Politico | ‘Don’t defend Trump – attack China’: coronavirus strategy revealed in Republican memo
- Party sent out detailed 57-page document advising candidates on everything from dealing with accusations of racism to tying Democrat opponents to Beijing
- Memo calls coronavirus a ‘Chinese hit-and-run’, telling Republicans to say they will push for sanctions over country’s role in ‘spreading pandemic’
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Alex Isenstadt on politico.com on April 24, 2020.
The memo includes advice on everything from how to tie Democratic candidates to the Chinese government to how to deal with accusations of racism.
It stresses three main lines of assault: that China caused the virus “by covering it up”, that Democrats are “soft on China”, and that Republicans will “push for sanctions on China for its role in spreading this pandemic”.
“Coronavirus was a Chinese hit-and-run followed by a cover-up that cost thousands of lives,” the April 17 memo states.
“Don’t defend Trump, other than the China travel ban – attack China,” the memo states.
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Advisers to the president say polling shows China-focused attacks would be effective, and the re-election campaign has weighed a major television ad campaign focused on the topic.
It was written by the political consulting firm of Brett O’Donnell, a veteran Republican strategist who has advised Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton.
Jesse Hunt, an NRSC spokesman, said: “We routinely send campaigns different documents and sources of information dozens of times per week. That’s the role of the party committee, especially in these volatile times.”
O’Donnell declined to comment.
The memo includes guidance on what Republican candidates can say when asked whether blaming China for the pandemic incites racism.
Candidates are urged to respond by saying that “no one is blaming Chinese-Americans. This is the fault of the Chinese Communist Party for covering up the virus and lying about its danger. This caused the pandemic and they should be held accountable”.
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“No one has suffered more from the murderous Communist Chinese Party dictatorship than the people of China,” the memo adds. “We stand with them against their corrupt government that caused this pandemic.”