Former President Barack Obama campaigned on behalf of Democratic nominee and his former vice president Joe Biden: PHOTO : KEVIN LARMARQUE/REUTERS 


Trump vs. Biden: A Clash Over COVID-19 Response as Election Day Nears

With the U.S. grappling with its worst weeks of COVID-19 case surges, the presidential race between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden intensifies, particularly regarding the handling of the pandemic. Biden continues to campaign in critical battleground states, including Michigan, while Trump holds multiple rallies in Pennsylvania, one of the most contested states in the election. As the nation faces rising infection rates, both candidates are taking starkly different approaches in their final pushes to win voters.

Trump has repeatedly downplayed the severity of COVID-19, claiming that the virus was not a serious problem for him, his wife, Melania Trump, or his teenage son Barron. However, this dismissive stance glosses over the fact that the Trump family has access to the best medical care in the country, including experimental treatments unavailable to most Americans. Meanwhile, nearly 2.5% of those who test positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

On Saturday, Trump pledged to "terminate" the virus with "science, medicine, and groundbreaking therapies," but his rhetoric and actions have raised questions about his commitment to fighting the pandemic. He also criticized Biden for focusing primarily on COVID-19 during the final days of the campaign. "All he does is talk about Covid, Covid," Trump said. "He has nothing else to talk about… We agree it's serious, and we've done an incredible job. At some point, they are going to recognize that."

However, Biden, along with former President Barack Obama, sharply rebuked Trump for spreading false claims about U.S. health officers profiting from COVID-19 patients. Obama expressed disbelief that such an attack would be part of Trump’s closing argument, calling it a clear sign of Trump's lack of character. "He's jealous of COVID's media coverage and now he's accusing doctors of profiting off this pandemic — think about that," Obama said. "He cannot fathom that someone would risk their life to save others without trying to make a buck."

Obama further pointed out that had Trump acted more decisively to halt the spread of the virus earlier this year, cases would not be reaching record highs. He noted that several areas where Trump has held rallies have seen significant spikes in infections, calling attention to Trump’s "obsession" with crowd sizes during the pandemic. "You know when a country is going through a pandemic, that's not what you're supposed to be worrying about," Obama said. "And that's the difference between Joe Biden and Trump right there. Trump cares about feeding his ego. Joe cares about keeping you and your family safe."

As Election Day approaches, the pandemic remains a key issue for both candidates, shaping voters' decisions in a race that could decide the future of America’s response to COVID-19.