Joe Biden says 'I'm really going to be in trouble' as media ask him about helping India during Covid-19
President Joe Biden on Tuesday, April 27, uttered words while speaking with the press that left many wondering. The veteran leader, who was about to depart from an outdoor press conference at the White House, was asked by reporters about providing vaccine aid to India, the country which has witnessed a dangerous surge in the coronavirus pandemic in April and struggled to cope with severe shortage of oxygen that has left many dead.
“You said India?” Biden countered. To that, the reporter said: “India. They are suffering at this moment.” Biden then returned to the microphone to say it would be the last question he would take. He then said: “I’m really going to be in trouble.” It was not clear as to why the president said those words. Was he getting late for another appointment or did the question put him in the risk of annoying his 'handlers'?
RELATED ARTICLES
Trump calls Joe Biden 'mentally gone' after Covid-19 vaccine row, Internet says he's 'still a better president'
Johnson & Johnson vaccine paused after rare blood clot in 6 women, Joe Biden admin says won't hit rollout plan
Right-wing camp slammed Biden in past for 'surrendering' to handlers
In March, Biden took part in a House Democratic virtual retreat where he made some remarks about his coronavirus relief bill and turned the session back to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the Congress. “I’m happy to take questions if that’s what you — I’m supposed to do, Nance,” Biden said, adding: “Whatever you want me to do.” The White House and House feeds then came to an end and the incident left the right-wing critics of Biden outraged. In another incident a few days later, Biden’s staff members shooed away reporters when he visited a hardware store in Washington DC.
Was Biden apprehending a similar outcome during his Tuesday briefing? Becker News said in a report covering Biden’s press briefing: “This isn’t the first time that Biden has alluded to handlers ‘allowing’ him to take questions”. Biden though gave a detailed reply to the query on the US helping India in its battle against coronavirus.
US sending India a whole series of help: Biden
“With regard to India, I spoke at length with Modi, the Prime Minister. We are sending immediately a whole series of help that he needs, including providing for those — Remdesivir and other drugs that are able to deal with this and prevent, in some cases, but recover — help recovery."
"Secondly, we are sending the actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine. And that’s being done as well. We’re also discussing — I’ve discussed with him when we’ll be able to send actual vaccines to India, which would be my intention to do. The problem is, right now, we have to make sure we have other vaccines, like Novavax and others, coming on, probably. And I think we’ll be in a position to be able to share — to share vaccines, as well as know-how, with other countries who are in real need. That’s the hope and expectation. And I might add, when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us.”
Biden spoke to Modi on Monday, April 26, and pledged the US’s “steadfast support for the people of India” hit by the pandemic. The US and India are the two worst-hit nations in the world with an affected toll of 32 million and 18 million, respectively. In terms of deaths, the US has lost more than 573,000 people while in India, it is just over 200,000.