Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar received some support from a fellow previous holder of the cabinet position.
"When it comes to pandemics, anything that you say in advance of a pandemic sounds alarmist and anything you've done after it starts is inadequate," former Utah Governor and former U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt told Cheddar Monday.
Leavitt, who warned the nation was unprepared for a pandemic when he took over in 2005 under President George W. Bush, said the current secretary, Alex Axar, "is closely following a well-established plan that was laid out years ago and was used by two administrations before this." Azar reportedly warned in early January the potential new outbreak was a big deal, but the Trump administration had downsized the pandemic preparedness team that was part of the National Security Council and did not follow the NSC pandemic playbook.
"Candidly, there are limits to what the federal government can do because most of the resources to actually fight an emergency like this belong to the states," he said. But, a pandemic puts everyone on the front line, creating "a uniquely local emergency" that requires each family, business, church, and school to have a plan.
From political leaders to people staying home, Leavitt said "every American needs to understand that they have a role" in curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus by making sure they aren't accidentally spreading the virus to strangers or loved ones.
"Right now, everything is affected, everyone is affected, and therefore there is a role for everyone," he said. Leavitt, who said a close friend had died yesterday due to coronavirus, said experiences like that are "causing all of us to become much more understanding of the severity of this."
Pandemics fundamentally change the shape of the world, Leavitt said. He said he has studied pandemics throughout history and thinks "we're going to see profound impact on [politics, economics, and sociology]."
"There are very few times in the history of a nation where everyone's heart sort of beats together for the same purpose. And we are uniting and doing remarkable things as a country" he said.
President Biden and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell meet at the White House today for the first time since Powell's renomination to the position. The President and the Fed Chair discussed the economy and historically high inflation, as new data shows inflation may be cooling slightly. Morning Consult economic analyst Jesse Wheeler joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss how the Biden administration at the U.S. central bank can work together to combat soaring prices for American consumers.
In the second part of Cheddar's talk with Governor Asa Hutchinson, the Republican from Arkansas discussed his state's abortion trigger law and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas law that would prevent social media platform moderation currently being held up by the U.S. Supreme Court, and rumors of his 2024 presidential run. "I did go to New Hampshire. I am testing the waters out there, so no decision at this point. But we're looking at it," he said, noting that if former President Donald Trump runs, it would not affect his own decision.
Cheddar Politics looks at the ongoing efforts to pass meaningful gun safety laws in both Chambers of Congress following multiple mass shootings. Lisa Hagen, senior political reporter for U.S. News and World Report, helps break down why Senators are hopeful that a modest bipartisan gun safety package might be able to overcome a filibuster.
Join Cheddar News as we break down the top headlines this morning including updates on the Tulsa medical center shooting, Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard verdict, and Democrats push for gun control reform.
After two subway shootings in two months and the more recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, Mayor Eric Adams is calling for gun detection scanners to be installed in New York City subways. The tech would be similar to that used in sporting arenas, however, experts note multiple difficulties with such a setup including the need for nearby human operators.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, House lawmakers hold an emergency hearing on gun control measures in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, the Supreme Court temporarily blocks Texas' law stopping social media moderation, and the James Webb Space Telescope gets a new mission.
With the baby formula in the United States surging to an out-of-stock rate of 70 percent, the FDA has given Abbott permission to reopen its Michigan plant amid the crisis and authorized foreign imports. Professor Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner and current president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, joined Cheddar News to discuss the ongoing shortage and its wide impact. “As difficult as things is in urban areas, they’re even worse in small communities and tribal areas where parents can't just go to the next store on the corner," he said. Pitts also noted that the Abbott factory was a "disaster" prior to its shutdown and that it would have been "regulatory malpractice" to have left it open.
Cheddar's Megan Pratz reports from the ground in Uvalde, Texas where the community's grief and frustration with lawmakers and police officers grows as more details emerge.
