Kellyanne Conway is known for finding unconventional ways to spin the facts in favor of the Trump administration, but this week, the top White House aide made comments that even some of her own supporters found baffling.
Wednesday, during an appearance on Fox News, Conway implied that COVID-19’s name is derived from the number of already known coronavirus diseases.
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“This is COVID-19 ― not COVID-1, folks,” Conway informed the hosts of Fox & Friends. “And so you would think the people charged with the World Health Organization would be on top of that.”
It’s common knowledge that But COVID-19 stands for “coronavirus disease 2019” to refer to the date it was identified, and not an indication that there were 18 previous versions of it.
Viewers watched in dismay as the high-ranking adviser to the president, opined, “It is called COVID-19 – not COVID-20 ― yet it took WHO until March to call it a global pandemic.”
Kellyanne Conway: "This is COVID-19, not COVID-1 folks, and so you would think the people in charge of the World Health Organization, facts and figures, would be on top of that." pic.twitter.com/losQ3H4ZhW
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) April 15, 2020
After Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) called on her to “do better” after her remarks, Conway seemingly attempted to save face by responding that she knows the “19 refers to the year.”
She then pivoted the focus by rhetorically asking the congressman, “Which felt better: insulting me or endorsing Bloomberg for president?”
“It’s telling that you perceive the truth as an insult,” Rush tweeted back.
Dear @RepBobbyRush: I know 19 refers to year. I’m in Task Force daily (Congress is out until May 4). Point: WHO has received billion$ from USA for decades; it should see pandemics coming & be honest
Which felt better:insulting me or endorsing Bloomberg for President?
God bless https://t.co/3LpvkoQERb
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) April 15, 2020
Conway’s comments appear to be part of the administration’s concerted efforts to blame the World Health Organization’s response to the coronavirus pandemic for why America is now the most infected country on the globe.
“The WHO failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable,” President Donald Trump said Tuesday while announcing the U.S. is placing a hold on funding to WHO while his team investigates the group’s potential mismanagement of the crisis. “So much death has been caused by their mistakes.”
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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of WHO, responded to Trump’s decision today with these comments:
