Prestigious US science journal to back Biden in first endorsement in 175-year history

“In a break with its 175-year tradition, the prestigious US magazine Scientific American has for the first time endorsed a candidate in a US presidential election – the Democratic party nominee, Joe Biden. The magazine has taken the line because, it says, ‘Donald Trump has badly damaged the US and its people – because he rejects evidence and science.’

“In a piece published in October’s edition, the editorial board writes: ‘The most devastating example is his dishonest and inept response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which cost more than 190,000 Americans their lives by the middle of September. He has also attacked environmental protections, medical care, and the researchers and public science agencies that help this country prepare for its greatest challenges.’

“They criticize Trump, saying: ‘At every stage, Trump has rejected the unmistakable lesson that controlling the disease, not downplaying it, is the path to economic reopening and recovery,’ and refer to the recent revelation from interview tapes published by the veteran journalist Bob Woodward that Trump was stating in public ‘this is like a flu​’ while saying in private that it was ‘lethal and highly transmissible.’

“They go on to say the president ‘repeatedly lied to the public about the deadly threat of the disease.’ and that while supporting the wearing of masks – a strategy they say would hurt no one – could have saved thousands of lives in the US. Instead ‘Trump and his vice-president flouted local mask rules, making it a point not to wear masks themselves in public appearances.’ They condemn the president for reacting to America’s worst public health crisis in a century by saying: ‘I don’t take responsibility at all.’

“Away from the coronavirus pandemic, the article also attacks the president’s record on environmental, health and scientific issues more broadly, saying: ‘Trump’s refusal to look at the evidence and act accordingly extends beyond the virus. He has repeatedly tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act while offering no alternative; comprehensive medical insurance is essential to reduce illness. Trump has proposed billion-dollar cuts to the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agencies that increase our scientific knowledge and strengthen us for future challenges. Congress has countermanded his reductions. Yet he keeps trying’” (The Guardian).