A.G. Gancarski
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried briefed media on COVID-19 at the Florida Capitol, a day after Florida saw its largest amount of coronavirus cases on any single day ever. The 21,683 new case count was up by more than 4,000 cases from the previous day.
Fried said Sunday the “shocking numbers we have seen coming out of Florida since I was last with you all on Friday necessitated a weekend update.”
The surge blew past previous marks during other pandemic highs, with one in every five new cases of COVID-19 now in the virus-ridden Sunshine State.
Broward and Miami-Dade counties are dealing with the worst hospital crunch in the country from the virus right now, and resources are strained elsewhere in the state also.
“This is pushing our hospital system to capacity, which has dangerous implications beyond COVID-19,” Fried said.
“This surge is and will impact every single one of us,” she added.
Fried repeated her call for daily reporting, so that people would have the “information they need” to make informed decisions.
Fried, a candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2022, had previously addressed reporters on the subject Friday at the Capitol in what was her third briefing of the week. The Commissioner found time to hit familiar themes; she again maligned Gov. Ron DeSantis for perceived shortcomings in his coronavirus messaging, accusing him of “pandering” to his base.
At these events, the Commissioner has attempted to spotlight DeSantis not holding briefings solely on the virus and deciding to stop releasing data daily directly to the people of Florida.
“The only reason I can even fathom why we’re not doing them is because they don’t want to recognize our current trajectory of our spike and where the numbers are going,” Fried said Thursday.
DeSantis disregards her critiques as political attacks, famously calling her a “lockdown lobbyist.”
Meanwhile, Fried’s political arm is messaging, with her political committee buying a highly publicized public service announcement on Fox News pushing vaccines Friday.
“Think about it. The greatest generation had to beat the Nazis to preserve our way of life,” Fried said. “You’re only asked to get a shot! So be a patriot, turn off the TV, and go get vaccinated.”
The Commissioner lauded the “positive trend” on vaccinations in recent days in her remarks Sunday.
“The vaccine is how we stop the virus,” Fried said, urging the vaccinated to talk to those who are not vaccinated and let them know the vaccine is safe.
33 comments
Cooking the Books
August 1, 2021 at 9:35 am
Working overtime but can’t complete her 2020 financial disclosure.
Jmjusa
August 1, 2021 at 9:36 am
All things demon-rat good..
All things freedom loving…??
Typical FP hack job…
Ron Ogden
August 1, 2021 at 9:49 am
She is so without clue–or maybe she just high from smoking her garden–that she has no conception of damn sick and tired Floridians are of this whole g–d— thing, and all it will take is one clip of her smirking puss as she tries to jam it down our throats again and her candidacy with jump immediately past “vegetative state” to “living will”.
Michael Hoffmann
August 1, 2021 at 9:56 am
Definitely better to go ostrich and wait until Uncle Ron gives the word that we’re in a world of excrement.
Tom
August 1, 2021 at 10:53 am
Memo: Fraud will finally give reason as to delaying her financial million update. But don’t ask her when she will share it. That’s not your business.
Rules for we and not for the fraud.
Tom
August 1, 2021 at 10:55 am
Memo: Update on her reason as to not providing financial reporting disclosure. But don’t ask for it just yet. Not your business.
Tjb
August 1, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Just like trump who promised his tax returns.
Ron Ogden
August 1, 2021 at 9:59 am
She is so without clue–or maybe she just high from smoking her garden–that she has no conception of how damn sick and tired Floridians are of this whole g–d— thing, and all it will take is one clip of her smirking puss as she tries to jam it down our throats again and her candidacy with jump immediately past “vegetative state” to “living will”.
Ed
August 1, 2021 at 10:29 am
Nikki has no concept of the “Chain of Command”. She isn’t the Governor and will never be the Governor of Florida. She is overstepping her authority but has been doing it ever since she became Social Media Influencer, I mean Agriculture Commissioner. Maybe she will have her old friend Rebekah Jones, the fake scientist, at her side today. Anyway she is irrelevant so know one will pay attention anyhow.
Do You Remember?
August 1, 2021 at 10:40 am
Don’t recall Adam Putnam criticizing Rick Scott day, after day, after day…
Ocean Joe
August 1, 2021 at 5:02 pm
Nobody recalls Adam Putnam period, because your entire party dropped him like a hot potato two seconds after Bozo saw Desantis on Fox spouting off and endorsed him for governor.
But, to your point, Putnam should have criticized Scott over his evisceration of our science staff at the Water Management Districts. Florida’s environment which is our stock in trade, paid a horrible price for Scott’s indifference or incompetence.
