Ohio Senate Candidate Josh Mandel Faces Mockery For Burning His Mask in the Name of ‘FREEDOM’
FREEDOM ?? pic.twitter.com/EfJlH18BqA
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) June 2, 2021
Ohio Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel is facing ridicule for making a theatrical display of himself burning a face mask.
As a growing percentage of Americans become fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, more and more places are opening themselves up to the public, dropping mask requirements and loosening social distancing rules in the process. To celebrate the relaxed restrictions, Mandel — who is running to replace outgoing Republican Senator Rob Portman — decided to make a spectacle of himself yelling “FREEDOM” on Twitter after filming himself torching a mask at the bottom of a stairwell before dropping it and walking away.
Mandel’s video is literally nothing but a performative political statement, so between that and the fact that mask-burning is a passé and unoriginal stunt by now, many observers were left unimpressed.
Pathetic. https://t.co/9FHng2aNQB
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 2, 2021
In this compelling performance, the mask represents his dignity. https://t.co/NjFCb7nVwU
— Ramesh Ponnuru (@RameshPonnuru) June 2, 2021
Bold move in the Asshole Olympics. https://t.co/mSbJJnriA2
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) June 2, 2021
He’s such a tryhard https://t.co/2dagQofAa6
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) June 2, 2021
This is like those instances of self-immolating monks—minus the courage, moral authority, and sacrificial power. https://t.co/C15VbMHPH7
— Berny Belvedere (@bernybelvedere) June 2, 2021
i literally laughed out loud at this knob. this is like an outtake from a remake of Waiting for Guffman or Best in Show? (name is Josh Mandel, specializes in losing statewide offices in Ohio) https://t.co/VRnimPjQKs
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) June 2, 2021
BREAKING: Marine Vet Takes Up Local Theater In Spare Time https://t.co/kiSjrqcYut
— VoteVets (@votevets) June 2, 2021
this seriously looks like a cut scene of michael scott from the office, which ends with a fire alarm going off, dwight panicking and pushing kevin down the stairs and creed jumping out the window https://t.co/GcDfs7NKkh
— Jorge Ribas (@jribas) June 2, 2021
Finally, a worthy fourth image to complete the set. https://t.co/LTnjCgFPYE pic.twitter.com/Q87NsmTArT
— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) June 2, 2021
What happens when an entire political party's reason for existence becomes little more than "triggering the libs" https://t.co/0uRQfR6oOa
— Andy Kroll (@AndyKroll) June 2, 2021
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