Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine called on President Donald Trump on Thursday to “quit the inflammatory China-bashing.”
While conceding that the coronavirus did originate in China, Kaine accused Trump of tweeting “misinformation about the virus” for weeks while blaming China for its continued spread.
WATCH:
Tim Kaine to President Trump: “Quit the inflammatory China-bashing.” pic.twitter.com/78CdX1exRk
— The Hill (@thehill) March 19, 2020
Kaine also touted those in leadership in other nations who had used that time instead to take steps “so that their populations might be saved.” (RELATED: Ted Cruz Calls Out Tim Kaine For Putting Politics Over His Constituency)
“The fact that the virus originated in China does not excuse the massive missteps that have led to the United States being so far behind other nations in the word on the ability to provide testing, basic testing to citizens,” Kaine continued.
Calling Trump’s insistence on referring to coronavirus as a “Chinese virus” a “crass effort to deflect blame,” Kaine laid all responsibility for any delays in America’s response at the president’s feet.
Kaine made no mention of the fact that in mid-January, both China and the World Health Organization were still assuring the rest of the world that coronavirus could not be spread person-to person. He also failed to mention Dr. Anthony Fauci’s claim that Trump’s early decision to close off travel from China — and later Europe — may have bought the U.S. time in dealing with the crisis that other nations did not have.
Dr. Anthony Fauci: US stopping travel “very early” from China “has gone a long way” in fight against coronavirushttps://t.co/X2bCwzEr7M pic.twitter.com/esbhsrhEu8
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 20, 2020