The exclusive club of former presidents and first ladies has come together with an important message: Get the COVID-19 vaccine. Former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump are missing from the campaign.
In the recently released “It’s Up To You” advertising campaign, former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and former first ladies Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, highlight the importance of Americans get it the vaccine as soon as they are eligible.
There are two ads in the new campaign. A sample the ex-presidents and first ladies receive their vaccines and sharing personal anecdotes, and another sample of Mr. Clinton, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Obama who are together in a direct address to the American people.
“They will soon be available to everyone,” Bush says of the vaccine at the start of the first announcement.
“This vaccine means hope,” Obama says below. “It will protect you and those you love from this dangerous and deadly disease.”
Clinton says she wants to go back to work, Obama talks about being able to hug Michelle’s mother and see her on her birthday, and Bush shares his excitement at attending the opening day at Texas Rangers Stadium – in full capacity.
“I get vaccinated because we want this pandemic to end as soon as possible,” Carter says, though he doesn’t appear in the video.
The ad ends with images of former presidents and first ladies receiving their shots, to end with a smiling photo of Mr. Carter holding the vaccine card.
The second announcement includes Mr. Bush, Mr. Clinton and Mr. Obama who are together in the Memorial Amphitheater of the Arlington National Ceremony. The three former presidents united in Arlington on January 20 on the occasion of the inauguration of President Biden.
“Science is clear, these vaccines will protect you and those you love from this dangerous and deadly disease,” Bush says. “Therefore, we urge you to be vaccinated when you are at your disposal.”
“They could save your life,” Clinton adds.
“This is the first step in ending the pandemic and advancing our country,” Obama says. “It’s up to you.”
Trump and his wife did not participate in the campaign. Both of us received the coronavirus vaccine in January, but did not reveal that they were vaccinated until weeks after leaving the White House.
Public service announcements arrive just in time for the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declarant COVID-19, a global pandemic.
Hesitation to get the vaccine remains a critical issue in the U.S., as the Biden administration increases its efforts to vaccinate 100 million Americans during President Biden’s first 100 days. Mr. Biden will deliver one first primetime address in the nation Thursday night, on the occasion of the anniversary of the pandemic.
More than 525,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 93.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered as of Tuesday and 123.2 million shots have been administered. More than 32 million Americans are fully vaccinated and the United States now averages more than 2 million shots a day.
To date, emergency use permits have been approved for the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna double-shot vaccines and the Johnson & Johnson single vaccine.