CNN: Trump administration wages pressure campaign on various agencies to approve early vaccine

[Ronnie]

Facing one of the most critical moments in its tenure since it was founded over a hundred years ago, officials inside the FDA say the tension is palpable. A number of sources familiar with the internal workings told CNN the responsibility feels immense and the environment is akin to that of a pressure cooker. In the last week alone, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn was forced to apologize for an overhyped plasma announcement, subsequently removed a newly installed communications aide and found himself on the receiving end of criticism from the West Wing.

In meetings focused on vaccine development throughout the spring and summer, Trump has consistently pressed officials to speed up their timeline for developing a vaccine, administration officials said, saying the President appeared intent on being able to deliver at least the solid promise of an effective vaccine by the time he faces reelection.

The push for a vaccine has not been limited to the FDA. Pressure is on at every agency to come up with new announcements over the next two months that could signal the pandemic is nearing an end.

Officials say that although there has not been one explicit edict to provide coronavirus deliverables by Election Day, the implications of the administration's message are clear. Those involved in the various efforts say it is plainly evident that Trump and his advisers hope to convince voters the pandemic is ending by the time ballots are cast in November.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/09/03/politics/white-house-fda-coronavirus-vaccine/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

[Indy Texas]

I don't think he gets that his goose is already cooked.

Ballots will start going out later this month. People are going to start mailing their ballots back and voting early in less than a month.

Even if the FDA approved a vaccine today, you couldn't get it manufactured and distributed before election day.

[Dr. Arch]

This feels a lot like a Hail Mary.

[Inmate Trump]

Trump is willing to sacrifice countless lives just to remain in office.

He’s already proven he’ll cheat to win. Now we know he’ll kill too.

[SnowLabrador]

Trump is willing to sacrifice countless lives just to remain in office.

He’s already proven he’ll cheat to win. Now we know he’ll kill too.

Honestly, he might be worse than Hitler.

[brucejoel99]

I don't think he gets that his goose is already cooked.

Ballots will start going out later this month. People are going to start mailing their ballots back and voting early in less than a month.

Even if the FDA approved a vaccine today[`/i], you couldn't get it manufactured and distributed before election day.

Not even. Some North Carolinians will begin receiving their ballots today & I'm sure a few could mail their completed ballot back as soon as tomorrow.

[Inmate Trump]

Even as a Trump supporter I have to condemn this. I won't take a vaccine that is not safe neither should anyone else.

Would you still vote for him if he rushed an unproven vaccine, just to help his re-election?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I don't think he gets that his goose is already cooked.

Ballots will start going out later this month. People are going to start mailing their ballots back and voting early in less than a month.

Even if the FDA approved a vaccine today, you couldn't get it manufactured and distributed before election day.

You're off on one minor detail. Ballots in NC are going out today. The election has already started.

[Stranger in a strange land]

I don't think he gets that his goose is already cooked.

Ballots will start going out later this month. People are going to start mailing their ballots back and voting early in less than a month.

Even if the FDA approved a vaccine today, you couldn't get it manufactured and distributed before election day.

You're off on one minor detail. Ballots in NC are going out today. The election has already started.

And not a moment too soon!

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Simply having a vaccine does not erase his horrible mismanagement of this pandemic. No one should make their decision based on whether there is a vaccine available.

[Ancestral Republican]

I don't think he gets that his goose is already cooked.

Ballots will start going out later this month. People are going to start mailing their ballots back and voting early in less than a month.

Even if the FDA approved a vaccine today[`/i], you couldn't get it manufactured and distributed before election day.

Not even. Some North Carolinians will begin receiving their ballots today & I'm sure a few could mail their completed ballot back as soon as tomorrow.

Thank G-d North Carolina has a Democrat governor who will make sure peoples' votes get counted.

[ProudModerate2]

Even as a Trump supporter I have to condemn this. I won't take a vaccine that is not safe neither should anyone else.

The Orange Buffoon is going to be the death of us all.
This is a very serious Pandemic, and proper steps need to be taken to validate and make vaccines safe before going public. But to trump, it's just a game he wants to win, regardless of the harm he may put on countless Americans.

