Transcript of Obama's News Conference here.
Obama's comments about closing the borders due to swine flu were idiotic.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. With the flu outbreak spreading and worsening, can you talk about whether you think it's time to close the border with Mexico and whether -- under what conditions you might consider quarantining, when that might be appropriate?
OBAMA: Well, first of all, as I said, this is a cause for deep concern, but not panic. And I think that we have to make sure that we recognize that how we respond intelligently, systematically, based on science and what public health officials have to say, will determine in large part what happens.
I've consulted with our public health officials extensively on a day-to-day basis, in some cases an hour-to-hour basis. At this point, they have not recommended a border closing. From their perspective, it would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses are out, because we already have cases here in the United States.
Good grief.
Yes, we have cases in the U.S.
That doesn't mean we should allow more sick people to keep coming into the country.
It makes sense to close the barn door now.
The fewer cases we have in the U.S., the less it will spread. The more you keep feeding the beast, the longer it will take for the cases to peak and eventually drop off.
It's math.
Why keep fueling the spread of illness?
The outbreak has to burn out and it won't burn out while you continue to add to it.
Obama is playing politics with the public's health.
"Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before."
--Rahm Emanuel
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