Biden hammers Trump over his handling of the COVID-19 crisis: 'It is what it is, because you are who you are'

It is no surprise that there were fireworks during the COVID-19 segment of the presidential debate on Tuesday. The pre-announced topic was anticipated as being one of the unfriendliest for President Trump, whose handling of the outbreak has widely been considered a failure, and former Vice President Joe Biden didn't hold back. "Between 750 and 1,000 people are dying a day," he said. "When [Trump] was presented with that number, he said 'it is what it is.' Well it is what it is, because you are who you are."

Biden hammered Trump throughout the segment, painting him as ineffective and lacking the urgency to tackle the crisis. "This is the same man who told you that by Easter this would be gone away," Biden reminded viewers. "By the warm weather it'd be gone, miraculously, like a miracle. And by the way, maybe you can inject some bleach in your arm and that would take care of it."

"That was sarcastic and you know that," Trump shot back.

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Trump repeated on stage his promise that he's "spoken to the scientists that are in charge" and that "they will have the vaccine soon," although Biden also cast doubt on such claims. "Do you believe for a moment what he's telling you?" he asked. Jeva Lange