About 200,000 Americans have died of the novel coronavirus, but Democratic presidential candidate Joseph R. Biden says it’s closer to 200 million.
“If Donald Trump has his way, the complications from COVID-19, which are well beyond what they should be — it’s estimated that 200 million people have died, probably by the time I finish this talk,” said Mr. Biden in a Sunday speech in Philadelphia.
The Census Bureau reports that the U.S. population is about 331 million, meaning that a 200 million death count would represent nearly two-thirds of the population.
This isn’t the first time Mr. Biden has misstated the U.S. coronavirus death count. In a Sept. 9 speech in Warren, Michigan, he said there had been “6,114 military deaths” from the virus, although the Defense Department said there had been seven.
The Biden campaign told PolitiFact that he meant to say “Michigan deaths.”
In June, Mr. Biden said that 120 million Americans had died from the virus, as opposed to 120,000, prompting a retort from President Trump.
“If I ever said something so mortifyingly stupid, the Fake News would come down on me with a vengeance,” tweeted Mr. Trump on June 25.
Mr. Biden said at last week’s CNN town hall that “all the people would still be alive,” if only Mr. Trump had “done his job.”
If I ever said something so mortifyingly stupid, the Fake News Media would come down on me with a vengeance. This is beyond a normal mistake. Why isn’t the media reporting it? pic.twitter.com/KkuWLkMfp7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020
200 million deaths? That’s most of the US population.
I have mixed feelings on Trump, but Biden doesn’t seem to know what day it is. He’ll be a puppet for the hard left. Really hope he doesn’t win. pic.twitter.com/Bz2wHQIkiy
— MIKE (@ExInfanteer) September 20, 2020
