President Joe Biden sat with ESPN’s Sage Steele to discuss a number of sports-related topics — and on the eve of Major League Baseball’s opening day, he called out the Texas Rangers and Governor Greg Abbott (R) for allowing full capacity amid the still-ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Abbott announced on March 2 that he would be lifting a mask mandate and opening all businesses in Texas 100% which means that every seat at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, Texas can be filled. This is happening while a recent increase in Covid-19 infections suggests yet another wave, despite roughly 150 million vaccinations have been administered in the United States as of March 31st.
Steele noted that 40,000 people could be in attendance at the game, though with masks required unless eating or drinking, before asking the president for his thoughts on the Rangers’ decision.
“Well, that’s a decision they made, I think it’s a mistake,” Biden replied in the pre-taped interview. “They should listen to Dr. Fauci and the scientists and the experts. I think it’s not responsible.”
Steele then pivoted to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s recent announcement that the NFL is making plans for games to also enjoy full attendance, to which Biden noted that the extra time will likely allow more vaccinations, and noted how many countries in Europe have had to return to lockdowns after premature re-opening. “I don&
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky recently received a lot of attention for her going off-script during a White House Covid-19 press conference and revealing how she was “scared” and had a sense of “impending doom” that another spike of infections of the potentially deadly contagion could lead to many more deaths.
Watch above via ESPN.