Is Joe Biden Turning The Face Mask Into The New MAGA Hat?
HARRY HURLEY OPINION EDITORIAL
First, (my disclaimer), I have spent the entire COVID-19 pandemic being as compliant as is humanly possible.
This includes my actions both on-air and in my personal life.
Second, I believe in the vaccine.
Third, I believe in responsibly wearing a face mask anywhere that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy have recommended throughout the past 14-plus months.
However, I have come to a sad conclusion. United States President Joe Biden appears to be causing a lot of confusion regarding face masks.
He is still wearing not one, but two face masks while outdoors and not near a crowd.
At a recent outdoor event in Georgia, Biden went into full panic mode when he couldn’t find his face mask at the podium and stated “I can’t find my face mask. I’m in trouble.”
Biden even wore two face masks while indoors on a Zoom conference call with leaders from around the world.
This was embarrassing and he looked ridiculous and weak.
I heard a national television personality (Pete Hegseth - Fox News Channel) refer to face masks as the new Democrat equivalent of Republicans wearing a Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat.
Hegseth admitted swiping this observation from another Fox News Channel personality.
I have long maintained that absolutely everything is political. Incredulously, this has even held true during a life and death health pandemic.
This should never be the case. But, it’s undeniably and sadly true.
The CDC has issued clear guidelines as to the fully vaccinated as to where and when to wear a face mask.
Yet, Biden continues to wear two face masks while outside, even while not in a crowd.
He’s going against the science ... so, it has to be for other reasons. The “other” reasons have to be political in nature.
Why else would Biden be breaking the CDC guidance - that one hour after they officially announced it - Biden addressed the nation to support the CDC recommendations.
Biden immediately proceeded to go against the recommendations at the same moment that he announced his support.
This is not about mask shaming or anything like that from my vantage point.
A nation of more than 350 million people must be provided with a clear direction. This is not that.
Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn said last weekend that Biden continues to wear a face mask outside as “a matter of habit.”
That is a terrible justification. It’s dishonest.
Dunn went on to say that “the President takes the CDC guidelines very seriously. And he’s always taking his role and was sending a signal to follow the science very seriously as well.“
Yet, Biden continues to do the exact opposite of the CDC recommendation.
It’s real simple. Wear a face mask (responsibly) when you should. Don’t wear one when you shouldn’t.
To be clear, the CDC Has formally stated that fully vaccinated Americans do not need to cover their faces anymore unless they’re in a large crowd of strangers.
Someone needs to tell this to President Biden.