Americans 'can't give in to hysteria or fear' over Ebola, says Obama

When did conservatives become some cry babies?

Can someone translate this for me?

Yes, Obama cares only about the his polls and his legacy, nothing more, nothing less.

Personally, if Obama weren't that partisan and would listen to middle of the road health advisors instead of Obama supporters that I have checked are, then you have a bit of a bias going on. Also There was only one point of view and never other alternative points of view, so in Obama's world, liberalism is what trumps over everything else, to say otherwise, is pure delusional denial.

Can someone translate this for me?

On this coming Oct 23rd, the entire clinics (over 2000 employees) will be closing doors all day for Ebola preparations.

All healthcare professionals including MDs to receptionists are required to attend this meeting. Ebola threat is real.

e.g. in Kentucky, Arkansas, and North Carolina? Mostly because they're battling against Republicans in a race to catch 'the idiot vote', that enviable and invaluable base in American politics. Since you're a journalist, you surely know about this phenomenon.

Idiot vote. Hmmm, the Dems are about to lose the Senate and you are insinuating the Repubs are idiots?? The Dems have themselves to blame, after 6 years of failed policies, the Dems will be lucky if they get elected to anything in the next cycle.

Just follow the science, friend. This is ebola. This is not a political issue. No one considers it as such except the people mentioned above.

If that were even remotely true, the president would have closed down the border and banned all flights coming in from West Africa, until further notice. But it became a political issue when the Dems started to once again, play the race card ( which they do so brilliantly well) also, by following the science that is led by a bunch of keystone cops doesn't instill a lot of confidence in anyone and if the last 6 years of ANY indicator that the president makes the promise of keeping us safe, then we are all in for some serious let down and a possible Ebola epidemic in the states, but Obama is on it, I gotcha!

bass

there are a lot of Dems that have been advocating a shutdown as well

e.g. in Kentucky, Arkansas, and North Carolina? Mostly because they're battling against Republicans in a race to catch 'the idiot vote', that enviable and invaluable base in American politics. Since you're a journalist, you surely know about this phenomenon.

Just follow the science, friend. This is ebola. This is not a political issue. No one considers it as such except the people mentioned above.

@daniel

Big suprise republicans are fear mongering and criticizing Obama over nothing.

Actually, there are a lot of Dems that have been advocating a shutdown as well. Now that's a surprise!

Of course the guy he appointed to oversee the response isn't a doctor he's a manager he's supposed to manage the effort not run around curing every ebola patient personally.

Actually, as a political operative, his job is equal to a fixer. His job is to make the president and the admin. Look good, why, because people like Dr. Frieden, the president and other liberals in the party keep putting their foot in their mouths and from the first hearing more is coming and possible lawsuits and inquiries which is on the horizon and the WH needs to do immediate damage control. I get that, I actually don't have a problem with that, that's what politicians do and both sides do it, however, to say that the admin. has been doing a good job in dealing with this crisis, he gets a straight F!

Also, of course President Obama is not a doctor himself he has experts who advise him nobody should expect the president to personally be an expert on every issue which is ridiculous he is supposed to listen to his advisors who are specifically there because they are experts on these issues. Relax, it's under control.

Ahhh, a Dallas hospital not following proper protocol for handling Ebola and Duncan's waste, the disposal and the same Dallas hospital under quarantine, 2 nurses sick, 700 people being tracked down because there's the possibility that these people could be carrier, one possible sick dog, But yeah, Obama and his lab coat minions have it all under control. 6 years and with this admin. Track record on anything, I know we are in for a very messed up ride. But I thought 'April 1st**already passed this year!

@stranger

Um, no. I'm simply pointing out the fact of the matter.

Actually, more like pointing out the hypocrisy of liberal bias partisanship.

@sense

You are free to do what you think is right for you, but I follow the law and I wouldn't trust this president with a bar of chocolate.

Thank you, b4f:

Yes,

I'd escape.

but I wouldn't break the law

I already did. Remember the troops and barbed wire?

and try to enter into any country illegally.

