It's just another day in the neighborhood and another feeble appearance by a top Trump administration official who refused to answer basic questions from Fox News' Martha McCallum Thursday night.
Seema Verma is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is also a member of the Coronavirus Task Force. If it is anyone's JOB to know where we stand with medical equipment it should be her.
Right?
But after watching her gaslighting on Fox News, it's apparent there is only confusion and unaccountability when it comes to the so-called "Trump administration" dealing with COVID-19.
Martha McCallum tried to get some simple answers out of Seema Verma.
McCallum asked, "But in terms of actual medical equipment, we heard Bernie Sanders for one say there is a major shortage of ICU units We’ve heard there’s a shortage of ventilators, even swabs and equipment for the actual tests."
She continued, “What’s being done about that and how concerned are you that when these numbers [of patients] do start to rise, as Dr. Fauci told us to expect …. that there will be enough ICU units, enough ventilators, to help the people who do get sick in this country?”
Verma then turned into Kellyanne Conway and replied, "Well, that’s why we have an emergency preparedness system,” Verma responded. “We’re used to dealing with disasters … If you look at disasters that have emerged around hurricanes, in Puerto Rico, in Florida.....”
MacCallum cut her off and asked again, “So are you saying we do have enough?”
Verma did not stop talking and continued with her alternative facts talking points.
A very annoyed MacCallum tried again. “Yeah. I understand that. Can I just ask you one more time, will there be enough?"
Verma just continued blathering on and didn't miss a syllable of her prepared remarks.
A stunned look crossed Martha's face as she listened to unrelated responses to her simple and important questions.
After Verma took a breath, MacCallum said, "One more time. Before I let you go I want to ask you one more time, are there going to be people in this country who don’t get a ventilator when they need one?”
“Can you reassure everyone out there tonight that there’s not a shortage of ventilators or ICU units?” she asked.
Instead of answering, Verma launched into the cabinet-level mandatory Trump-praise diatribe.
“Okay. That’s not a direct answer to the question, " McCallum said.
Ending the segment McCallum said it seems like they are hoping not enough people get sick to overwhelm the system.
That's the Trump administration way.
Don't be prepared, refuse to tell the truth and avoid giving the public inconvenient facts.
And hope for the best.
