Budowsky: How Biden can defeat COVID-19 for good

What follows is a four-point plan to dramatically increase the number of people who are vaccinated and, at a time of continuing danger, end the COVID-19 curse once and for all.

Six months into his presidency, President Biden, along with a number of Democratic and Republican governors and mayors, medical scientists and experts, and developers of some of the greatest vaccines in history, deserve great credit for the historic progress toward defeating the deadly COVID-19 virus.

However, major dangers remain. The extremely dangerous delta variant remains on the attack. With half of America not fully vaccinated and facing grave danger in their lives, and potentially major damage to our economy, the following plan can fully accomplish the mission.

To amend an old political saying, it’s the vaccines, stupid.

If a high percentage of our population remains unvaccinated, many lives remain at risk, progress creating jobs can be reversed, large and small businesses could be endangered, partial shutdowns remain possible and the ultimate danger exists that an even more deadly variant can be created that threatens the effectiveness of current vaccines.

By dramatic contrast, a significant increase in the number of vaccinated people in the coming weeks and months could put an effective end to the COVID-19 danger by substantially increasing the immunity of our people which, coupled with the immunity of those who have already been infected, could make the grave dangers of this deadly disease a relic of the past.

While a major impediment to greater vaccinations is malevolent misinformation, the ultimate solution is for the president to call on respected voices to inaugurate one of the most powerful communication, patriotic and inspirational campaigns in modern history, to promote the great truth of vaccines that work.

This need not take much time for Biden or those he enlists to come to the aid of our country and their neighbors. It is easy to identify highly respected voices with great credibility with the various groups that include large numbers of unvaccinated people including Blacks, Hispanics, young people and many whites who resist being vaccinated.

1. The president could host a virtual Zoom summit including respected voices to begin a wave of public service advertisements and videos, on major media and social media, with the theme of “I was vaccinated and here’s why you should be, too.”

2. Participants could be motion picture, music, sports and television stars alongside religious leaders of diverse denominations and military voices that could include retired generals and admirals and recipients of the Medal of Honor.

The potential of this is demonstrated by the great excitement generated when pop star Olivia Rodrigo, who deserves great commendation, visited the White House to put her great appeal to young people in the service of this cause. Multiply her great contribution by 20, or 30 or 40 others saturating the media with their credibility, patriotism and goodwill.

3. Owners and CEOs of major media and social media companies and sports teams can be asked to donate free public service ad time and space and encourage their stars to carry their message of goodwill.

4. This project would enable Biden to be Biden, reaching out across the spectrum of opinion. Liberal movie and music superstars would be coupled with more conservative stars. Figures such as Rupert Murdoch and Sean Hannity of Fox News alongside Rachel Maddow and Joy Reid of MSNBC, Chris Cuomo and Victor Blackwell of CNN, and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. NASCAR drivers alongside basketball, baseball and football superstars. Rock stars alongside country and western and blues and gospel singers. Religious leaders such as Franklin Graham alongside more liberal clergy such as Al Sharpton and white, Black and Hispanic religious leaders of all denominations who support vaccinations with urgency, passion and credibility.

This project would generate major excitement with students going back to school. It would inspire millions of others to enhance their lives, protect their families, help their neighbors, defend our country and take the vaccine.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives.