Obama, Bush and Clinton say they'll get vaccine publicly to prove safety

[left-of-center2012]

Former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton volunteer to get coronavirus vaccine publicly to prove it's safe

Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are volunteering to get their Covid-19 vaccines on camera to promote public confidence in the vaccine's safety once the US Food and Drug Administration authorizes one. The three most recent former presidents hope an awareness campaign to promote confidence in its safety and effectiveness would be a powerful message as American public health officials try to convince the public to take the vaccine.

Freddy Ford, Bush's chief of staff, told CNN that the 43rd President had reached out to Dr. Anthony Fauci -- the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the nation's top infectious disease expert -- and Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, to see how he could help promote the vaccine. "First, the vaccines need to be deemed safe and administered to the priority populations. Then, President Bush will get in line for his, and will gladly do so on camera."

Clinton's press secretary told CNN on Wednesday that he too would be willing to take the vaccine in a public setting in order to promote it. "President Clinton will definitely take a vaccine as soon as available to him, based on the priorities determined by public health officials. And he will do it in a public setting if it will help urge all Americans to do the same," Angel Urena said.

Obama, in an interview with SiriusXM host Joe Madison scheduled to air Thursday, said that if Fauci said a coronavirus vaccine is safe, he believes him. "People like Anthony Fauci, who I know, and I've worked with, I trust completely," Obama said. "So, if Anthony Fauci tells me this vaccine is safe, and can vaccinate, you know, immunize you from getting Covid, absolutely, I'm going to take it."

"I promise you that when it's been made for people who are less at risk, I will be taking it," he said. "I may end up taking it on TV or having it filmed, just so that people know that I trust this science, and what I don't trust is getting Covid," he added.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/02/politics/obama-vaccine/index.html

[Renew Deal]

1. Amazingly Clinton and Bush are both 74

Time flies. Anyway, it’s a big decision for them.

[karynnj]

4. It is a big decision and great that they - especially Bush - are offering to do so publicly

Especially Bush as it is likely that convincing Republicans is going to be harder. I heard on MSNBC that Elvis publicly got a vaccine (I think polio) in the early 50s. What culture icons could be helpful this time?

I would assume that none of these people will get the vaccine until Fauci and others have looked at the data and followed the results with the health care professionals, who are first in line.

As to risk, like all of us who are older, they are also at higher risk from the virus. Clinton also has other risk factors. Almost everyone I know in the over 65 years community - including friends, neighbors and family, have been staying safe, cancelling trips to see family and for carefully planned vacations. While feeling lucky that we have the ability to do this to help stay safe, the vaccine is seen as the means for being able to gradually at least travel to see family probably still using our masks.

What is great is that all three have volunteered to be part of the effort to increase the turnout to get a high enough percent of the population vaccinated. If Eisenhower, in the 1950s, could see the value of using a star like Elvis and likely others to energize the effort to vaccinate people, the Biden team will too. In some ways, that effort is similar. I was way too young to remember that, but I know from my parents that they were extremely relieved after our family doctor vaccinated all of us kids old enough to be vaccinated. They had grown up fearing polio every summer. Many years the concern was so great that the public pools were closed.

[doc03]

2. Well Obama is taking it so Trump will say it is a Democrat Hoax. I have already heard

a couple people claim they inject a microchip with the shot. I suppose this is all part of the Hugo Chavez,
Castro, FBI, CIA and George Soros mind control plot.

[dubyadiprecession]

3. Well it's about time, these deadbeats on the government dole, are going to put their lives...

On the line to help save their fellow countryman!