenges Came During The HIV/AIDS Epidemic When Bigotry Against HIV-Positive People Was Rampant And Public Information Was Limited. "But beyond his (somewhat characteristic) gaffe, Biden's past challenges during public health crises were most notable in Biden's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic as a member of the U.S. Senate, at a time when public information about the virus and the syndrome was relatively limited and bigotry against HIV-positive people was rampant both in and out of government." ( The Daily Beast , 3/13/20)

In 1987, Biden Voted Alongside Segregationist Senator Jesse Helms On An Amendment To List HIV As A "Dangerous Infectious Disease That Would Prevent Immigration To This Country." "In 1987, in the runup to his first of three campaigns for the White House, Biden voted in favor of an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC)-an infamous figure among activists fighting for the rights of LGBT people and people with AIDS at the time-that amended an appropriations bill to list HIV among 'the list of dangerous infectious diseases that would prevent immigration to this country.'" ( The Daily Beast , 3/13/20)

At The Time, The Amendment Was Deeply Unpopular With Health Experts. "The amendment was deeply unpopular with public health experts-when President Ronald Reagan endorsed the measure during an AmFAR dinner that year, the proposal had been met with boos and hisses from HIV/AIDS experts and medical health professionals-but passed the chamber unanimously." ( The Daily Beast , 3/13/20)

Six Years Later, Biden Voted To Reauthorize The Ban On "HIV-Positive Immigrants And Tourists, Then Known As The 'Helms Amendment.'" "Six years later, Biden joined 75 other senators in voting for Oklahoma Republican Sen. Don Nickles' reauthorization of the ban on HIV-positive immigrants and tourists, then known as the 'Helms Amendment,' against the wishes of President Bill Clinton, who had campaigned against the policy." ( The Daily Beast , 3/13/20)

The Amendment's Passage Was Considered A "Major Embarrassment" For The Clinton Administration. "The amendment's passage as a rider on the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993 was considered a major embarrassment for Clinton, and the policy remained in place until 2009, when President Barack Obama lifted the ban." ( The Daily Beast , 3/13/20)

In 2007, Biden Generated Controversy By Saying He Went Into The "Black Sections" Of Town Trying To Convince Black Men To Wear Condoms To Stop The Spread Of AIDS

In June 2007, In A Response To A Question About AIDS In The Black Community Biden Replied That He Went To "The Black Sections Of [His] Town … Trying To Get Black Men To Understand It's Not Unmanly To Wear A Condom." "Delaware Sen. Joe Biden's trademark blunt talk set up the liveliest and one of the frankest admissions in a gathering of presidential candidates so far this campaign. In response to a question about AIDS in the black community at Thursday's Democratic presidential forum at Howard University, Biden said, 'I spent last summer going through the black sections of my town holding rallies in parks trying to get black men to understand it's not unmanly to wear a condom. Getting women to understand they can say no. Getting people in the position where testing matters. I got tested for AIDS. I know Barack [Obama] got tested for AIDS. There's no shame in being tested for AIDS.'" ( CNN , 6/28/07)

Biden Said Even Barack Obama Got Tested For AIDS; Obama Responded That It Was Because He And Michelle Travelled To Kenya, Implying It Was Not Because Of The Community They Grew Up In. SENATOR JOE BIDEN (D-DE): "I spent last summer going through the black sections of my town holding rallies in parks trying to get black men to understand that it's not unmanly to wear a condom, getting women to understand that they can say 'no,' getting people into the position where testing matters. I got tested for AIDS. I know Barack [Obama] got tested for AIDS. There's no shame in being tested for AIDS. It is an important thing because the fact of the matter is in the community - in the communities engaged in denial - they're engaged in denial, no one wants to talk about it in the community and we do not have enough leaders in the community and outside the community demanding to face the reality, confront them. Men in the community as well as the women letting them know that there are alternatives." SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL}: "Tavis, I just got to make clear, I got tested with Michelle, when we were in Kenya in Africa. I don't want any confusion here about what's going on." SENATOR JOE BIDEN (D-DE): "And I got tested to save my life because I had a 13 pints of blood transfusion." TAVIS SMILEY: "And I am sure Michelle appreciates you clarifying that." SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL}: "In public." (Sen. Joe Biden, Remarks During The PBS All American Forum At Howard University, Washington, DC, 6/28/07)

"At That, Obama Shot Biden A You've-Got-To-Be-Kidding Glance." " At that, Obama shot Biden a you've-got-to-be-kidding glance." ( Los Angeles Times , 6/29/07)

"A Television Camera Caught The Rev. Al Sharpton In The Audience Looking Appalled." "A television camera caught the Rev. Al Sharpton in the audience looking appalled." ( Los Angeles Times , 6/29/07)

Foreign Relations

China

Read more research