I'd rather see my family victims of hostile vigilantes keen to protect their communities, or rounded up by frightened troops/militias and corralled with other escapees.

So when liberals lose an argument it's back to slinging insults once again.

Um, no. I'm simply pointing out the fact of the matter.

Yes, but I wouldn't break the law and try to enter into any country illegally. If I have the money, I would still follow the law regardless.

b4f,

I already told you what I would do. So you got your answer already.

From the zero detail of "deal with the situation/fate bestowed upon me," we can only conclude you'd do precisely what you'd deny others the ability to do: escape.

@sense

I already told you what I would do. So you got your answer already.

@strange

No one ever accused the American public of intelligence.

So when liberals lose an argument it's back to slinging insults once again.

Faux-news plays off the fears of those without the intelligence to think for themselves. And there are a lot of people lacking that intelligence in the US.

Yes, and they voted for this bumbling keystone cop president and for once, I totally agree with you.

With over 88.5 million viewers and an ever growing audience and a projected 9% growth increase!

No one ever accused the American public of intelligence.

Faux-news plays off the fears of those without the intelligence to think for themselves. And there are a lot of people lacking that intelligence in the US.

b4f,

Deal with the fate that bestowed upon me, If there is not other way.

Again, non-answers to the very real threat that the healthy-but-involuntarily-isolated would face.

What would you do?

So you're saying that Obama should listen to what 2/3 of Americans think should be done rather than what the majority of health experts advise?

Personally, if Obama weren't that partisan and would listen to middle of the road health advisors instead of Obama supporters that I have checked are, then you have a bit of a bias going on. Also There was only one point of view and never other alternative points of view, so in Obama's world, liberalism is what trumps over everything else, to say otherwise, is pure delusional denial.

Most Americans know little or nothing about epidemiology, and a good number of them (including yourself) have been whipped into a panic by the news media (and in the case of Fox news viewers, whipped into a delirious hatred of anything Obama does).

Being cautious and panicking are two entirely different things. This president never ceases to amaze me, he doesn't want a travel ban for some unknown benign reason, but wants to quarantine the Dallas medical staff and the 4000 military staff when they come back from West Africa. Hypocrisy? Personally, I don't care about Africa in the sense, my priority is for American and Americans first.

@strange

Laughable statement of the year. Although I don't think you meant it as dry humor.

With over 88.5 million viewers and an ever growing audience and a projected 9% growth increase! They can't please everyone, but I would say, they're doing something right. If you have an American president getting all worked up over the largest cable media news outlet really shows you either how thin-skinned he truly is and hates that a network actually calls him out on his so many flaws or that the network is more powerful than he would like it to comfortably be.

Fox is much more open minded.

Laughable statement of the year. Although I don't think you meant it as dry humor.

To sums your statement Plasticmonkey, if someone disagrees with the Administration they HATE the administration. Sounds silly I think.

Strange Fox News is the leading cable news network. Polls indicate Fox News is the most trusted news source. MSNBC is bottom of the list.

MSNBC is the complete opposite. Praising Obama even when he farts. The man walks on water according to those knuckle heads. If you ask me, those follks hate everything and everyone not in line with them. The liberals are full of anger. They use the race card all the time. Downright personally insult anyone not of their beliefs. Fox is much more open minded.

bass

if he would do his and listen that 2/3 of Americans want flights halted from West Africa, he might not have to worry about his personal or his parties sagging poll numbers,

So you're saying that Obama should listen to what 2/3 of Americans think should be done rather than what the majority of health experts advise? Most Americans know little or nothing about epidemiology, and a good number of them (including yourself) have been whipped into a panic by the news media (and in the case of Fox news viewers, whipped into a delirious hatred of anything Obama does).

Rhyming Africa, Malaria, Obama, Ebola, hysteria....are political incorrect. All we need is Ebola vaccine, not love at this moment. Hope there is a Peace Nobel price winner in this discovery of the vaccine.

Raymond- Absolutely correct with the exception of the few cases here in the US and the handling cost of those to date.

Private airfreights, top hospitals for such cases (save1), tracking and quarantining contacts, ect...

