CNN’s Cuomo: Trump and Allies Pushed COVID Lab Theory ‘Because the More Wrong China Is, the Less Wrong Trump Was’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

CUOMO: “The worst of the pandemic is, in all likelihood, behind us. That’s what those in charge and looking at the science and looking at the data say. Good. So, how about a return to the beginning? Where did the virus come from? Well, China. Okay. But how? Animals? Like, bats that spread it to humans? By mistake? Intentionally? Or was the virus weaponized and unleashed from a lab? All those are legitimate questions. But it’s how people are exploiting the unknown to forward B.S. that we have to expose. This theory that it was from the lab is gaining traction, especially here, especially in political circles on the right. U.S. Intelligence determined several researchers at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill in November 2019 and had to be hospitalized. Why? Now, that adds fuel to the arguments that it was Covid-19. That’s why. Do we know that? No. But it is something that Trump and Co. Have been pushing for more than a year. Listen.”

[Clip starts]
RADDATZ: “Have you seen anything that gives you high confidence that it originated in that Wuhan lab?”
POMPEO: “Martha, there’s enormous evidence that that’s where this began.”
(...)
REPORTER: “What gives you a high degree of confidence that this originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology?”
TRUMP: “I can’t tell you that. I’m not allowed to tell you that. (...) We have a lot of information. And it’s not good. But you know the worst of all? Whether it came from the lab or it came from the bats, it all came from China and they should have stopped it.”
[Clip ends]

CUOMO: “Now, look, the reason that they are pushing it is because they want to forget who failed to stop it here. Okay? That’s the interest because, remember, Trump was all about the love when it came to China and how they were dealing with Covid, until Covid started to hurt him at home. And until the big lie, which really started with the fact that the pandemic was a hoax — hold on — that that’s what this was about, that’s why there’s this curiosity. Because the more wrong China is, the less wrong Trump was. That is the theory. Now, one of the people who have seen the U.S. Intel report on the sickened-lab workers tells CNN there is still nothing definitive. The Wuhan lab director calls the report a complete lie. Do you believe him? It’s up to you. Even Dr. Fauci is open on maybe Covid-19 may be not being simply transmitted from animals to humans. Take a listen.

[Clip starts]
FAUCI: “No, I’m not convinced about that. I think that we should continue to investigate what went on in China, until we find out, to the best of our ability, exactly what happened.”
[Clip ends]

CUOMO: “Now, you know what I just did? I added to the problem. Why? I said he’s come around to. When did you hear him say that he knew, for a fact, that it didn’t? He see what I am saying? Fauci doesn’t know where it came from. He thinks you should know, and keep looking. Good. I have no problem with that, do you? But it’s the assumptions. So, we spoke to a disease specialist on this program, a year ago. Okay? He said that he had worked with the very same lab in Wuhan, and he was there at the same time that this would have had to be developed. And here’s what he said.”

[Clip ends]
CUOMO: “What about the president and his friends’ concerns that China did this to us, on purpose? Do you believe that there is proof of the same?”
DASZAK: “There is absolutely no evidence for that, at all. There is no evidence that this virus was created in a lab. There is no evidence, at all, that it ever was in the lab. In fact, we have worked with the lab in Wuhan for 15 years, now. We know everything they do. And we know that they do not have that virus in the lab, prior to this sars outbreak. I’ve never seen any evidence of any one saying things that aren’t true or even hinting of anything untoward from that lab. It just did not happen.”
[Clip ends]

CUOMO: “It was strong, when that was said at the time. Peter Daszak, president of the eco-health alliance. But now, we have to ask whether he had skin in the game. Motivating that answer. How so? His organization funded Coronavirus research at the Wuhan institute of virology. And he was, also, part of the W.H.O. Team sent to China to investigate the origins. So, let’s now go to one of the first people to connect the dots on the lab-leak theory. That is, Jamie Metzel, former nsc staffer under president Clinton. Jamie, thank you. Let us start with the most flagrant of the notions and work our way towards where you think we are best suited, in this moment. They did it. They weaponized it. And they did it to hurt us. And then, they sent it to us. Do you believe that?”
METZL: “Yeah. I think that’s extremely unlikely. As you’ve mentioned, I have been — I was one of the worst people to raise very, very significant questions about the origins of the pandemic. And the likelihood, even as I see it, that this stems from a lab accident. But the idea that they weaponized it, and purposefully released it just doesn’t make sense. I’ve seen no — even circumstantial — evidence suggesting that. And it wouldn’t really make sense, because they understand that — that viruses are uncontrollable. So even if you think, as I do, that the most likely origin is an accidental-lab — lab leak. That doesn’t mean that you’re, automatically, have to support that this was genetically engineered or a bioweapon or anything like that.”
CUOMO: “Politics, infecting the science. That works two ways, in this situation. Would the Chinese create something that they thought could hurt us. But then, it becomes an accident? That sounds like a political explanation for how something gets out. Why would you believe it’s an accident?”
METZL: “So, I don’t think you have to start your story believing they are trying to make a bioweapon. I think, what the most likely possibility is, and again, this is just a hypothesis based on all the — the evidence that I certainly and others have collected over the last year and a half. But what I think is most likely is they were collecting these very dangerous viruses. And were poking and prodding and studying them with the very-well-intentioned desire to develop vaccines and treatments. Because we know there are more and more of these kinds of outbreaks. So they were trying to get ahead of the curve. Many scientists around the world supported them, in that effort. And then, I believe, what most likely happened is there was an accidental leak. Followed by a criminal coverup. So it could have been very well-intentioned activities, at the Wuhan institute of virology. That could have sparked this pandemic.”
CUOMO: “But when you say that it could be, could be, could be. Does that mean that you have ruled out that it could have just been one of those animal markets? Or whatever? You know, that the other explanation is other than a plan accident?”
METZL: “So certainly, the animal market. The Wuhan wet market. I think most people have ruled that out. And it was clear, last January, that that was essentially a lie. It was published in the lancet in January 2020. That 40% of the first cases had no contact with the — the Wuhan wet market. And so, that was certainly, for me, what peaked my interest because I was asking, early-last year, why would the Chinese government be lying about — about something like this?”
CUOMO: “That’s an interesting point, though. Let’s —“
METZL: “Let me just — let me just finish.”
CUOMO: “Go ahead. Go ahead.”
METZL: “Okay. Yeah. So, in terms of could it be an — could it be what we call a zoonotic jump? Absolutely, it could be. Past outbreaks have happened in that way. Past outbreaks have happened from lab accidents. That’s why we need a full and unrestricted investigation into all origin and hypotheses with full access to all the relevant, records, samples, and personnel. And that’s exactly what China is denying.”
CUOMO: “And that’s — let’s end on that. Why do you think that they won’t let you look, if there’s such a benign — excuse the pun — explanation?”
METZL: “Well, it was benign, in the beginning. Let’s just say this hypothetical is true. Let’s just say that the pandemic started with an accidental-lack leak. Definitely, people make mistakes. Countries make mistakes. I was working in The National Security Council when we accidentally bombed the Chinese embassy and actually paid reparations, as a result. But once you start a possibly criminal coverup and what they — what happened — whatever the origin of the pandemic. That first month, when China was spending all of its energy trying to cover things up, rather than fix the problem. That was what allowed the stove fire to become a kitchen fire to become a house fire to become a world fire.”
CUOMO: “Jamie, I appreciate it. As you learn more, as you learn that things aren’t true, please, give a call. You will always have a platform.”
METZL: “Will do. Thanks.”

(Via Breitbart)