Kathleen Sebelius Lectures Chuck Todd For Not Sneezing Correctly During Briefing (VIDEO)

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was outraged when NBC political correspondent Chuck Todd had the temerity to sneeze during her briefing without properly covering his nose with his elbow. The press corps erupted in laughter as Sebelius made funny faces and lectured Todd on controlling the spread of his germs.

Todd smiled sheepishly as Sebelius playfully admonished him: "I mean what is that about? Jeez, who's got some Purell? Give that to Mr. Todd right away. We'll have Elmo give Chuck a special briefing."

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Comments

[marymoran]

Come on everybody, research shows that there is a reduction in the spread of germs when you cough/sneeze into the crook of your elbow, thus a reduction in the incidence of colds/flus. There is a reason the experts HHS and the CDC are recommending it. Once on the clothing in the elbow, the germs are less likely to spread everywhere else. If you have kids, there is a great program out called Germy Wormy that teaches them in a fun and entertaining way how to do this- we parents would miss less time from work if our children get sick less.

[chulanow]

The whole elbow things sounds so unsanitary. At least if you sneeze into your hands you can go wash your hands right after wards.

However, if you sneeze into your sleeve/corner of your elbow, the germs are going to be hanging on your suit the rest of day...thats just gross.

I say get a kleenex or hanky and sneeze on that....forget the elbow craziness.

[BabblingBrooks]

Obama has picked the biggest batch of wimpy suckups to head the various agencies and departments--and, quietly behind the scenes, a batch of radical czars to do the actual remaking of government.

Napolitano, Holder, Sebelius, et al, all not-too-bright, easily persuaded, malleable sorts, willing to go out and toe the line, put on a front, pretend to be doing something important, fronting for the behind-the-scenes power-wielders.

Clinton used to nominate the corrupt or corruptible, his main criterion for staff; had to be willing to accept his lies at least publicly.

Obama appoints weak people who can be led around or are willing to play Potemkin cabinet members.

[wm1066]

The reason there are buttons on sleeves of mens coats is because Napoleon didn't like his men whiping their noses on their sleeves. He put buttons there to discourage this behavior. It then became the custom for all coats to have buttons on the sleeves. Now we get to sneeze into our elbows and have a wad of snot on our sleeve. I really want to dryclean my sport coat everytime I sneaze !
Why not just encourage using hankys? I have carried a hanky for years, its easy, it fits in my back pocket, no problem.

[NoSillyName]

This sounds disgusting. If you're not wearing long sleeves, you're at risk of getting mucus on your skin. Then you have to wipe it with something and try to wash your whole arm in some public restroom.

Clothing or skin, ugh. Hankies, tissues, sanitizer, washing should be quite enough.

[DMHendrix]

Some people take this clip so seriously. First, she was right with what she told him...secondly, you could tell she was just ribbing him, not nagging him. Lighten up a little.

[AlphaDragon]

I agree completely! Not only was she correct, but she also was not nagging him at all.

I think some commenters need a lesson or two from Elmo on how to play nice with others.

[chulanow]

Bad move on her part it made her sound like another nag. She should of approached him in private.

[NoSillyName]

Where's you sense of humor?

[breehill]

My child came home from school the other day saying that they learned to cough and sneeze into their elbow with Germy Wormie, and I was totally taken aback. I always covered with my hands. But I went to the website and now I get it, hands touch, elbows don't!! Kids can touch 300 surfaces in 1/2 hour and they hate to wash their hands. This is a simple thing that can make a huge difference.

[mark04]

That was totally hilarious. Dana Carvey had better watch out or Ms. Sibelius will be replacing him as the Church Lady!

[rockyb26]

this is pretty prescient given H1N1. it's extremely important to cover your coughs and sneezes, especially when you're in confined spaces. of course chuck todd doesn't know this because he clearly hasn't been paying attention to anything the obama administration has said about anything. he should go back to crunching numbers

[qxav949]

Sorry to say but Todd's absence of mind to sneeze correctly in the presence of the HHS Secretary is typical of his, and by extension his media colleagues, dismissal of such advice as trivial and inconsequential. I can think of many in the media who pontificate on the "important stuff" that have ridiculed the President's attention to matters of personal hygiene in light of H1N1 flu. They've made washing hands and sneezing into sleeves a joke at best and that is why it was so easy for Todd to sneeze as usual, even in front of Secretary Sebelius who's been preaching this like a gospel on Sunday morning.
Actions say a lot.

[HarlemFreeThought]

And another blow to Mr. Todd's reputation!

[NoSillyName]

Oh, and while we're about the business of changing social sneezing behavior, let's stop "blessing" people who sneeze. Especially , "god" blessing.

That practice started because people a long time ago thought that the devil would take the opportunity to jump inside a person during that brief second between the inhale and the exhale of the sneeze. They also thought that the soul would escape during a sneeze and that the heart stopped beating so they wanted to bless the sneezer in case they died.

"Gesundheit" means "health", so maybe that makes more sense if something simply must be said.

Or, feel free to make up your own saying! Or say nothing.

[rockyb26]

if you don't want to say it just don't say it

[StephenJK]

How about this one: "SHUTUP!"

[NoSillyName]

I'll think about it.

[NoSillyName]

Howard Hughes would feel right at home. Too bad his germ phobia didn't keep him from living forever.

How many people hear use "anti-bacterial" everything, from dish detergent to hand soap to shower get?

To those guilty, a big thanks for making germs more resistant.

[SpinDown08]

Just a question...

Does anyone else here find Sebelius alluring?

[StephenJK]

Yeah I would totally lay her down.

[VTL]

I was with her last night.

Great lay.

[SpinDown08]

Just a question...

Dies anyone else here find Sebelius alluring?

[SpinDown08]

Ignore this...oops!

[NoSillyName]

No problem. We all make typos. I just made one in my last comment.

Context is everything.