Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is making it clear she believes President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis cannot compare to her experience with walking pneumonia in 2016.
In an interview published by The Atlantic on Friday, Clinton detailed how the diagnosis affected her on the campaign trail and slammed Trump for his disregard of others.
“It’s apples and oranges, completely. When I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia, I was immediately put on antibiotics. I was told that I was not contagious, and I tried to go on with my schedule,” Clinton said.
She added, “Which proved to be problematic because I got overheated at the 9/11 ceremony and knew that I was going to have to leave. And so I left and went to my daughter’s apartment—rested for, I don’t know, an hour or so. I don’t even think it’s comparable.”
Clinton noted the coronavirus has taken more than 210,000 American lives and explained how Trump has failed to set an example for the nation.
“The contrast between what one would expect a leader to try to model between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is literally night and day. And it’s heartbreaking to me,” Clinton said.
She expressed frustration with Trump over his failure to listen to experts and lead the American people through this crisis.
“I don’t even know how to evaluate it, because I can’t imagine the depth of irresponsibility and disregard for other people that Trump exhibits in this and so many other ways,” Clinton said.
She continued, “I don’t really have anything to contribute to the ongoing saga of why he behaves the way he does, and why he treats people the way he does, and why he won’t listen to people who actually know something. It’s pretty distressing on all fronts.”
A White House spokeswoman said on Friday Trump will be tested for COVID-19 again and will not appear in public if he could still spread the virus, as IJR previously reported.