Multiply that by 100, 1000 or 10,000. Each single undetected carrier can turn to 20-200 contacts or more quarantined. It can easily spiral out of control if not stopped dead in it tracks.

As for the mortality rate per individual, I would say you fare well here in US. Unlike the common flu this virus is not 1 in 10,000. It is 1 to 1 in Africa or worse. Should warrant extreme caution.

I think people forget that the massive number of cases of Ebola in the most afflicted countries in western Africa are caused by poor sanitary conditions and a way-overwhelmed health case system in those areas. The outbreak reminds me more of the European outbreaks of the bubonic plague (1346 to 1353, the infamous Black Death) and cholera (1829 to 1851), where poor sanitary conditions of the time lead to a rapid spread of those diseases.

Note that we should be a lot more concerned about the common cold and influenza, diseases that spread VERY easily and can lead to pneumonia, a condition that is sadly fatal to many people.

Truth is I do believe we should not give in the the hysteria the media created and stokes I do believe in containment. We quarantine the suspected individuals here in the US after they are here. The region in West Africa is a bit of a hotbed.

I think we should contain the virus in W. Africa just as we do with an individual. It's a delicate situation and IF were to become a pandemic it could further destroy the USA financially. Go ahead and call me racist, republican, shallow mind or whatever you wish. Reality is I am none of the above just like most others who agree with me.

The CDC did drop the ball and now we have a wait and see situation. Can they do it again? The resume of the noes Czar is not fitting but I am not making those choices.

This virus needs to end. Europe has several cases and a couple deaths. US is spared so far save one. Lets keep it under control and tighten the noose even more until it infects no more.

It's easy for Prez Obama to say don't 'give in to fear' when he never travels on the trains or buses nor does he have to go out for his weekly food shop.It is easy for him to allow the embassies in Sierra Leon and Liberia to keep on approving visas when there is no known cure for Ebola to date! Didn't he take note of the WHO's forecast of thousands of new cases a week by December?

Prez Obola has a nice cosy hermetically sealed bunker to hunker down in when tshtf- the average American ?

@plastic

I didn't know that Obama makes statements to the press about the common cold.

He didn't. Again, if he would do his and listen that 2/3 of Americans want flights halted from West Africa, he might not have to worry about his personal or his parties sagging poll numbers, but as such, we know this charlatan cares ONLY about himself.

Or appoints a Common Cold Czar. Are you upset because Obama hasn't freaked out on national TV and announced a total seal on US borders?

I'm just shocke that this president couldn't care less about his own country and would care more about Africa.

Back to dealing with the situation, you have a motorbike, several hundred Euros, and enough fuel to reach Mali. Army trucks laden with freshly imported fencing and barbed wire pull up to start sealing off your neighborhood. What do you do, bass?

Deal with the fate that bestowed upon me, If there is not other way.

@laguna

Well, he could guarantee health care access to all. While that is precisely the opposite of the government controlling people, certain parties may portray it as such.

Oh, so that's why the overall popularity is going down. Or is it that a certain party that is about to lose big in the next few weeks beside itself that's it's reign of influence is rapidly whinding down?

Not only can they, they have: a certain party can combine hysterical fears of Ebola-laden ISIS terrorists crossing the completely unguarded border from Mexico with an imminent election, as several ads from GOP candidates illustrate. Pathetic.

Hmmmm, more like a president and a party that is completely inept, well, that's been the case for the last 6 years so why get unraveled, of course libs want you to think you can keep your healthcare, ISIS is not a threat, NO conspiracy on the IRS, NO debt and on and on and of course, EBOLA is a figamanrt of the imagination, funny, were this all happening under a Republican president, libs would be begging for a shutdown, but as such it's all good. Ah, the next two years will come to pass as well.

@stranger

What's pathetic is that something like 50% of the population believe the crap they are fed by that certain party.

I call that an awakening to reality.

@change

bass and friends, why didn't you implement travel ban on at least China during the SARS period?

People were trying to do that, but they were able to get that disease under control rather quickly.

