The issue of how big a role federal agencies should play in the response to the coronavirus outbreak led to some fireworks on MSNBC on Thursday.
""I don't have time to listen to bull***t people." Former Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate abruptly ended his appearance on live TV during Katy Tur's show on MSNBC after another guest, a former Obama administration official, accused him of not being “helpful” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He bolted after another guest, Andy Slavitt – a former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – claimed Fugate's comments weren't "helpful" in addressing the outbreak.
Fugate left while Slavitt was speaking.
The altercation started after Fugate said the federal government needed to get out of the way and allow state agencies to do their jobs.
Slavitt countered that the nation needed a central overseer, "someone looking through the entire system," to respond to the outbreak. He added there should be a partnership between the states and federal government.
Both guests worked for the Obama administration, with Fugate heading FEMA for eight years, and Slavitt serving as acting CMS administrator from 2015-2017.
Fugate, Slavitt and the host would later respond on Twitter following the clash, with the two guests acknowledging their emotions got the better of them during a tense time for the country.
Craig my sincere apologies for contributing this. Please keep informing people as you do. You’re a terrific public servant. We’re on the same team. Andy— Andy Slavitt @ 🏡 (@ASlavitt) March 19, 2020
"Dear @MSNBC, @KatyTurNBC At the point, I’m not helping, time to step back," Fugate wrote on Twitter. "Never was good at the talking head thing anyway. This is too critical of a time to let emotions get in the way. My apologies to you and your audience."
"Craig my sincere apologies for contributing this," Slavitt wrote in a response to Fugate. "Please keep informing people as you do. You’re a terrific public servant. We’re on the same team. Andy."
We have always valued and appreciated @WCraigFugate’s time and expertise. Tensions are obviously very high. We hope to have him back. We need people who know how things work now more than ever.— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) March 19, 2020
"We have always valued and appreciated @WCraigFugate’s time and expertise," said Tur. "Tensions are obviously very high. We hope to have him back. We need people who know how things work now more than ever."
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