Nervous Gibbs and Napolitano Announce Health Emergency -image: Fox
Although the official statement from the White House is that a lack of personnel in key positions regarding Health and Human Services in not an issue, leaving Janet Napolitano in charge of the current swine flu emergency may have a downside. Current posts vacant are Surgeon General, Secretary of Human Services and a Director for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sibelius, has faced difficulties in confirmation as Secretary of Human Services due to myriad problems, specifically, tax related issues regarding donations up to $40,000, received and not reported by Ms. Sibelius. With Napolitano in charge, the White House feels confident that Sibelius will be confirmed by this Tuesday.
The administration declared a Public Health Emergency this weekend, yet steps to reduce the chance of cross-border infections under Napolitano’s direction, have been lacking to say the least.
From the Associated Press:
U.S. officials will begin asking travelers about illness if they're entering the country from areas with confirmed swine flu.
Passengers won't be barred from getting into the United States. But they could be referred for further testing.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano characterized the step as more "passive surveillance," saying airline workers certainly could tell people they shouldn't fly if ill.
Napolitano has recently been criticized for her lack of understanding regarding U.S. borders, specifically the the Northern border. As such, the President should have been giving this press conference, understanding that confidence in Napolitano from both the public and our allies to the North is low.
That said, the Press and the Blogosphere have been asking where the President is during this crisis – the answer: golfing. Rumors regarding Obama’s health are rife, on his recent trip to Mexico he shook hands with a gentleman who later died “flu-like” symptoms. The fact that mortality for this particular strain of flu appears to strike those between the ages of 25 and 45 has given fuel to this speculation.
One would think that like his predecessor, George W. Bush, Obama would have himself lead the Press Conference in an attempt to allay the fears of the general public. However, he chose a different approach, the outcome of which may further damage his political image.
1 comment:
Threre'll be no criticism of him being out of touch with the concerns of the country. He deserves to play golf.
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