Biden, Obama criticize Trump's coronavirus response in 'socially distanced' chat

 

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announces he will not seek the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination as President Barack Obama looks on during an appearance in Rose Garden of the White House in Washington October 21, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

(Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama blasted Republican President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in a video aired on Thursday, as the Biden campaign tapped the star power of America's first Black president.

 

Biden, who was vice president in the Obama administration, sat down facing the former president in a chair across a room for a "socially distanced" conversation.

 

Both men released the video on Twitter, where Obama has 120.8 million followers, the most on the platform.

 

"Can you imagine standing up when you were president, saying, 'It's not my responsibility?'" Biden asked Obama, referring to Trump's efforts to evade criticism for the pandemic response.

 

"Those words didn't come out of our mouths when we were in office," Obama replied.

 

In response, Trump attacked Obama and Biden on Twitter.

 

"Remember, I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for them," he wrote on Thursday. "They did a terrible job!"

 

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama blasted Republican President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in a video aired on Thursday released by the Biden campaign.

 

With traditional campaigning still in limbo due to the pandemic, the video offered a glimpse of how Obama - still overwhelmingly popular among Democratic voters - may be deployed to build enthusiasm for November's presidential election.

 

During their first in-person meeting since Biden became presumptive Democratic nominee, they spoke about the need to expand on the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," their administration's signature program that vastly expanded U.S. healthcare coverage.

 

The Trump administration has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate the ACA.

 

"It is hard to fathom anybody wanting to take away people's health care in the middle of a major public health crisis," Obama said.

 

They also discussed Biden's ability to empathize, a trait his campaign has stressed to contrast him with Trump.

 

"I don't understand his inability to get a sense of what people are going through," Biden said. "He can't relate in any way."

 

Obama said, "It is a sign of leadership when you are willing to hear other people's experiences."

 

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by David Gregorio and Aurora Ellis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-24

 

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It used to be the convention that former Presidents stepped back and kept their mouths shut.

1 minute ago, mokwit said:

It used to be the convention that former Presidents stepped back and kept their mouths shut.

So now all of a sudden you want ‘Convention’.

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

So now all of a sudden you want ‘Convention’.

What did I/didn't I want before?

It's surprising that there are still people out there who "think" Trump did a good job.

If they didn't experience that Trump is utterly useless within the last months then I don't think anyone or anything will convince these people - especially no Dem politicians.

7 minutes ago, mokwit said:

It used to be the convention that former Presidents stepped back and kept their mouths shut.

Not true. Some form of graciousness may be extended to successors but no hard fixed rule. In any case, Trump has not been gracious (that’s a polite word) in numerous occasions against former presidents. He got what he deserved for his vile attacks on past presidents. 
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/politics/politifact/politifact-obama-isnt-the-first-ex-president-to-speak-ill-of-his-successor/2235214/

15 minutes ago, mokwit said:

It used to be the convention that former Presidents stepped back and kept their mouths shut.

Its used to be the convention that they release their tax details too.

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

Now it seems he is claiming credit for the Veterans Access bill that Obama  signed in 2014 !

Maybe he got confused because it was originally  written by a Republican?

Ah well, just another gaff to enter in the long record which includes  the  Airports of the civil War etc.

Biden looks sharp by comparison !

46 minutes ago, webfact said:

In response, Trump attacked Obama and Biden on Twitter.

 

"Remember, I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for them," he wrote on Thursday. "They did a terrible job!"

That's certainly no lie, for those that think he never tells the truth. Trump won because middle America  didn't want Obama version 2. Seems Obama is now going for version 3.

 

However, I'm very happy for Obama to be seen with Biden as it may refresh the voter's minds as why they voted for Trump before.

7 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

Now it seems he is claiming credit for the Veterans Access bill that Obama  signed in 2014 !

Maybe he got confused because it was originally  written by a Republican?

Ah well, just another gaff to enter in the long record which includes  the  Airports of the civil War etc.

Biden looks sharp by comparison !

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

 

TWO conservative justices on SCOTUS does fit that. Even if he did nothing else, that made his presidency worthwhile, IMO. Hopefully there will be a third soon.

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

 

TWO conservative justices on SCOTUS does fit that. Even if he did nothing else, that made his presidency worthwhile, IMO. Hopefully there will be a third soon.