Tom Palmer
August 1, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Actually Putnam didn’t oppose it because it gave his farmer buddies a free pass to pollute.
Tom
August 2, 2021 at 6:35 am
Typical distortions from seaweed joe & Palmer. Organized fakers. Will not be allowed and will be called out always.
father lowell laurence
August 1, 2021 at 11:47 am
IN FLORIDA PLAYWRIGHT DR LARRY MYERS PENNED
“TOWERS FALL
” HONORING THOSE LOST & THEIR FAMILIES HE WAS VOLUNTEER AT THE CONDO COLLAPSE SITE
ALSO HAS PENNED COVID & VAVVINATION PLAY
“AMBIDEXTERITY” AWARDED TWO AWARDS RECENTLY VISIONARY IN FLORIDA AND FOUND THEATER HONOR IN SAN FRANCISCO SUMMER RESIDENCE AT BACK YARD THEATER IN THE CASTRO
Matthew Lusk
August 1, 2021 at 12:02 pm
I don’t know who needs to be bitch-slapped the most…General Marx Milley or Nurse Nikki Rachet?
Andrew Finn
August 1, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Go get ’em Nikki. Somebody in Tallahassee has to stand up and challenge Emperor DeSantis !!!!!!!!!!!!
Ed
August 1, 2021 at 1:09 pm
Maybe Nikki should challenge Crist. The way she is going now she won’t even be the Democratic nominee for Governor.
Tjb
August 1, 2021 at 4:04 pm
Looks DeSantis and his minions don’t want Floridians to be reminded how badly our maskless governor has done to protect us from Covid 19. We are now the epicenter of new Covid 19 cases.
Tom
August 1, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Oh, tjb I must be mistaken with your substantive less rant name calling below.
LOL.
Tjb
August 1, 2021 at 6:37 pm
Where is the name calling below Tom. Talking about name calling, what should we call the governor of Florida who is ruling the epicenter of new Covid cases,
Tom
August 2, 2021 at 6:32 am
Your words above, DeSantis and his “minions” your words. Look in the mirror. 8/1, 4 pm.
Tom
August 2, 2021 at 6:43 am
More fake news from you and others.
America’s Governor has led on inoculations and masks.
tlb
August 2, 2021 at 10:05 am
We are the epicenter for new covid cases–not fake news. Tom, it was not below but above. Look like you don’t the difference between up and down, DUD.
Did the term minions offend you?
Ron Ogden
August 1, 2021 at 1:59 pm
Fried / tried / lied / died–political speaking of course. Although I imagine that she is so smoked most of the time you could deposit a small munition on her and she wouldn’t be fazed.
Andrew Finn
August 1, 2021 at 4:34 pm
NEWS BULLETIN – This just in – there will be no more deaths from Covid19 in the state of Florida. The Emperor DeSantis just issued another executive edict forbidding people to die from the virus. Simple. Problem solved.
Tom Palmer
August 1, 2021 at 5:53 pm
This is obviously political theater, but in the absence of real leadership from the governor’s office, it’s all we’ve got.
Tom
August 1, 2021 at 6:01 pm
Palmer and all.
You don’t get cuomo & newsom here.
My goodness, liberal mental incomprehension. Denial.
Hire a therapist.
tjb
August 2, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Tom,
Have you looked at the statistics for the number of Covid 19 death by the state? Florida has more death per thousand than CA, MI, and NY. Again, Florida is the epicenter of Covid 19. Maybe Cuomo and Newson can help DeSantis to bring down
Tom
August 1, 2021 at 6:01 pm
Palmer and all.
You don’t get cuomo & newsom here.
My goodness, liberal mental incomprehension. Denial.
Hire a therapist.
Sonja Fitch
August 2, 2021 at 4:43 am
Quit drinking the clorox. Duffus is willingly slaughtering Floridians!
Duffus Desantis won’t be outdone by the former president! , Duffus Desantis is perpetuating his own “big lie.”
Ed
August 2, 2021 at 6:25 am
Sonja,
You are certainly drinking or smoking something. Maybe Nikki had a weed party last night and you were invited. I see you still can’t spell.
Tom
August 2, 2021 at 6:28 am
LMAO, Red Sonja is low end trash.
Good one Ed.
Lee Duffus
August 3, 2021 at 10:54 am
Sonja, I think you mean
doo·fus
/ˈdo͞ofəs/
Learn to pronounce
nounINFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN
noun: doofus; plural noun: doofuses; noun: dufus; plural noun: dufuses
a stupid person.
“a doofus who paid an inflated price for a tatty house”
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