'It's every red flag,' Trump-ordered HHS ad blitz raises alarms

[Brogrizzly]

Source: Politico

Caputo's team in June requisitioned $300 million that Congress had previously appropriated to the CDC. According to three people with knowledge of the deliberations, the request was abrupt and HHS offered minimal detail to CDC officials on how the money would be spent for the upcoming campaign.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/25/trump-hhs-ads-coronavirus-421957

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Really? Is this for real?

[Galraedia]

1. Yes, it's real

The health department is moving quickly on a highly unusual advertising campaign to "defeat despair" about the coronavirus, a $300 million-plus effort that was shaped by a political appointee close to President Donald Trump and executed in part by close allies of the official, using taxpayer funds.

The ad blitz, described in some budget documents as the "Covid-19 immediate surge public advertising and awareness campaign," is expected to lean heavily on video interviews between administration officials and celebrities, who will discuss aspects of the coronavirus outbreak and address the Trump administration's response to the crisis, according to six individuals with knowledge of the campaign who described its workings to POLITICO.

Senior administration officials have already recorded interviews with celebrities like actor Dennis Quaid and singer CeCe Winans, and the Health and Human Services Department also has pursued television host Dr. Mehmet Oz and musician Garth Brooks for roles in the campaign.

The public awareness campaign, which HHS is seeking to start airing before Election Day on Nov. 3, was largely conceived and organized by Michael Caputo, the health department's top spokesperson who took medical leave last week and announced on Thursday that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Caputo, who has no medical or scientific background, claimed in a Facebook video on Sept. 13 that the campaign was "demanded of me by the president of the United States. Personally."

Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/25/trump-hhs-ads-coronavirus-421957

[Brogrizzly]

2. I just can't believe.

The sheer ineptitude, malice, greed...wow, just in disbelief.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. So, Trump has cost us $1TT and 200.000+ American lives.

In his 1st term. What's the bill gonna be for a 2nd term?

[gab13by13]

14. You mean 1 trillion per year, right?

[CrispyQ]

22. Looting on a scale never seen before.

"Our stockpile." Our treasury.

[Turbineguy]

24. Another bill to send the republican party next year.

[dweller]

3. watching those ads

would drive me despair
😫

✌🏼

[Thekaspervote]

5. Awareness campaign i.e. re-election campaign!

[groundloop]

8. and paid for by you and me.

[Doodley]

6. I refuse to believe there is absolutely nothing Democratic lawmakers can do about this.

What Trump is doing is stealing the election by re-appropriating funds to his election campaign.

[Demsrule86]

19. Doubt it will work... you can refuse to believe all you want . But with McConnell protecting

him and his sycophant's at justice...there is nothing we can do but win. I sincerely hope those who gave us Trump by not voting for Hillary and caused this realize they have blood on their hands. Democrat leaders didn't fail us...our side failed them by not voting for Democrats. You can't kneecap Democrats and expect a different outcome. The Democrats were amazing to have managed to fight when Trump had all three branches of government and the end of Trump is near if we vote; it is our only chance. It always was. I think we can do this. Had we voted in sufficient numbers in 10,14 and 16, the world would be different and millions of Americans would not have died.

[Doodley]

21. They can make it an issue in voters' minds. They can use it against Trump. It seems they let

him get away with too much.

[TomCADem]

27. You're Right! They Can Sue! Check Back in Three Years.

With a Republican majority on the Supreme Court, good luck with how that will turn out.

[Doodley]

33. They can inform the voters. This would be a major scandal in most democracies. Here, few even

know about it.

[jorgevlorgan]

7. So let me get this straight

Donald Trump depleted most of his money on probably garbage, so now he has to raid our health and human services department to create propaganda and give him a fighting chance? And Dennis quaid is on board? Who is his agent, and why are they still representing him?

[gab13by13]

15. Azar is a Trump stooge.

[Midnight Writer]

9. You know, I have half a mind to send this story to The Attorney General.

Do you think I'm out of line?

[wnylib]

12. I am assuming that is a sarcastic

comment about Barr.

But - couldn't some state AG's make a unified case on this?

[NoMoreRepugs]

10. Dennis Quaid, Garth Brooks - stars???

[uriel1972]

11. well I heard they were in a movie once

or something or was it country music?

[BigmanPigman]

13. I read this earlier today and said, "Dennis Quaid too?".

I didn't know he was one of "them". I have lost any respect I may have once had for him.

When I read it was Caputo's team I thought about his medical diagnosis from yesterday and genuinely smiled. Bastard.

[gab13by13]

16. Hmm, throat cancer,

sounds like something from Dante's Inferno. Actually wish he gets better, physically and mentally.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

17. Adding a link:

HHS Hires Dennis Quaid To Appear In $300M “Defeat Despair” PR Campaign, Money Siphoned From The CDC
September 26, 2020

[Maxheader]

18. It may turn the head of some wingers...

The deniers , those not infected, are already a solid base..Doubt a bunch of

b grade actor wannabes will change anything....

[kimbutgar]

20. Despite this do think people are going to Change their minds after the horrors of the last 4 years

And have these ads change their minds that Der Furher is doing a great job on the Corona Virus response? And Randy and Garth just destroyed their careers if they go along with this.

[tblue37]

26. Not Randy Quaid, but his brother Dennis. nt

[MustLoveBeagles]

28. I don't think Garth has agreed to do it

It only says he was approached to do it. I made the same mistake yesterday.

[durablend]

32. I can't envision him doing it

[Martin Eden]

23. "Public awareness campaign" my ass

Taxpayer funded political advertising for Trump's campaign is what this is.

These criminals have to be booted out.

[area51]

25. Money that the CDC needs,

will instead be used for ads that say, "Don't worry, be happy".

[wishstar]

29. The ad contract was awarded to Caputo's Russian born business partner

Caputo and his partner specialize in propaganda messaging

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

30. Next: "Coronavirus, the Musical"

It'll help us see the sunny side of Covid-19.

If Trump's involved, it'll be way better than "Springtime for Hitler"

[Brogrizzly]

34. I greatly laughed at this, then it made me sad, it just might happen. N/t