As leading Republicans continue to mount hyped up outrage campaigns over efforts to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19, White House press secretary Jen Psaki laid out the facts at a Friday press conference.
Specifically, Psaki responded to complaints from Republicans about President Biden’s recent reference to having individuals go door-to-door with information about vaccines — which, to be clear from the outset, could literally save lives. As Psaki explained it, individuals have already been going door-to-door since April as part of what Biden discussed, and more broadly, it’s “not federal employees going door to door,” she said. Rather, it’s volunteers like clergy members from local communities. More acutely: the information that these people are bringing is possibly life-saving — and yet, Republicans are trying to stand in the way.
Psaki pointedly commented as follows, discussing the fervent Republican opposition:
‘Let me first say that the failure to provide accurate public health information, including the efficacy of vaccines, and the accessibility of them, to people across the country, including South Carolina, is literally killing people. So maybe they should consider that. But I would say that what this is and what it is not — this is not federal employees going door-to-door. This is grassroots volunteers; this is members of the clergy; these are volunteers who believe that people across the country, especially in low vaccinated areas, should have accurate information, should have information about where they can get vaccinated, where they can save their own lives and their neighbors’ lives and their family members’ lives. That’s exactly what this is.’
In other words, Republicans’ prioritization of political messaging above substantive policy work could cost lives. Their antics are a disgrace. Getting into further specifics, Psaki also commented as follows on Friday:
‘It’s something that’s been going on since April, and it’s something where we’ve seen an impact in states where there are lower vaccination rates. So it is something we will continue to work with local groups to do, and it’s a disservice to the country and to the people who may lose their lives, who may lose family members to provide inaccurate disinformation at a moment where we’re still fighting a pandemic.’
Check out her remarks below:
Jen Psaki calls out Republicans for killing Americans with disinformation about the coronavirus vaccine. pic.twitter.com/hsaLzZWr3a
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) July 9, 2021
