A.G. Gancarski
A Republican U.S. Senator from Florida noted Friday a double standard from President Joe Biden regarding his own administration’s mask mandate.
Biden “and his Administration violated their own rules on their first day in office! They want to impose mandates on Americans but refuse to abide by them,” tweeted Sen. Rick Scott from his handle used for political, rather than official purposes.
Scott spotlighted a snippet of a White House press conference from Thursday, when Press Secretary Jen Psaki fielded a question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about the President’s decision to go maskless on federal property, contravening his own policy.
Her take was that Biden was “celebrating.”
“I think, Steve (SIC), he was celebrating an evening of a historic day in our country. And certainly he signed the mask mandate because it’s a way to send a message to the American public about the importance of wearing masks, how it can save tens of thousands of lives,” Psaki said. “We take a number of COVID precautions, as you know here, in terms of testing, social distancing, mask wearing ourselves, as we do every single day. But I don’t know that I have more for you on it than that.”
She conceded little ground in the followup, suggesting the singularity of the moment prevailed.
“Yesterday was a historic moment in our history. He was inaugurated as President of the United States. He was surrounded by his family. We take a number of precautions, but I don’t think — I think we have big — bigger issues to worry about at this moment in time.”
For Scott and other Republicans, the mask issue predominated in 2020. Here in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis was pressed routinely for a mask mandate as case loads and hospitalizations surged under the weight of COVID-19 pressures.
But as Biden and his team are finding, a mask mandate can create optics problems of its own.
For Republicans well practiced in finding disconnects between the words and the actions of Democratic leaders mandating business shutdowns and the like, Biden’s gaffe is just another narrative point in an evolving story.
.@JoeBiden and his Administration violated their own rules on their first day in office!
They want to impose mandates on Americans but refuse to abide by them. https://t.co/jGwrWtS853
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) January 22, 2021
4 comments
Not Applicable
January 22, 2021 at 7:04 pm
I’m not a Republican “well practiced in finding disconnects between the words and the actions of Democratic leaders mandating business shutdowns and the like”, but even to me the hypocrisy of this is blindingly obvious. As the premier of Australian state Victoria said recently to complaining tennis players, “There’s no special treatment here. Because the virus doesn’t treat you specially”. The idea that it’s OK for the administration to not wear masks while celebrating is ludicrous and insulting to every person around the world who has not been able to celebrate their wedding or attend a funeral because of COVID-19. Clearly White House press conferences have not changed at all from one administration to the next.
Sonja Fitch
January 23, 2021 at 5:57 am
Stfu Nazi Rick! Yo Moscow Mitch! Nazi Rick is on the prowl to replace you! Lol. Moscow Mitch no one is above the law ! Now old rich white man nazi rick has abused and gotten his hands on money at the expense of folks dying! Lol Nazi Rick SEE ME campaign is pathetic! If there is a Republican Party we will know at the end of the trial for provoked insurrection by impeached loser trump!
Ocean Joe
January 23, 2021 at 6:49 am
Scott is certainly an expert on the subject of hypocrisy.
Like how you picked the photo of him pulling off his mask at the super spreader event in Georgia where he helped two GOP incumbents lose in a red state.
PeterH
January 23, 2021 at 11:47 am
Rick Scott is such a grifting moron. Picking on vaccinated President Biden for removing his mask for less than four minutes while being filmed giving a speech at the Federally owned Lincoln Memorial at 9PM with no one else around.
……. not a word from Rick on Trump’s many many super spreader events. What a miserable low life you are Rick. I hope Trump supporters like you continue with your narrative of stupidity. We’ll see you on Election Day.
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