De Blasio Cant Explain Why NYC Saw Spike in Hospitalizations
Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked point blank why NYC saw a spike in hospitalizations. His answer was basically a shrug with extra words.
The numbers dont lie. Hospitalizations went up when the citys own models predicted they should be going down. Reporters wanted an explanation and de Blasio didnt have one that made sense.
The New York Times pressed the mayor during a press conference that got uncomfortable fast.
Its one thing to not have all the answers. Pandemics are complicated and nobody expects perfection. But its another thing entirely to wave away legitimate questions about public health data with talking points.
New York political leadership has faced scrutiny throughout the pandemic for messaging that sometimes contradicted the actual situation on the ground.
The hospitalization spike eventually leveled off but not before raising questions about whether the city was being as transparent as it claimed. Trust is hard to build and easy to lose.
De Blasios communication style has always been his weakness. He talks too much and says too little. This press conference was a perfect example.
What people wanted was honesty even if that honesty was we dont know yet but were looking into it. What they got was deflection.
Press conference July 2020
