President Joe Biden stumbled through a CNN town hall, losing his thoughts and giving false statements during the telecast. While on air, Biden seemingly gave confusing and misleading answers regarding the wearing of masks, national security issues, and approval of COVID-19 vaccines.
Biden overinflated vaccine efficiency, especially concerning the delta variant during the CNN town hall on Wednesday, July 21. He claimed that the vaccine would prevent Americans from contracting COVID-19. He also falsely assured viewers that no vaccinated individuals would be hospitalized, sent to intensive or die following inoculation. (Related: Under Biden, Americans will have to get vaccinated for Covid-19 in order to eat.)
This statement comes after breakthrough cases that showed coronavirus infections in vaccinated individuals, some resulting in death.
Fact-checking the president's statements at the Town Hall
Here are some statements the president made that may not be necessarily true.
President Biden: "We're not in the position where we think that any virus, including the Delta virus, which is much more transmissible and more deadly in terms of unvaccinated people, the – the various shots that people are getting now cover that," he said.
Fact check: It is not yet clear whether or not the Delta variant is "more deadly."
President Biden: "You're okay. You're not going to – you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations."
Fact check: These statements are not necessarily true. Vaccinated Americans have still contracted the virus, some of whom were hospitalized. Cases are increasing with the rapid spread of the delta variant as well.
President Biden: "If you're vaccinated, you're not going to be hospitalized, you're not going to be in the IC unit, and you're not going to die," Biden told host Don Lemon. "So it's gigantically important that...we all act like Americans who care about our fellow Americans."
Fact check: As of July 12, the government tallied 5,492 vaccinated individuals who tested positive for the coronavirus. They were either hospitalized or have expired. However, the director for the CDC said: "99.5 [percent] of all deaths from COVID-19 are in the unvaccinated."
Biden fumbles through Town Hall
The president struggled to complete statements coherently during the Town Hall and lost his train of thought on multiple occasions.
At one point, he also spoke about getting vaccinations approved for children ages 12 and under. He said, "That's underway, just like the other question that's illogical. And I've heard you speak about it because you always – I'm not being solicitous – but you're always straight up about what you're doing."
"And the question is whether or not we should be in a position where you uh, um, are – why can't the, the, the experts say we know that this virus is, in fact, uh, um, uh, it's going to be – or, excuse me, we, we, we know why all the drugs approved are not temporarily approved by permanently approved." Biden continued to fumble over his words. "That's underway too. I expect that to occur quickly."
Republicans were quick to point out the president's gaffes. Elise Stefanik, Republican Conference Chairwoman said on Twitter: "Is this for real? And the media will continue to fawn and look the other way."
Repeating a White House talking point, the president said that there are 12 people responsible for most of the misinformation online. 'They're killing people, those 12 individuals," the president said. 'That misinformation is going to kill people."
But his statements during his town hall meeting indicate that Biden himself is spreading misinformation about the disease and vaccines.
Learn the truth about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) at Pandemic.news.
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