As Democrats transition to the blame game and argue over who sounded the early warning or who’s to blame for COVID-19 (the communist Chinese government), we jumped into the way-back machine to see how and when Colorado officials were reacting.
Turns out as early as Jan. 23, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner sent a letter to the CDC and the Secretary of State sounding the alarm about the first death reported on Jan. 21, demanding to know what steps were being taken to protect all Americans.
Gardner also wanted to know if China was sharing samples of the virus with global health officials.
Gardner asked what more could be done to inform the public about prevention strategies and symptoms. And, whether the CDC working with other domestic and international agencies to develop screening practices and treatment.
“The rapid spread of a respiratory pathogen is a serious concern given our global economy and citizenry, as well as our role as both travel destination and transit hub for the world,” Gardner aptly predicted on Jan. 23.
Here’s how Gardner followed up on that letter the next day with a congressional hearing.
As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, Gardner has years of direct experience with China. He neither trusts the country’s communist leaders nor their allies who lead the World Health Organization. As such, Gardner demanded a coronavirus hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The meeting convened on the last day of House Democrats urging the Senate to remove President Donald Trump from office.
Fauci, Redfield and about a dozen senators showed up for the virus hearing, and the media mostly ignored it.
“It was the kind of attendance we get for some little trivial matter no one cares about,” Gardner told The Gazette.
John Hickenlooper, who hopes to challenge Gardner for the U.S. Senate seat in November, was either clueless about the growing health crisis or didn’t care.
Hickenlooper was instead focused on the liberal left’s go-to catastrophe:
Climate change is the defining challenge we face today. We need a bold, science-based approach to fight back.
Read my plan: https://t.co/0ysHe2JSnj
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) January 24, 2020
Hickenlooper was also more worried about this:
Without witnesses, this impeachment trial is nothing short of a cover-up.
It’s time for Washington Republicans to do what’s right for the country—not just what’s right for Donald Trump. We need to hear from firsthand witnesses.
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) January 29, 2020
And what did Hickenlooper have to say the day President Trump restricted travel to China?
We can do better. https://t.co/IDDfmnGoT7
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) February 1, 2020
Hick didn’t bother to look up from Democratic campaign talking points and notice that COVID-19 was a problem internationally and at home until March 3.
Caucuses are this weekend! The caucus is an important part of this election process, and helps determine who will be on the primary ballot.
Commit to caucus this Saturday, March 7th, at 2:00 PM: https://t.co/gEiGpqXgv0
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) March 3, 2020
Oh, wait. Same date, wrong tweet.
Coronavirus is not a partisan issue, it’s a public health issue.
Please wash your hands often, be prepared, and keep up to date on information from reliable sources.
Check @CDCgov for more updates: https://t.co/cRC09mrUL6
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) March 3, 2020
That’s it, all that Hick offered out of the gate was a partisan talking point and “wash your hands.”
Hickenlooper has shown a complete lack of leadership on the issue, except that of an old Democratic Party hack.