Critics questioned President Joe Biden’s renewed push this week to combat cancer this week after failing to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control.
“And our message today is this: We can do this. I promise you we can do this,” Biden claimed during a White House event on Wednesday. “For all those we lost, for all those we miss, we can end cancer as we know it.”
The administration said that Biden was launching the “Cancer Moonshot” with the mission of cutting “today’s age-adjusted death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent.”
Biden’s plan calls for “mobilizing the entire government” against cancer, including forming a “Cancer Cabinet.”
“This is so insanely stupid. Really. It is all for show, all to distract from other awful news,” Radiologist Pradheep J. Shanker tweeted. “I mean…literally, they stole this from a TV show.”
Shanker’s tweet is a reference to an episode of West Wing, which he later alluded to, writing: “This is straight out of a The West Wing episode…”
Other notable responses to Biden’s announcement included:
- Jason Rantz, radio host: “Democrat’s COVID restrictions are stopping people from getting cancer screenings and check-ups. Some oncologists say even cancer treatments are being delayed. So perhaps we can end the rules first?”
- Michael D. Brown, former DHS under secretary: “1. This means COVID is over. 2. I thought he already cured cancer. 3. This is called a pivot. 4. This is also a distraction. 5. After he said this, Jill had to help him step down. 6. ‘As we know it’ is weasel language.”
- Jon Gabriel, Ricochet: “You might try closing restaurants and masking toddlers.”
- Marina Medvin, attorney: “Biden’s puppy deflection didn’t work, so he’s now deflecting with promises that he will cure cancer. Come on. BTW the last thing any American wants after the Covid nightmare is more government in their healthcare. The Covid sampling of state-run socialized medicine is deterrent.”
- Erick Erickson, radio host: “Dude, you promised to beat COVID and its worse now with more dead than when you got there. For the sake of our loved ones, please don’t do this.”
- Joel Pollak, Breitbart News: “As Biden touts his record on cancer research today, note his ‘Biden Cancer Initiative’ shuttered after spending most money on salaries. It was also the occasion for his meeting with Tony Bobulinski to get 10% of a China-backed company.”
- Mollie Hemingway, The Federalist: “If this goes how his ‘I will end COVID’ pledge went, looks like we’re all getting cancer by next year. Best wishes, everyone!”
- Joe Concha, The Hill: “From the guy who said he will ‘stop’ and ‘control’ COVID…”
- Ian Miles Cheong, journalist: “How are you gonna stop melanoma? Ban the sun? Dome the cities in shade?”
- Carol Roth, author: “I hope the Cancer Cabinet is not like Pandora’s Box…”
- J. Michael Waller, strategist: “If you like his whole-of-government Covid solution, you’re going to love his Cancer Cabinet.”