The stunning contrast between Biden and Trump on coronavirus

[Galraedia]

Joe Biden’s speech Thursday afternoon on his plan for the coronavirus pandemic should not have been a remarkable speech. The delivery was adequate. The content was largely in line with what nonpartisan public health officials have been recommending: things like instructing Americans to stay away from large gatherings and proposing measures to surge the country’s testing capabilities.

The overall idea of the speech wasn’t to describe an initiative Biden would implement next January, if elected. It was to draw a contrast with President Trump by showing what he would be doing differently than the current administration if he were president right now.

And indeed, the comparison between Biden’s speech on coronavirus and Trump’s Wednesday night address could not be more revealing.

The president’s comments skated over key issues (like testing) and inaccurately described the details of his (largely point-missing) 30-day ban on travel from Europe. Key details in speech, like the Europe travel ban’s applicability to trade and American citizens, were either confused or outright misstated in the speech.

Read more: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/3/12/21177135/coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-trump-biden-speeches