Headline RoundupMay 15th, 2020

McConnell Says he was Wrong on Obama Pandemic Plan

White House, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Trump Administration, Mitch McConnell, Coronavirus, US Senate, Politics

Summary from the AllSides News Team

Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claimed the Obama administration did not leave a pandemic plan behind for the Trump administration. McConnell retracted that statement Thursday, saying he was wrong; "They did leave behind a plan. So, I clearly made a mistake in that regard.” Earlier reporting indicated that the Obama White House ran disease outbreak simulations with the Trump White House during the transition period. However, many of those trained reportedly left the Trump administration before the pandemic had started. The retraction was covered more prominently by left- and center-rated outlets, some of which also fact-checked McConnell's initial statement. Few right-rated outlets reporting on McConnell's apology as of midday Friday.

Featured Coverage of this Story

From the Left

McConnell says he was wrong on Obama pandemic playbook

Politico

See rating details

Politico

News

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday he was mistaken in claiming that the Obama administration had failed to leave a pandemic playbook for the Trump White House.

“I was wrong,” McConnell said in an evening interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier. “They did leave behind a plan. So, I clearly made a mistake in that regard.”

McConnell had claimed during a Monday campaign event for President Donald Trump that the current White House had not been briefed by the previous administration on preparing for a pandemic at the...

Open on Politico

From the Left

Mitch McConnell says he was wrong to claim Obama didn't leave Trump a pandemic plan after people pointed out the former president left a 69-page playbook

Business Insider

See rating details

Business Insider

News

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walked back his claim that the Obama administration didn't leave President Donald Trump a plan for pandemics, saying he made a mistake.

McConnell said in a Trump campaign livestreamed event this week that the Obama administration didn't leave Trump "any kind of game plan for something like this."

Obama administration officials quickly pushed back on McConnell's claim.

Open on Business Insider

Possible Paywall

From the Right

McConnell Says He Was ‘Wrong’ to Claim That Obama Administration Left No Pandemic Plan

National Review (News)

See rating details

News

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday said his claim that the Obama administration left no plan for a national pandemic was “wrong” and there was in fact a playbook in place for the Trump administration.

“I was wrong,” McConnell said during a Fox News interview.

“They did leave behind a plan. So I clearly made a mistake in that regard,” the majority leader continued. “As to whether or not the plan was followed and who is the critic and all the rest, I don’t have any observation about that...

Open on National Review (News)

Possible Paywall

More headline roundups