Chris Christie pushes to reopen country despite dire Covid-19 projections: ‘There are going to be deaths’

CNN — Former New Jersey Gov. “Of course, everybody wants to save every life they can – but the question is, towards what end, ultimately?” Christie, a Republican tapped to lead President Donald Trump’s presidential transition team in 2016, told CNN’s Dana Bash on The Daily DC Podcast. “Are there ways that we can… thread the middle here to allow that there are going to be deaths, and there are going to be deaths no matter what?” Christie told Bash that “we’ve got to let some of these folks get back to work, because if we don’t, we’re going to destroy the American way of life in these families – and it will be years and years before we can recover.” His comments Monday echoed similar characterizations by other Republicans – including President Donald Trump – that the economic impact of coronavirus is just as devastating to the nation as the virus itself. When Bash pressed Christie on whether people would be able to accept reopening in light of news of a Trump administration model projecting a rise up to about 3,000 daily US deaths from coronavirus by June 1, Christie responded, “They’re gonna have to.” “We’re in the midst of a pandemic that we haven’t seen in over 100 years,” he said. In the very same way now, we have to stand up for the American way of life.” The former governor lamented the “economic devastation” as “equally sad,” and told Bash that while he wasn’t advocating for crowded public gatherings like rock concerts or football games, “we have to let certain people get back to work because I can see my own state here.” Christie encouraged vulnerable populations to stay indoors, as “they’re the ones who are gonna really swallow this burden badly, the elderly and those with respiratory diseases, depressed immune systems from cancer treatments or other things.” “Those folks are going to have to be even more careful than the rest of the population,” he added.