PS: I'm shocked Spark made this comment.

[It’s so Joever]

Truth be told, most of the top vaccine candidates appear to be safe enough for emergency use, but it’s still very risky. Maybe healthcare workers who really want it should be allowed some early access, but only if they are told the full risks in explicit detail. Trying to get it to any section of the general public would be too unethical (even for me, a guy who seems to lack regard for scientific ethics) this early. Still, his motives are outrageous and pressuring scientists and the FDA is disgusting.

[Del Tachi]

There's at least some level of incongruity in attempting to honestly argue that COVID is so dangerous that we have to keep restaurants, schools, churches sports, and routine "non-emergency" medical procedures indefinitely suspended while not believing that it's appropriate to use an expedited process to fast-track deployment of a vaccine. 

I mean, it's almost like it's political or something ...

[Del Tachi]

Truth be told, most of the top vaccine candidates appear to be safe enough for emergency use, but it’s still very risky. Maybe healthcare workers who really want it should be allowed some early access, but only if they are told the full risks in explicit detail. Trying to get it to any section of the general public would be too unethical (even for me, a guy who seems to lack regard for scientific ethics) this early. Still, his motives are outrageous and pressuring scientists and the FDA is disgusting.

I like this post because it shows there's an obvious political double standard at play...carry on! 

[It’s so Joever]

Truth be told, most of the top vaccine candidates appear to be safe enough for emergency use, but it’s still very risky. Maybe healthcare workers who really want it should be allowed some early access, but only if they are told the full risks in explicit detail. Trying to get it to any section of the general public would be too unethical (even for me, a guy who seems to lack regard for scientific ethics) this early. Still, his motives are outrageous and pressuring scientists and the FDA is disgusting.

I like this post because it shows there's an obvious political double standard at play...carry on!  

Even if this were Hillary doing it for her election chances, my position would probably be the same (although who knows how things would be in that timeline)
Healthcare workers should be allowed access to it, but only if they know the full risks. They can make the choice. I just don’t trust the general public to be able to make such a decision thoroughly. Some early results from the phase three trials would change my mind.

[AGA]

Trump is willing to sacrifice countless lives just to remain in office.

He’s already proven he’ll cheat to win. Now we know he’ll kill too.

Honestly, he might be worse than Hitler.

That's just ridiculous.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

I don't understand why Trump can't put two and two together when the situation is this simple. He knows a shutdown is approaching due to Congressional divides and he knows that being seen to govern well (in one instance, through fast creation of a vaccine) could boost his reelection odds. If he wants the perception of good governance to save his campaign, he should bully Republicans into passing a relief bill even if that involves economic capitulation to the Democrats' version (it's not as if he's particularly sympathetic to fiscal conservatism anyway).

[Horus]

Even as a Trump supporter I have to condemn this. I won't take a vaccine that is not safe neither should anyone else.

I thought you didn't take vaccines at all

[Gass3268]

https://twitter.com/armstrongdrew/status/1302012946877501445?s=21

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Whats ironic is that Trump is a anti vaxxer, and won't vaccinate himself, as are most of the MAGA death cult.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Whats ironic is that Trump is a anti vaxxer, and won't vaccinate himself, as are most of the MAGA death cult.

Yeah, people seem to forget about Trump's anti-vaccination past. Then again, there is so much wrong that he does and represents that it's impossible to remember everything at once. No brain in the world has the capacity for it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

What I don't get is why Trump doesn't get that pushing through a unproven vaccine (or other treatment option) is likely to hurt him politically even if it ends up working. He already has no credibility except with his base on medical matters.

[Gass3268]

Looks like most Americans would see through a rushed vaccine.

https://twitter.com/Politidope/status/1303150527593811970?s=20

[Brittain33]

There's at least some level of incongruity in attempting to honestly argue that COVID is so dangerous that we have to keep restaurants, schools, churches sports, and routine "non-emergency" medical procedures indefinitely suspended while not believing that it's appropriate to use an expedited process to fast-track deployment of a vaccine. 

I mean, it's almost like it's political or something ...

There's a difference between an expedited process, which the whole country is fully behind, and trying to rush out good news on an artificial deadline no matter what the reality is.