Democrats Repeatedly Undermined The Vaccine

Democrats Spent 2020 Recklessly Undermining The Public’s Confidence In The Vaccine

BIDEN AND HIS ADVISORS SOWED DOUBT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF COVID-19 VACCINES

• In the months leading up to the election, Democrats repeatedly cast doubt and undermined public confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines produced under the Trump administration.
  • Democrats’ dog whistling about vaccines was seized on by anti-vaxxers and led to a rise in vaccine skepticism.
• Joe Biden questioned whether a vaccine would be “real.”
  • In August, Biden suggested the vaccines might be unsafe, saying “if and when the vaccine comes, it’s not likely to go through all the tests…and trials that are needed to be done.”
  • In September, Biden legitimized those who were questioning the safety of the vaccines, saying, “who’s going to take the shot? Are you going to be the first one to say sign me up?”
  • Days later, then-Biden Press Secretary Symone Sanders repeatedly refused to say whether Biden would take the COVID vaccine if it was approved before election day.
  • A week later, Biden said the American people “should not have confidence” in the vaccine unless it met his campaign’s specific criteria. 
• In September, Kamala Harris refused to say whether she would take a vaccine approved before Election Day: “I think that’s going to be an issue for all of us.”
  • Harris said that scientists would not have the “last word” in approving the vaccine, and suggested a vaccine may not be effective.
• Ron Klain, now White House Chief of Staff, tweeted: “When you read how Team Trump played politics with testing it makes you wonder how they will handle vaccines?”

DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS UNDERMINED VACCINE CONFIDENCE

• Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), in October: “I believe all across the country you're going to need someone other than this FDA and this CDC saying it's safe.”
  • Cuomo said he was “not that confident” in the FDA’s approval process for a COVID-19 vaccine and that Americans “should be” “skeptical” about a vaccine.
  • In September, Cuomo said “I’m not going to trust” the federal government’s opinion on whether the vaccine is safe and “wouldn’t recommend to New Yorkers based on the federal government’s opinion.”
• Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) in September: “I believe we will need to have access to the vaccine results so we can make our independent assessment to make sure that Donald Trump’s fingerprints are not on it.”
  • Inslee, when asked if he would be willing to take a vaccine released before the election, wouldn’t commit to doing so, saying “I would have to look at the science.”

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS QUESTIONED THE SAFETY OF THE VACCINES

• Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN): “We can’t trust the President and take his word, and take a vaccine that might cause harm to us.”
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said the FDA and CDC “have gotten screwed up by President Trump” and that “unfortunately, they aren’t the gold standard any longer, so you need to take a slightly closer look” at a vaccine.
• Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) suggested – without evidence – that there was political interference in the FDA approval process.
• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): “We cannot take for granted this process [of developing a vaccine] will be free of political influence.”

• Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) suggested that if a vaccine was announced before election day, it would be because of political pressure.

PROMINENT DEMOCRATS SAID THEY WERE “HESITANT” TO GET THE VACCINE

• Former Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) tweeted she was “skeptical” of getting the vaccine and suggested the vaccine would not be safe, saying that “Trump’s plan is to test the vaccine” on his supporters.
• Senate candidate Cal Cunningham said “yes, I would be hesitant” to get the vaccine.