CNN’s Harwood: Biden’s Covid Copout Just ‘Throwaway Line, Too Much Made’ Of It

Lackey. Lickspittle. Toady. Sycophant.

You can choose: When it comes to protecting Joe Biden they all match CNN’s John Harwood. 

Harwood was present at this morning’s meeting, in spite of the fact that President Biden had shifted responsibility regarding COVID during a conference call yesterday with Governors. Neue DayIt was easy to downplay and explain away President Obama’s punt regarding the pandemic.

Biden stated to the governors:

There is no federal solution. “This is solved at state level.”

CNN Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona responded, and was surprisingly tough about Biden. 

“This is truly unacceptable for the Biden Administration at this point to be caught flat-footed by Omicron. We had already the Delta version this summer. It took the government a while to accept vaccine mandates. They claimed premature independence from this virus. Und Biden himself said in March that they were going to ramp up the ability to have at-home testing, and that just hasn’t happened yet. So it’s a little too much – a little bit too late here for them to be actually ramping it up in time for the holiday seasons. 

And This could cost them political points. Voters will vote on the return to normal feeling of their country. But it doesn’t feel this way at the moment.“

That’s when Harwood popped up to play defensive MVP for Biden, probably doing cleanup for Biden’s minders:

“I think That was it Biden’s throwaway line . . . He was saying that it wasn’t my job, but it’s yours. . . So, I am a little bit unsure. It is not fair to make more of that polite, beginning conversation.

Harwood says it was just a “throwaway” line. Biden let go of his responsibility for the failures in his administration and gave it to governors. How can it be a “throwaway” line when—just days before the 2020 election—Biden boasted“I will shut down this virus.”

Now he claims that “there is no federal resolution.” Harwood, a Biden bitterender, could not defend Biden’s flagrant cop-out.

John Avlon became a replacement host and joined Team Biden immediately. “fair point.”

Harwood then tweeted the following (which was later retweeted soon by Ron Klain, White House chief-of-staff) 

Biden’s statement that “this gets resolved at a state-level” does not apply if you pretend ignorance.
He was simply affirming the plea of NGA chair not to suppress “state solutions”.
It’s common presidential talk about “laboratories for democracy”.
He discussed federal action, and the “need for better”

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) December 28, 2021

CNN’s John Harwood making excuses was sponsored in part by Whole Foods, Ensure, and Sleep Number.

You can find the transcription here. 

CNN
Neue Day
12/28/21
6:18 am ET

JOHN AVALON: His Covid plan was first released in January. It contained this statement. Quote, “For the last year, we couldn’t turn to the Federal Government for a plan to respond to prayers with action.” Strong declaration. However, I urge you to juxtapose this with his statement yesterday. Have a look.

JOE BIDDEN There is not a federal solution. These problems are solved by the states. I’m looking at Governor Sununu on the board here. That is something that Governor Sununu talks about often. It all boils down to the point where the rubber meets road. That’s when the patient needs help or is able to prevent the need.

AVLON. Is this his flip-flop? Or is he rediscovering federalism’s beauty, which can solve many problems.

MELANIE ZANONA:This is truly unacceptable for the Biden AdministrationThis is the time to get flat-flooted flatted with omicron. We already had the beta variant of this vaccine last summer. It took the government a while to accept vaccine mandates. They claimed premature independence from this virus. Und Biden himself said in March that they were going to ramp up the ability to have at-home testing, and that just hasn’t happened yet. So it’s a little too much – a little bit too late here for them to be actually ramping it up in time for the holiday seasons. 

And They could be in serious trouble politically. Voters will vote on what at the end. But it doesn’t feel this way at the moment.

JOHN HARWOOD – John, if only I could make one additional point. It’s a good idea. This was Biden’s throwaway line.Biden started a call with governors. Jeff Zients said that they have had 40 calls. The reason for this interaction is between the federal government, state governments. Presidents often refer to states having a lot authority and that we must work together. 

I don’t think that he was actually signaling like, oh, okay, it’s not my job anymore, it’s your job. Because he went on to outline the things that he was trying to do to catch up to the testing problem, and acknowledging, as we’ve just been talking about, that we need to do better. 

However, I believe that it is possible to be somewhat There has been much more of this, and of that little polite start to the conversation, than was necessary.

AVLON: Fair point.