Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean didn't mince any words when asked about Texas Gov. Rick Perry's continued insistence that we need a travel ban on flights from West Africa to stop Ebola from spreading to the United States on Chris Hayes' show this Friday evening while discussing the appointment of the new "Ebola czar" Ron Klain.
Howard Dean on Ebola: "I Discount Everything Republicans Say;" Rick Perry "An Ignoramus":
HOWARD DEAN: I think it's fine. He's a manager. He's not a doctor. Look, the Republicans just slay me. They are just so ridiculous. So they had an Ebola czar. His name is Vivek Murthy. He's President Obama's nominee for Surgeon General which the Republicans have been stalling at the request of the National Rifle Association since February. So, the Republican's idea of how to practice medicine is to listen to the National Rifle Association. I discount everything they say, they know nothing. They're not interested in health; they're interested in politics. We've got to manage this thing. I think Klaine is a good manager...
The travel ban doesn't at add a whole lot. However, when we know -- Rick Perry, of course, is his usual ignoramus self. He knows nothing. The travel ban, first of all, there's no direct flights from West Africa from Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea to the United States... As we say in New York, this stuff is all bupkis, this is nonsense. He's clearly into this for the politics and the press. Which is going to be a little tough for him when people find out he doesn't know anything, although they may know that already.
But there are some problems. For example, the woman, the second nurse that got Ebola should not have been permitted to fly on Frontier Airlines from Cleveland and back. That was a mistake that somebody in the federal government made. She asked permission and they said go ahead. That was a mistake. So there are mistakes that are being made by individuals. But I do think that this is largely under control, as you said.
[ad]