White House Says Texas Ebola Mess-Ups Were Actually A Good Thing
As factually scary as a U.S. outbreak of the Ebola virus isn’t, the media and the government continue to compete for the Least Helpful at Quelling Panic Award. Case in point: the White House’s assertion that the multiple screw-ups in the Texas Ebola case were actually just an accidental awareness campaign.
At his last White House daily briefing, Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked a whole mess of questions about Ebola, including more talk about a travel ban (which they’re not “currently considering”) and screening measures (none of which would have stopped Thomas Eric Duncan from entering the U.S., since he was not symptomatic when he flew), and questions about the botched handling of Duncan’s case in Dallas. NBC News’ Chris Jansing asked Earnest how things are going in the effort to quell fears that Duncan’s case have stirred. Earnest replied that while the deadly disease has a “scary name,” people can take comfort in our “track record” implementing safeguards:
“It’s also important that people understand what the risk actually is. It’s also important that medical professionals and that our national security professionals, our law enforcement professionals actually do what’s required in terms of implementing the guidelines. And so far, the track record, while not perfect, is pretty good.”
There are two ways to look at this. The first is that our track record is perfect; we’ve gotten one case of Ebola in the U.S., and we’ve screwed up that one case. The other, which goes to Earnest’s point about knowing the risks, is that our track record is perfect, because of the six cases that have been treated in the United States so far, everyone’s still alive. Duncan is in stable but critical condition at this point, and is undergoing an experimental treatment.
Then, Jansing asked if the mistakes in Dallas have made people skeptical about the ability of local hospitals and the CDC to handle cases like this….READ MORE
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Tommy Christopher
Tommy Christopher is The Daily Banter's White House Correspondent and Political Analyst. He's been a political reporter and liberal commentator since 2007, and has covered the White House since the beginning of the Obama administration, first for PoliticsDaily, and then for Mediaite. Christopher is a frequent guest on a variety of television, radio, and online programs, and was the villain in the documentaries The Audacity of Democracy and Hating Breitbart. He's also That Guy Who Live-Tweeted His Own Heart Attack, and the only person to have ever received public apologies from both Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.
6 responses to White House Says Texas Ebola Mess-Ups Were Actually A Good Thing
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tracey marie October 7th, 2014 at 17:42
I will be slightly afraid of breaking a bone, getting cancer again, being hit by a car but I will not waste one moment falling into a frenzy of fear and ignorance fearing Ebola.
tracey marie October 7th, 2014 at 17:42
I will be slightly afraid of breaking a bone, getting cancer again, being hit by a car but I will not waste one moment falling into a frenzy of fear and ignorance fearing Ebola.
Suzanne McFly October 7th, 2014 at 17:46
The democrats need to remind Americans that the repubs have cut the budget for the CDC. They need to call out the party on the right for their tax cuts for the rich while putting the rest of the population in jeopardy.
Suzanne McFly October 7th, 2014 at 17:46
The democrats need to remind Americans that the repubs have cut the budget for the CDC. They need to call out the party on the right for their tax cuts for the rich while putting the rest of the population in jeopardy.
LightningJoe October 8th, 2014 at 16:06
“Quelling Panic”
Pardon me? Panic?
Sorry, but ONE OR MORE infected people getting through a “sieve” into the US was ABSOLUTELY INEVITABLE… but no one seems to have “known” that?
Lord Bless Us, I guess… because we aren’t getting anywhere relying on our own “brains.”
“Travel Ban”
Now THAT is a GOOD idea… Deal with it where it now is, to prevent it from spreading. That’s only common sense, while the “benefits” of keeping air travel in operation between Liberia and the US? … NOT so clear…
BTW: taking temperatures in airports? Worse than useless. I’m starting to see the “sense” in the Republican stance of panicking first, because an infected ebola sufferer does NOT run a temperature until the symptoms start (duh). Before that, they are only a walking disease vector waiting to ripen up…
LightningJoe October 8th, 2014 at 16:06
“Quelling Panic”
Pardon me? Panic?
Sorry, but ONE OR MORE infected people getting through a “sieve” into the US was ABSOLUTELY INEVITABLE… but no one seems to have “known” that?
Lord Bless Us, I guess… because we aren’t getting anywhere relying on our own “brains.”
“Travel Ban”
Now THAT is a GOOD idea… Deal with it where it now is, to prevent it from spreading. That’s only common sense, while the “benefits” of keeping air travel in operation between Liberia and the US? … NOT so clear…
BTW: taking temperatures in airports? Worse than useless. I’m starting to see the “sense” in the Republican stance of panicking first, because an infected ebola sufferer does NOT run a temperature until the symptoms start (duh). Before that, they are only a walking disease vector waiting to ripen up…