Stacey Abrams Sorry for Breaking Protocols in Viral Maskless Photo: ‘That Is a Mistake and I Apologize’
Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams apologized on Tuesday for appearing in a photo at a school surrounded by masked children, while she herself remained unmasked.
Abrams was at an elementary school last week in Decatur, Georgia, where she read to children and posed for photos.
She shared one that a number of people instantly flagged, given its poor optics and a notion that Democrats nationwide have masked children while they themselves have flouted mandates that require them.
Abrams deleted the tweet, but not before it went viral:
Have a feeling this photo—which Abrams promoted on her own account—of her appearing maskless surrounded by kids in masks is gonna be in a lot of ads this fall. pic.twitter.com/gYtDOMGTeK
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) February 6, 2022
On CNN’s OutFront with host Erin Burnett on Tuesday evening, Abrams apologized for not wearing a mask.
“So, obviously, we’ve all seen the picture, we’ve all seen the coverage of the picture,” Burnett noted, “Did you make a mistake by taking a photo, maskless, in the classroom when it appears at everyone else including all the children were wearing them?”
The Democrat responded by admitting that she had made a mistake:
Yes. I will say this, I went to read to kids for an African American read-in day. I approached the podium with my mask on. I followed the protocols. I told the kids I’m taking my mask off because I’m reading to kids who are listening remotely as well, and we were socially distanced, the kids were socially distanced from me. I told them that’s what I was doing. And in the excitement after I finished because it was so much fun working with those kids, I took a picture. And that was a mistake.
Abrams concluded, “Protocols matter, and protecting our kids is the most important thing and anything that can be perceived as undermining that is a mistake and I apologize.”
Watch above, via CNN.
