Special Report: HHS chief Azar had aide, former dog breeder, steer pandemic task force
Source: Reuters
As is now widely known, two agencies Azar oversaw as HHS secretary, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, wouldnt come up with viable tests for five and half weeks, even as other countries and the World Health Organization had already prepared their own.
Shortly after his televised comments, Azar tapped a trusted aide with minimal public health experience to lead the agencys day-to-day response to COVID-19. The aide, Brian Harrison, had joined the department after running a dog-breeding business for six years. Five sources say some officials in the White House derisively called him the dog breeder.
Azars optimistic public pronouncement and choice of an inexperienced manager are emblematic of his agencys oft-troubled response to the crisis. His HHS is a behemoth department, overseeing almost every federal public health agency in the country, with a $1.3 trillion budget that exceeds the gross national product of most countries.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-hhschief-speci/special-report-hhs-chief-azar-had-aide-former-dog-breeder-steer-pandemic-task-force-idUSKCN2243CE
And I thought his dumpy boss didn't even like dogs.
Also from the article:
We developed a diagnostic test at the CDC, so we can confirm if somebody has this, Azar said. We will be spreading that diagnostic around the country so that we are able to do rapid testing on site.
While coronavirus in Wuhan, China, was potentially serious, Azar assured viewers in America, it was one for which we have a playbook.
Azars initial comments misfired on two fronts. Like many U.S. officials, from President Donald Trump on down, he underestimated the pandemics severity. He also overestimated his agencys preparedness.
Azars optimistic public pronouncement and choice of an inexperienced manager are emblematic of his agencys oft-troubled response to the crisis. His HHS is a behemoth department, overseeing almost every federal public health agency in the country, with a $1.3 trillion budget that exceeds the gross national product of most countries.
athenasatanjesus
(859 posts)Mike 03
(16,616 posts)Quite honestly, I couldn't even find words to respond to this story.
dhol82
(9,352 posts)Lonestarblue
(9,971 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,128 posts)No business, public or private, would tolerate such unqualified choices to run important divisions or projects. This is like asking your auto mechanic to do root canal. This is negligence, incompetence, dereliction of duty, malfeasance, conduct unbecoming an appointee.
erronis
(15,241 posts)All the while mocking real government employees. I can't imaging being a career civil servant under these clowns.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,012 posts)LiberalArkie
(15,713 posts)PatSeg
(47,399 posts)Brought back memories of Katrina and "Brownie".
Marie Marie
(9,999 posts)animal husbandry, as head of Women's Health Services. I thought that was bad and we weren't in the middle of a pandemic. WTF is wrong with Republicans?? Oh, never mind....
PatSeg
(47,399 posts)Some of W's appointments were absolutely bizarre. Lots of cronies, friends of friends, and corporate insiders. I really never thought it could be worse. Now I know better. Republicans care about winning elections, taking care of their donors, and increasing their power, but they don't have a clue how to govern.
They often come into office riding on the successes of the Democrats, who preceded them and then they tear it all down, leaving a mess for Democrats to clean up after they leave. Then the cycle starts all over again, except each time republicans are in power, the damage gets much worse.
sheshe2
(83,746 posts)They are leading the day to day response to effects and treatment of a pandemic of American Human Beings? This is far more than incompetency. This is a deliberate genocide of our citizens.
For the love of God please stop this parade of charlatans. Stop the massacre.
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)"the dog breeder"? I wonder if they call Ivanka "the handbag designer" and Jared "the slumlord"?
erronis
(15,241 posts)Actually, I'm pretty sure everyone mocks the peeResident and his spawn/etc. But, you know, they have to do the dirty job - no one else will.
turbinetree
(24,695 posts)this "guy and others should be brought up on charges-----so where they going to prescribe:
Bayer K9 Advantix II Extra Large Dog
Frontline Plus for Dogs Large Dog
Advecta II Flea Treatment
Novartis Capstar Flea Tablets for Dogs and Cats
Frontline Plus for Small Dogs
UpInArms
(51,280 posts)The drug, ivermectin, has been used widely used for decades. It was introduced as a veterinary drug in the 1970s. Doctors also prescribe it to treat head lice, scabies, and other infections caused by parasites. According to a report published online in the journal Antiviral Research, the drug quickly prevented replication of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The study has been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication, although it is not yet a "definitive" version of record.
turbinetree
(24,695 posts)Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)men to lift a leg to pee? Women to squat?
turbinetree
(24,695 posts)I use Ivermectin to worm horses and donkeys. Its actually what's in heart wormer for dogs too.
erronis
(15,241 posts)Guess I need to go back to biology class.
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)Animal breeders evidently make great heads of disaster programs.
PSPS
(13,591 posts)iemitsu
(3,888 posts)GopherGal
(2,008 posts)Breeders do have experience deciding who's getting @#$%ed and by whom.
Seems like that might be a "transferable skill" for leading a repuke-led disaster relief program.
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)erronis
(15,241 posts)niyad
(113,259 posts)Faux pas
(14,667 posts)Seems to me he ain't smart enough to pass gas, let alone pass the bar
regnaD kciN
(26,044 posts)Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)accept these high ranking positions, knowing they are not qualified. Just like the big orange turd in the WH.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)RRDrummer
(32 posts)of shit. Lotta layers. All of them shit.
erronis
(15,241 posts)Just kidding. Gotta have my onions, shallots, scallions, garlic. In large quantities. Helps with the social distancing, you know.
niyad
(113,259 posts)breeder to oversee a pandemic?? Why not? After all, george the lesser brought in a horse guy to run FEMA. Heckufajob, y'all.
erronis
(15,241 posts)The list goes on.
One would think someone is trying to destroy the executive branch, starting with the capo, and then one agency/department at a time....
niyad
(113,259 posts)for bannon and miller and company (that includes you, pootie).
TomCADem
(17,387 posts)Politico had a piece noting that he had twice briefed Trump.
liberalla
(9,238 posts)You mean the 'playbook' left by the Obama administration? Susan Rice called it a 67 page "pandemic for dummies" manual.
I guess it was still over their heads.
dalton99a
(81,451 posts)choie
(4,111 posts)needs to do some investigative reporting on the real story behind Trump's decision not to accept the WHO's coronavirus test..Money, graft and corruption HAS to be involved..