That is slightly amusing.

Maybe to an advantage should Ms  G Maxwell's case ever get to SCOTUS appeal. Trump has wished her well !

56 minutes ago, webfact said:

on Twitter, where Obama has 120.8 million followers, the most on the platform.

LOL! A number sure to be questioned by Donald. Can't have anyone more popular than him can we?

Obama has the right of it though. Trumps performance has been miserable, a fact anyone with a functioning brain, not corrupted by tinted glasses can easily see. 

Hey dumbastheycome he was talking about airports in the revolutionary war lol not the civil war lol but hey it was nice to see two thinking statesmen conversations about our pathetic troll in chief what a comparison wow

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

 

TWO conservative justices on SCOTUS does fit that. Even if he did nothing else, that made his presidency worthwhile, IMO. Hopefully there will be a third soon.

One of whom knows he’s going to removed in the new year.

 

 

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

 

TWO conservative justices on SCOTUS does fit that. Even if he did nothing else, that made his presidency worthwhile, IMO. Hopefully there will be a third soon.

OK, apart from appointing 2 conservative justices on to SCOTUS (which you frequently tout as if it was the equivalent of Roosevelts New Deal or the Second Coming), what else has he done?  

6 hours ago, mokwit said:

It used to be the convention that former Presidents stepped back and kept their mouths shut.

It also used to be convention for the pres to make his tax returns public.

 

As you were saying?

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That's certainly no lie, for those that think he never tells the truth. Trump won because middle America  didn't want Obama version 2. Seems Obama is now going for version 3.

 

However, I'm very happy for Obama to be seen with Biden as it may refresh the voter's minds as why they voted for Trump before.

i thought you were an independent and not a trump supporter.

Its nice to see a couple of statesmen having a lucid coherent conversation.

Obama failed his way through 8 years of presidency, and now wants to give advice to one of the greatest ever US presidents.   Can't make this stuff up.

9 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Its used to be the convention that they release their tax details too.

Not hardly, a few have but it is definitely not the norm.

9 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It would be difficult  to find anything Trump has done worthy of praise.

 

TWO conservative justices on SCOTUS does fit that. Even if he did nothing else, that made his presidency worthwhile, IMO. Hopefully there will be a third soon.

 

Worthy of praise? It's on par with that cognitive test he's bragging about. Any Republican/conservative/right wing President would have managed two SCOTUS appointments while having a majority. And with less fuss.

1 hour ago, Mick501 said:

Obama failed his way through 8 years of presidency, and now wants to give advice to one of the greatest ever US presidents.   Can't make this stuff up.

Yet you just did.

43 minutes ago, rgraham said:

Not hardly, a few have but it is definitely not the norm.

Nonsense.

 

https://www.taxnotes.com/presidential-tax-returns

"Between 1974 and 2012, every president but Gerald Ford has made a voluntary release of the tax returns they filed while in office. Ford released no complete returns, but released 10 years of summary data including gross income, taxable income, major deductions, and taxes paid."

1 hour ago, Mick501 said:

Obama failed his way through 8 years of presidency, and now wants to give advice to one of the greatest ever US presidents. 

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

i thought you were an independent and not a trump supporter.

I do not believe  he is  even a US  voter !

For the record  nor am I  but  I  am entitled  to an opinion.

 I just loved the  foot work / dance steps, Obama is showing off, when departing the big bird .

  He made Fred Astaire , look like a novice .

   Just singing and dancing , off the plane ...

 

 

 

4 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

what else has he done?  

He passed a dementia test. (Just)

2 hours ago, Mick501 said:

and now wants to give advice to one of the greatest ever US presidents.

Given that America doesn’t really have a president as such, I’m wondering which one you mean.

2 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

He passed a dementia test. (Just)

"Trump Has a Nuclear Arsenal—and Can Remember Five Whole Words" (article from the DB)

14 hours ago, mokwit said:

It used to be the convention that former Presidents stepped back and kept their mouths shut.

When Reagan first became president not a week went by without him denouncing "the previous administration."  I wondered if it was actually planned that way "Mr President, you're due for your weekly Carter bashing."  The Rove-Cheney-Bush WH was much more vehement than that.  Obama inherited a dog-pile, but talked about things that needed to be fixed, as opposed to personal attacks -- the guy is a class act.  Guess it's a Republican thing.