Lets look at whose side science is. Not short term political gains and deep hatred which you guys wanna spread to every single issue.

Hatred? By trying to keep the public safe and the disease of a virus that we know nothing about and that n is in a different environment and could, I repeat, could possibly mutate and then what? If trying to keep the public safe is spreading fear, then I guess for people like you, it's spreading fear.

Remember H1N1 killed more than 12,000 Americans and yet still, there was no ban on anyone

Maybe because we were in America?

Nothing to fear but fear itself.

bass and friends, why didn't you implement travel ban on at least China during the SARS period? Lets look at whose side science is. Not short term political gains and deep hatred which you guys wanna spread to every single issue. Remember H1N1 killed more than 12,000 Americans and yet still, there was no ban on anyone

Yes, the Democratic party and the heavily biased mainstream media favoring Democrats.

Give them their way is like giving a child a credit card in a toy store. THey spend to they can't anymore.

Not only can they, they have: a certain party can combine hysterical fears of Ebola-laden ISIS terrorists crossing the completely unguarded border from Mexico with an imminent election, as several ads from GOP candidates illustrate. Pathetic.

What's pathetic is that something like 50% of the population believe the crap they are fed by that certain party.

Like what, exactly?

Well, he could guarantee health care access to all. While that is precisely the opposite of the government controlling people, certain parties may portray it as such.

Americans 'can't give in to hysteria or fear' over Ebola, says Obama

Not only can they, they have: a certain party can combine hysterical fears of Ebola-laden ISIS terrorists crossing the completely unguarded border from Mexico with an imminent election, as several ads from GOP candidates illustrate. Pathetic.

commanteer

exercise emergency powers to push through yet more government control of the people

Like what, exactly?

Translation. When Obama says "don't give in to hysteria or fear" he means "please give in to hysteria or fear." What better time to exercise emergency powers to push through yet more government control of the people? It was his team that said they never let a crisis go to waste.

A more cynical person might think Obama's mishandling of Ebola was intentional to this end. I'm not there. Yet.

bass

his actions and the optics show otherwise

Oh, optics.

I didn't know that Obama makes statements to the press about the common cold. Or appoints a Common Cold Czar. Are you upset because Obama hasn't freaked out on national TV and announced a total seal on US borders?

Funny, he just appointed an Ebola czar that has ZERO experience in the field, who was an operative and is now trying to lecture and educate all of us on a virus he absolutely knows nothing about?

I agree that Obama should have appointed someone with expertise in epidemiology. That seems wrong to a layman like myself, but I have read that he was chosen as a person who is good at coordinating the organizations that deal with epidemics. That part makes sense to me. I also agree with you that "those who know nothing about the virus should stop lecturing and educating us about what to do". That includes political candidates and TV pundits and netizens. So far, most of the experts who do know something about this are saying that sealing borders is NOT the way to go. For public health reasons, not partisan politics.

we all know the Sainted anointed one is the smartest man in the world. This is why Obama is going down in the history books as the worst president ever, surpassing Jimmy Carter,

Yeah, we all know that. It's a FACT!

have a more realistic pragmatic view of the issues. Obama is totally devoid of that ability.

Again, regarding the sealing of borders, Obama has followed the science-based advice of most experts on this. I think it is you who lack a realistic, pragmatic view of the issue. Comments about "the Sainted anointed one" undermine the legitimacy of your arguments. I am not an Obama worshipper, and I think the CDC and the US govt could have done a better job handling this. However, that doesn't mean everyone should start panicking and spouting conspiracy theories.

Deal with the situation

Nations have ignored NGOs' pleas to maintain affordable air links. Fewer medical staff are volunteering, fearful that they'll have no means of exiting the region. The first small-scale mutiny has taken place, and military have withdrawn either to barracks, to guard the government (which has relocated from the capital to a town bordering an unaffected country), or to seal off the worst-affected areas.

If this scenario seems a little fantastic, consider that health workers in Liberia have already staged a strike this week for extra 'danger money.'

