Media personalities, journalists, and other verified people on Twitter responded to the news of former presidential candidate Herman Cain’s death from the coronavirus on Thursday by politicizing his death and blaming President Trump.
“Herman Cain was hospitalized for coronavirus two weeks after he attended Trump’s Tulsa rally without a face mask,” former presidential candidate and ex-CIA officer Evan McMullin tweeted, joining a list of other political figures who immediately linked Cain’s attendance at a Trump rally to his death despite Cain’s extensive travel schedule to other places in recent weeks. “He’s the first senior casualty of the science denial Trump cult. The question is whether even that can wake others up about the dangers of Trump and the virus.”
Herman Cain was hospitalized for coronavirus two weeks after he attended Trump’s Tulsa rally without a face mask. He’s the first senior casualty of the science denial Trump cult. The question is whether even that can wake others up about the dangers of Trump and the virus. https://t.co/olobtDXjGx
— Evan McMullin (@EvanMcMullin) July 30, 2020
“Donald trumps ego killed Herman Cain on the day of his Tulsa rally,” New York Times best-selling author and former Newsweek reporter Kurt Eichenwald tweeted.
Donald trumps ego killed Herman Cain on the day of his Tulsa rally.
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) July 30, 2020
“This is tragic,” Western New England University School of Law Jennifer Taub said before calling for Trump’s resignation. “It seems Herman Cain would be alive had Trump canceled the Tulsa rally or insisted on mask-wearing. And 150,000 more Americans also died because of @realDonaldTrum’s incompetence, lies, and arrogance. #ResignNowTrump.”
This is tragic. It seems Herman Cain would be alive had Trump canceled the Tulsa rally or insisted on mask-wearing. And 150,000 more Americans also died because of @realDonaldTrump’s incompetence, lies, and arrogance. #ResignNowTrump https://t.co/GJRGaroxuO
— Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) July 30, 2020
Health professional Dr. Dena Grayson tweeted Cain “reportedly” had contracted the coronavirus at the Trump rally, though there doesn’t appear to be any reports claiming this, and slammed Trump supporters who don’t believe facemasks are effective.
“Herman Cain just DIED from #coronavirus that he reportedly caught while attending Trump’s #Tulsa rally WITHOUT a mask. Yet here are more #COVIDIOTS waiting to attend Pence’s event *without a mask*.#TrumpVirus #COVID19 #WearAMask,” she said.
Herman Cain just DIED from #coronavirus that he reportedly caught while attending Trump’s #Tulsa rally WITHOUT a mask.
Yet here are more #COVIDIOTS waiting to attend Pence’s event *without a mask*.?#TrumpVirus #COVID19 #WearAMask https://t.co/PQpY7CRyGy
— Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) July 30, 2020
Author Don Winslow placed the blame on Trump not only for Cain’s death, but for the death of all of the roughly 150,000 people in the United States who have died from the virus.
“Dear @realDonaldTrump, What is the official cause of death for Herman Cain? Did he die of a hoax? Or did he die tragically and unnecessarily from the same thing that has killed 150,000 other Americans? This is your failure. This is your virus. #TrumpVirusDeathToll150K,” he said.
Dear @realDonaldTrump
What is the official cause of death for Herman Cain?
Did he die of a hoax?
Or did he die tragically and unnecessarily from the same thing that has killed 150,000 other Americans?
This is your failure.
This is your virus.#TrumpVirusDeathToll150K
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) July 30, 2020
ESPN’s Jemele Hill tweeted that Cain’s death is the result of the “politicization of public health” and pointed out that Cain was sitting next to a man who tested positive for the virus at the rally, suggesting that’s where Cain contracted the virus.
CNN’s Ana Navarro chided Cain shortly after news of his death for not wearing a mask and suggested that Rep. Louie Gohmert, who recently tested positive for the virus, could be the next to die
“Donald Trump killed Herman Cain,” left-wing political activist Shaun King tweeted. “Every health expert in the nation said the rally in Tulsa was not just a bad idea, but genuinely dangerous. And they loaded thousands of people into a closed stadium anyway. And they all took their masks off and danced & sang during a pandemic.”
Donald Trump killed Herman Cain.
Every health expert in the nation said the rally in Tulsa was not just a bad idea, but genuinely dangerous.
And they loaded thousands of people into a closed stadium anyway.
And they all took their masks off and danced & sang during a pandemic.
— Shaun King (@shaunking) July 30, 2020
“No one forced #HermanCain to go to that rally,” New York Times best-selling author and attorney Rabia O’Chaudry tweeted. “He willingly sacrificed himself to support everything this vulgar, criminal, corrupt president stood for.”
No one forced #HermanCain to go to that rally. He willingly sacrificed himself to support everything this vulgar, criminal, corrupt president stood for.
— rabia O’chaudry (@rabiasquared) July 30, 2020
Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, died at the age of 74 on Thursday and is survived by his wife Gloria, two children, Vincent and Melanie, and four grandchildren.
A post on Cain’s website written by the editor, Dan Calabrese, with the headline “We’re heartbroken, and the world is poorer: Herman Cain has gone to be with the Lord,” confirmed the death along with a tribute to Cain’s career and achievements, saying, “I’m sorry I had to bring you bad news this morning. But the good news is that we had a man so good, so solid, so full of love and faith … that his death hits us this hard. Thank God for a man like that.”
