Biden lowers the expectation bar for himself

Back on October Joe Biden had the answers for everything, including the pandemic. Back in October he presented a plan, which was pretty much Trump’s plan at the time.

• Masking: Biden said he would go to every governor and ask them to impose a mask mandate. If governors refused, as they have in several states, Biden said he would turn to local officials. He also said he will mandate masks in all federal buildings and on all interstate transportation.

• Testing: The former vice president said he would launch a national testing plan aimed at conducting as many tests each day as the U.S. currently performs each week, which would amount to approximately 7 million tests a day. Biden would also build lab capacity, hire a national corps of contact tracers, and ensure that tests are free and accessible regardless of immigration status.

• Personal protective equipment: Biden intends to use “the full power of the Defense Production Act” to drive the domestic manufacturing of masks, gloves, gowns and other equipment, including ample N95 masks for health-care workers. Biden also said he would appoint “a fully empowered supply commander in charge of filling in the gaps.”

• Uniform, scientific reopening guidelines: A Biden administration, he said, will “provide consistent, reliable, trusted, detailed nationwide guidance and technical support for reopening safely and the resources to make it happen.” Biden also said the government would provide consultations and technical advice “so people have a place to turn with their questions.”

• Treatments and vaccines: Biden’s plan would put an emphasis on equitable and widespread delivery of therapeutics in the near term and eventually a free coronavirus vaccine, he said. But Biden acknowledged that even if a vaccine is found to be effective, “It will still be many months before any vaccine is widely available.”

Note that last part.

Biden was and is highly critical of Trump

At a campaign event Wednesday in Warren, Mich., he noted Trump’s assertions in recorded interviews with writer Bob Woodward that the president had intentionally played down the lethality and rapid spread of the coronavirus last winter, calling them “beyond despicable. . . . He knew how deadly it was. He knew and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied.”

So did Fauci. Repeatedly. Biden’s approach?

Biden’s team says his approach to the virus will center on science, outreach and consistency. A Biden administration would counter any public skepticism and opposition with thoughtful messaging that centers the voices of experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci rather than politicians.

The guy who lied to you repeatedly.

Biden promises 100 million shots in his first 100 days. I am putting down a marker for that now.

But as inauguration nears, Biden and his allies are moving the goalposts and his tune is changing. Gone is the optimism and cockiness he was overflowing with prior to the election. He must temper expectations:

In an end of the year address on Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden warned Americans that even as the first COVID-19 vaccinations begin in the United States, the “darkest days” in the pandemic are yet to come.

Biden spoke in Wilmington, Delaware and urged Americans to “remain vigilant” as experts say “things are going to get worse before they get better” in the pandemic, “notwithstanding the fact that” two coronavirus vaccines have now been approved.

“I’m going to tell it to you straight,” Biden said. “I’m going to tell you the truth. And here’s the simple truth: our darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us, not behind us. So we need to prepare ourselves, to steel our spines.”

Fauci supported Biden in his typically qualified manner

“So I share the concern of President-elect Biden that as we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse.”

But Biden has given us a standard by which he can judge him, beginning first with a shot at Trump:

President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday criticized President Donald Trump’s promised swift coronavirus vaccine rollout, saying it has fallen behind expectations, and warned it could take years before the bulk of Americans receive the necessary shots.

But here we go:

“As I long feared and warned, the effort to distribute and administer the vaccine is not progressing as it should,” the Democrat added.

Biden’s goal of ensuring that 100 million shots are administered by the end of his 100th day in office would mean “ramping up five to six times the current pace to 1 million shots a day,” he added, noting that it would require Congress to approve additional funding.

“Even with that improvement, even if we boost the speed of vaccinations to 1 million shots a day, it will still take months to have the majority of the United States’ population vaccinated,” he said.

And from where is that additional vaccine to come?

Biden’s coronavirus response plan includes invoking the Defense Production Act to produce vaccines faster, encouraging mask usage for his first 100 days in office, and opening most public schools within his first 100 days.

And if speeding it up causes mistakes? Well, you know it will be Trump’s fault.

You’ve got 100 days, old man. If you don’t make it, you are a failure as President.  And don’t forget that back in October Biden was the guy who said

“It will still be many months before any vaccine is widely available.”

DrJohn

DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.

DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.

Except for liberals being foolish.