Hannity: ‘China Must Be Held Accountable — Their Hostile Government Cares More About Optics Than the Lives’

Wednesday, Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity insisted China must be held accountable for its inaction regarding the coronavirus epidemic and its ill-effects worldwide during a monologue on his primetime show.

Hannity laid out the timeline and argued China was worrying about its own perception and not about lives.

Transcript as follows:

HANNITY: This is an all-hands-on-deck moment and we’re seeing the greatness of the American people on display every day, at every level. Once we beat back the virus, China must be held accountable. Their hostile government cares more about optics than the lives of not only their own citizens, but the world community.

This massive cover-up and the critical early stages of this disease, frankly, unforgivable. It is an indisputable fact that China lied. People all over the world suffering and dying as a result of these lies.

“Axios” really put together what is a comprehensive timeline that you need to see.

We’ll start on December 10, 2019, last year. That’s when one of first known coronavirus patients becomes ill.

Then on December 27, Wuhan health officials determined a new type of coronavirus was spreading. Three days later, on social media, top director at the Wuhan central hospital tried to warn the public about this dangerous new disease and how it was spreading from person to person. She was subsequently reprimanded and censored.

Then on January 1, eight other doctors who posted information about the disease online were called in for questioning, also censored.

And January 7, the president of China became directly involved in the response.

January 11, the Wuhan health commission insisted there were no new cases, which we now know is a blatant lie.

January 14, World Health Organization at this late date tweeting, quote, Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human to human transmission of the virus. Really?

And get this — four days later, China hosted its annual Lunar New Year banquet. Guess where? In the city of Wuhan, where tens of thousands of people got together for a potluck supper.

It wasn’t until January 20th that China admitted the disease can spread from person to person. The first person that we know had corona in America arrived on January 21. Ten days later, the president’s travel ban, the single best decision made to date by any country. He gave us time, saved countless thousands of Americans from contracting the virus, and likely many deaths.

Now, by the way, at that point, it was too late. COVID-19 had already spread to South Korea. A day later, the first case confirmed here. That’s the 21st. I’m just talking about.

Probably already multiple cases in Italy, which we now have discovered had direct flights from Wuhan, that province, and a large Chinese population working in their textile industry.

For weeks, China could have sounded the alarm. Instead, they lied, they tried to cover it up, and they had massive potluck celebrations at the epicenter of this disease. And now, China’s government, now, they’re spreading baseless conspiracy theories, blaming the U.S. military for the spread of the disease. There are even proliferating and insane talking point that using the word China or Wuhan virus to describe the Wuhan virus is racist.

And, of course, many social justice warriors in the media mob, not particularly concerned that much about health. No, they want political correctness, even at a time like this, unwittingly echoing what is a Chinese propaganda talking point. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: China and others have criticized you for using the phrase “Chinese virus.” How do you go about that? Are you going to continue to use that phrase? It creates a stick man.

REPORTER: Why do you keep calling this the Chinese virus? There are reports of dozens of incidents of bias against Chinese-Americans in this country? Why do you keep using this?

TRUMP: Because it comes from China.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You do have people in the Asian-American community whose lives are at risks and for the president to call it a Chinese virus, or a foreign virus, that is just not — it’s so dangerous and not a good thing to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a virus that came from the territory of China, but came from bats. This is a bat virus, not a China virus. It doesn’t speak Chinese.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: And today, the president had a clear message for those who seem more worried about identity politics than actual truth. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Why do you keep using this?

TRUMP: Because it comes from China.

REPORTER: It sounds racist.

TRUMP: It is not racist at all, no, not at all. It comes from China, that’s why. It comes from China. It would be accurate.

Please, John. I have great love for all of the people from our country, but as you know, China tried to say at one point, maybe they’ve stopped now, it was caused by American soldiers.

That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Times of uncertainty, facts do matter. This virus did start in China, the Wuhan province, and it’s not the first disease to be named after a location. For example, Ebola. That’s named after a river in Africa. And there’s the Spanish flu, and then the Middle Eastern respiratory system known as MERS, and we can go on and on.

Ultimately, the facts are clear. The Chinese government tried to cover it up. Recently, they kicked out all American — well, I have to say so-called because I don’t exactly trust fake news. The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, but I do want them there. And now, because of China’s actions, thousands around the world are dead, millions others are suffering, and China must be held accountable.

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor