Biden Praises Republican Governors Supporting Masks, Blasts Scott Atlas for Politicizing Them: ‘What The Hell is Wrong With These Guys?!’
President-elect Joe Biden went out of his way to praise Republican governors supporting masks, and blasting those who politicize them, asking “what the hell is wrong with these guys?”
The moment came following prepared remarks given by Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, as the President-elect as took questions from the assembled press. Wall Street Journal reporter Sabrina Siddiqui noted that Biden has been urging the American public to continue practicing social distancing and wearing a mask, but asked whether those measures might not go far enough.
“But with cases skyrocketing across the country,” she aasked “do you think that more governors should be closing non-essential businesses and reinstating stay-at-home orders?”
“It depends on the state,” Biden replied. “What I failed to mention earlier is the enormous respect I have for Republican — conservative Republican governors who stepped up and issued mandates for wearing masks.”
Biden then took a clear shot at Dr. Scott Atlas, who has presented a decidedly anti-mask approach in his rhetoric, despite his lack of expertise in epidemiology. “The idea that the president’s now existing remaining adviser on Covid is saying they should resist…What is the matter with these guys? What the hell is the matter with them? Resist?”
Biden’s comment comes after Dr. Atlas walked backed a previous tweet that encouraged his followers to “rise up” mandatory mask-wearing. Atlas tweeted:
https://twitter.com/SWAtlasHoover/status/1328120887128842240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“Every major individual of any consequence in the health field is saying, we can save 100,000 lives just between now and January 21st by wearing these masks,” Biden continues. “It’s going to take a while for the vaccine to be able to be available, distributed, and get to people. We’re talking about 350 to 400,000 people dying? What are they doing? It’s totally irresponsible.”
Watch above via CNN.
