Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared on “The Tonight Show” Wednesday to talk to Jimmy Fallon about coronavirus, among other things, and made quick work of expressing his displeasure with how the current administration has handled the outbreak.
“I just don’t know, as a — I watch the news, I read the news — I just don’t know who to really trust,” Fallon admitted, echoing the concerns of many Americans as Trump’s messaging on the virus’ spread has differed greatly from that of the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“That is the problem that we have today. We have a president who is anti-science, doesn’t believe in the reality of climate change, who has appointed Mike Pence — who is also not known to be much of a scientist — to lead the task force,” Sanders responded. “Clearly at this moment, you need somebody you can trust who is going to bring together the best scientists, doctors, researchers, work with the entire world to do everything that we can to hold this terrible pandemic.”
Sander, who is continuing his bid for the presidency, went on, “We have to make sure that everybody, right now, feels free when you’re sick, to go to a doctor, regardless of your income and you know what? The government will pay that bill. Number 2: We are the only major country on earth not to guarantee paid medical leave. So if you can believe it, there are people who are sick today, who may actually believe they have symptoms of the coronavirus, who are going to work because they have no income. They’re making 12, 13 bucks an hour. They have to feed their families. They’re going to work. We have got to do what every other country on earth does and guarantee paid family and medical leave and do it right now on an emergency basis.”
Finally, Sanders addressed a possible vaccine: “The Trump administration was saying, well, we can’t guarantee that it’ll be affordable. We gotta worry about the drug companies. Well, that is a crock. That is ridiculous. We have got to make sure that when that vaccine comes out, it is available to everybody in this country regardless of their income.”
That earned him a loud cheer from the audience.
Watch above.