Republican Senate Campaign Briefing Book Prescribes Severe Attacks on China, and War

April 28, 2020 (EIRNS)—The National Republican Senatorial Committee distributed a campaign briefing book for all Republican Senators or prospective Republican candidates for Senate to use to run their campaigns on, in the 2020 elections. It severely blames and attacks China not only for COVID-19, but across the board. It is intended to be one of the central issues of Republican Senate campaigns.

Called the “Corona Big Book: Main Messages,” it was assembled by O’Donnell & Associates, which is led by Brett O’Donnell, who has worked for and is close to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The book is basically a script for what Republican Senate candidates are to say.

There is a short version of the message, and an expanded version of the message. These are quotes from the expanded version:

• “The Chinese Communist Party caused this pandemic. They arrested doctors who tried to warn us. They covered up the number of deaths. They lied and pretended the disease could not be transmitted. China bought up the world’s supply of face masks and medical supplies, and then stopped exports out of the country when we needed them.”

• “China is not an ally, and they’re not just a rival—they are an adversary, and the Chinese Communist Party is our enemy.”

• “At home, China forces women to have abortions, they send religious minorities to concentration camps, and they arrest Christians.”

• “We also know that China blocked exports of critical medical products from American companies in China when the world needed them most. China caused the virus and then made it worse.”

• “I will fight for a strong military. We need to be prepared as China continues its aggression in the South China Sea and campaign of cyber- attacks.”

• “Finally, we need to investigate how China was able to keep this pandemic hidden. China should pay a price for arresting doctors who tried to warn about the pandemic. We should impose sanctions on China and treat China like the pariah state that they are.”

In 2018, during then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s confirmation to become Secretary of State, Brett O’Donnell officially fielded questions from the media on behalf of Pompeo and his family, becoming among the people who helped organize for him to be confirmed as Secretary of State. O’Donnell holds the post of the communications adviser of anti-China fanatic, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). In 2008, he was the “director of messaging” for the pro-permanent warfare John McCain campaign for President.

The U.S. and world media are treating the “Corona Big Book” from the standpoint of whether this is a good or bad strategy for Republicans, and who will win seats in the 2020 Senate elections. The issue is actually far broader, and far more dangerous. On April 17, presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden attacked President Donald Trump for being “soft” on China and for following Xi Jinping’s advice and word, rather than fighting the coronavirus. The anti-China issue thus threatens to dominate the national political scene in the U.S. for the next six months. Moreover, if this level of provocation takes hold as national policy, the world is on a course to thermonuclear war.