Sunday shows – Trump’s reemergence, COVID-19 vaccines and variants dominate
by The Hill staff
Former President Trump’s first public appearance since leaving the Oval Office — at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday — dominated the political talk shows, along with developments on coronavirus vaccines and variants.
Trump is expected to deliver a speech tearing into President Biden while reasserting himself as the Republican Party’s undisputed leader.
Guests also discussed the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to clear the nation’s third coronavirus vaccine, giving hope that the end of the pandemic could soon be in sight.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) predicted Sunday that former President Trump would not be the party’s nominee for president in 2024, pointing to the number of seats lost by Republicans in the House and Senate over the four years Trump was in office.
Speaking with CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union,” Cassidy was asked several times whether he would support Trump should he run in 2024 or back him if he wins the GOP nomination, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he would last week.
“That’s a theoretical that I don’t think will come to pass,” Cassidy responded, adding, “I don’t mean to duck, but the truth is you could ask me [about] a lot of people, if they are fit. Point is, I don’t think he’ll be our nominee.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) on Sunday argued that despite former President Trump’s continued popularity among the GOP, the Republican Party’s “policies are what’s even more popular.”
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who joined a challenge to Pennsylvania’s Electoral College results when Congress was certifying presidential election votes, conceded Sunday that President Biden “absolutely” won the 2020 election fairly.
Anthony Fauci said during a discussion of the recently authorized Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine on Sunday that people should be “really grateful that we have three really efficacious vaccines” despite its lower reported efficacy.
The nation’s top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, said on Sunday that Americans should not worry about whether new coronavirus variants such as the one recently discovered in New York can render COVID-19 vaccines ineffective.
The head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, said on Sunday that high school students could begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in the fall, while younger children will likely have to wait until early next year.
“The approach that [President Biden] is taking on COVID right now much more aligns with where Canada has been for quite a while, grounded in science, grounded in protection of people as the best way to protect the economy, and understanding that, that being there to support people is absolutely essential so that we can get through this as quickly as possible,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“I believe that we all need to work together in a more active way, and I’m glad to see the new administration — this is something I spoke with President Biden about directly — it’s great to see America reengage,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) said Sunday he believed the Biden administration should keep open the possibility of sanctions on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the release of a report concluding he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Fred Hiatt, the editor of The Washington Post’s editorial page and a colleague of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, on Sunday said the Biden administration had not done enough to penalize Saudi Arabia after a report released last week linked Khashoggi’s death to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) pledged Sunday that Democrats would “find a way” to pass an increase of the federal minimum wage after the Senate’s parliamentarian ruled that the provision could not be included in a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package set to pass the chamber through budget reconciliation.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki called for an “independent review” into the allegations faced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) after the governor was accused of sexual harassment by two former aides.
