Tipsheet

President Biden: 'It's Awful Hard to Get Latinx Vaccinated'

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  June 24, 2021 7:15 PM

On Thursday, President Joe Biden made an appearance in Raleigh, North Carolina, to promote vaccinations against the Wuhan coronavirus. 

During his remarks, the president discussed issues of "equity" with vaccines, noting that of a team of doctors, they have one working solely on that "equity" issue. This is to do with, in part how, as Biden claimed "it's awful hard as well to get Latinx vaccinated as well." The president pronounced it in such a way that "Latinx" rhymes with "Kleenex." The reason why, he explained, was because "they're worried they'll be vaccinated and deported," suggesting the president was equating the "Latinx" community with illegal immigrants.

Minutes later, the president used the term "Hispanic communities."

Despite such hesitation from certain demographics, the president shared that "across the nation, people of color accounted for more than half the vaccinations in the last month." He was met with applause when declaring "the more we close the racial gap in vaccination rates, the more lives we can save."

Biden then turned to a more forceful push for vaccines. "The data couldn't be clearer," he said. "If you're vaccinated, you're safe." He warned that there is "a serious concern" that the unvaccinated may more easily get the Delta variant. 

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The president discussed other, unspecified variants, claiming "you know it's going to happen," using it as an excuse for the need to have children vaccinated. The president admitted he's been "widely criticized" to lower the age and urge parents to get their children vaccinated.

It's refreshing to know that the president got with the science after he had for some time been wearing two masks, practicing social distancing, and refusing to shake hands, despite being fully vaccinated. 

The president had initially set a 70 percent vaccination rate for the 4th of July, though they have missed this mark, with that number being 67 percent. As Leah and Spencer covered, the administration has spun that number by claiming a "remarkable achievement" in claiming they "have built an unparalleled, first of its kind nationwide vaccination program," if you leave out younger adults from that figure.

Previously, Biden had bragged that he had met and exceeded his goal of 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office, though the experts considered it not that impressive, as Bronson reported. 

June had been "a month of action" for vaccinations, with members of the administration traveling to encourage people to get vaccinated. 

"Just do it, just do it," Biden urged at one point. "Get it done, get it done."

Towards the end of his remarks, Biden told people to go to wecandothis.hhs.government, and had to correct himself, noting it's actually wecanddothis.hhs.gov.

The president also spent a portion of his remarks to promote his presidency and remind voters of the reasons he claimed to run for office. The three reasons included "to restore the soul of America," "to rebuild the backbone of this country," specifically for "middle class and working class folks," and "to unify the country." 

Biden even took a shot at former President Donald Trump, in noting "the rest of the world is looking at it. The rest of the world is wondering can we really lead the world again." He went on to claim that "the last four years have been absolutely devastating to our leadership around the world," emphasizing "it's true."

Once more, the president equated Independence Day with "independence from the virus," as if reasons to celebrate the 4th of July corresponded with directives and permission from the government.

In closing, Biden once more stressed the issue of "equity," noting that the "first executive order I signed was insisting that every one of my cabinet members focus on racial equity." That may explain a lot about Biden's cabinet picks, many of them who have been narrowly confirmed.