Back to dealing with the situation, you have a motorbike, several hundred Euros, and enough fuel to reach Mali. Army trucks laden with freshly imported fencing and barbed wire pull up to start sealing off your neighborhood. What do you do, bass?

Of course Americans will "give in to hysteria or fear". It has happened so frequently in the recent past, such as after 9.11. This will be used to further justify intrusions on individual privacy and liberty and the further transition to a corporatized, policed society.

What is the CDC's batting average so far in the Ebola nightmare? And what about the passengers on the flight? Everybody was dismissed and allowed to leave the aircraft and the airport and go on their merry way. All 145 of them.

Obama's response is making things partisan? I think Washington has been made partisan by the Republicans, who have done everything they could to block him at virtually every turn. Not surprising that he'd assign Democrats to roles in his Democratic administration - do Republicans have a lock on knowledge? Wow, they sure used their knowledge well after the Lehman shock and financial crisis.

There's no doubt the CDC has been messing things up pretty badly. I seem to recall some partisan politicians voted to cut the CDC budget? Gee, I think they may have been Republican.

@plastic

Did he say that?

He doesn't have to, his actions and the optics show otherwise.

There is plenty of detailed info about this by epidemiologists, from whom Obama is taking advice.

Funny, he just appointed an Ebola czar that has ZERO experience in the field, who was an operative and is now trying to lecture and educate all of us on a virus he absolutely knows nothing about? This is complete madness.

Do a little research and you'll find the answers quickly.

I did and I just told you and why is it EVERY one of these elected appointed officials are all liberals? Why does EVERYTHING have to be a partisan issue with this president? The guy never looks at anything from a center POV! One reason why Clinton was a decent president was his ability to govern from the center and to have a more realistic pragmatic view of the issues. Obama is totally devoid of that ability.

You're angry because he's not taking advice from some GOP congressmen and Fox News, who have another agenda besides public health.

Plastic, he doesn't have to take advice from ANY news source, in fact, he doesn't take ANY advice from anyone. Because we all know the Sainted anointed one is the smartest man in the world. This is why Obama is going down in the history books as the worst president ever, surpassing Jimmy Carter, which for some time seemed like an impossible feat to do.

@sense

If you were a West African with a young family, and heard that the airports and, let's say, a limited number of border crossings were being closed, what would you do?

Deal with the situation or seek help the best way I could from the military and humanitarian staff.

b4f,

If you were a West African with a young family, and heard that the airports and, let's say, a limited number of border crossings were being closed, what would you do?

I'm not excessively worried about Ebola, but I must say that the handling of these cases has eliminated what little faith I had in our country's capacity to respond to public health threats or potential pandemics. If we were dealing with a virus with a more aggressive mode of transmission, or if it were a novel pathogen instead of one that we've known about for decades, or if we had more than three freaking cases (which would have been one case or none if we hadn't dropped the ball)...well, it wouldn't be pretty. It's been nothing but screw-ups since day one.

Obama thinks this is the common cold

Did he say that?

why then doesn't the president gives us a very detailed information as to why it would be ill-advised to cut ourselves from West Africa until we have this thing under control.

There is plenty of detailed info about this by epidemiologists, from whom Obama is taking advice. Do a little research and you'll find the answers quickly. You're angry because he's not taking advice from some GOP congressmen and Fox News, who have another agenda besides public health.

Obama made plain he is not currently planning to give in to demands from some lawmakers for a ban on travelers from the worst-hit countries.

But Obama thinks this is the common cold, so once again, the man is being advised and he knows best. I keep forgetting with his military expertise, he also holds a degree in medicine. Jack of all trades and master of nothing. Astounding!

“We can’t just cut ourselves off from West Africa,” Obama said in his weekly radio address. “Trying to seal off an entire region of the world - if that were even possible - could actually make the situation worse,” he said.

So why then doesn't the president gives us a very detailed information as to why it would be ill-advised to cut ourselves from West Africa until we have this thing under control. How does this benefit the US to allow possibly infected people to roam around. Again, one more outbreak in the US, this president is done. 824 more days until the madness of this guy is behind us!