Pence pummeled for wrongly handing Trump credit for Pfizer COVID vaccine
Photo via The White House.
November 09, 2020 | 09:12AM ETBankVice President Mike Pence, the Coronavirus Task Force chief, and former Trump UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are under fire for trying to give credit for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to President Donald Trump and the White House's "Operation War Speed."
Pfizer announced Monday morning its coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective. The pharmaceutical giant refused to partner with the Trump administration to develop the drug, instead it worked with a German group.
Yet Pence rushed to grab credit:
Haley also tried to give the credit to Trump:
The news about the @pfizer vaccine being 90% effective is great news for the American people! Many thanks to… https://t.co/kCAoZjHyuy— Nikki Haley (@Nikki Haley) 1604927845
They're both wrong.
Here's the CEO of Pfizer in September explaining why he opted out of Trump's program:
ICYMI: Why is @Pfizer financing #Covid19 #vaccine development on its own - instead of accepting government funding?… https://t.co/iqaVTw5LVO— Face The Nation (@Face The Nation) 1600014281
On social media, Pence and Haley drew criticism:
@Mike_Pence @realDonaldTrump @pfizer THERE WAS NO PARTNERSHIP!!!! STOP LYING!! https://t.co/OjVaJDn7Nj— Just Vent (@Just Vent) 1604929101
As Pence claims credit, Pfizer says it did NOT join in the administration's partnership. Pfizer head of vaccine de… https://t.co/rso9vyxOyZ— Geoff Bennett (@Geoff Bennett) 1604929679
Nikki is lying again. Pfizer rejected Trump’s “help”. https://t.co/22rZ77a5a1— The Hoarse Whisperer (@The Hoarse Whisperer) 1604928336
@Mike_Pence @realDonaldTrump @pfizer That's not what Pfizer is saying: https://t.co/qdqGxrjQ7i— Rich Parr (@Rich Parr) 1604929353
@NikkiHaley @pfizer @realDonaldTrump The era of lying is over. Try to adjust.— KjellAT (@KjellAT) 1604927988
Fact check: Pfizer developed its vaccine separate from "Operation Warp Speed," spending $2 billion of its own money… https://t.co/XkpTcsavVt— Mark Jacob (@Mark Jacob) 1604929709
@NikkiHaley @pfizer @realDonaldTrump @pfizer was not part of Warp Speed @NikkiHaley They did this on their own, n… https://t.co/KaDlEZI5Rl— Donna Stidham (@Donna Stidham) 1604928250
@NikkiHaley @pfizer @realDonaldTrump Try again... https://t.co/KFpBfKRLDu— Shannon 🇺🇦 (@Shannon 🇺🇦) 1604928360
@NikkiHaley @pfizer @realDonaldTrump They were NOT part of Warp Speed BECAUSE TRUMP POLITICIZES EVERYTHING. https://t.co/7gI7iVsfDI— 🗽BlondeinBrooklyn🗽 (@🗽BlondeinBrooklyn🗽) 1604928480
