Mrs. Mike Pence went on clean-up duty for her husband’s recent maskless visit to the Mayo Clinic, a facility full of severely ill patients especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Appearing on Fox & Friends this morning, Karen Pence told cohost Ainsley Earhardt, “Wearing a mask prevents you from spreading the disease and knowing that he doesn’t have COVID-19, he didn’t wear one.”
But as I noted in a post for Crooks and Liars Tuesday, the Mayo Clinic tweeted that it had informed Pence of the policy before his visit. Furthermore, unless Pence was tested a moment before he walked in the Mayo Clinic’s door, he could have contacted coronavirus post-testing. Also, the tests are not infallible. So “Mother” Pence’s claim was probably not a whole lot reassuring to the Mayo patients.
Earhardt didn’t challenge a word. So Mother continued. “It was actually after he left Mayo Clinic that he found out that they had a policy of asking everyone to wear a mask,” she said.
FACT CHECK: In a subsequently deleted tweet, the Mayo Clinic said it had informed Pence of the policy before his visit.
But even if the clinic had not pre-advised Pence of the policy, don’t you think he should have at least asked? Or thought to wear a mask on his own?
That didn’t seem to have occurred to Earhardt either.
“Thank you for coming on and talking about it,” she chirped.
Mrs. Pence went on to spread a worthy message about resources for people who might be feeling suicidal.
Earhardt closed with, “What a beautiful message and I feel privileged to be able to talk to you and spread that message to our country because so many are hurting and if we can prevent one life, one person from taking their life, hopefully we’ve been able to do that today.”
Too bad Earhardt didn’t seem to think the Mayo Clinic patients or the workers at any of the meat plants Trump is demanding stay open, without guaranteeing their protection, deserve the same consideration.
You can watch the Republican Rehab below, from the April 30, 2020 Fox & Friends.
Regarding meat plants it’s a win-win.
Meat packing plants win because they’re off the hook for not closing over safety. If things go sideways they just say the devil made us do it. Profits roll in. Though I did see an interview of a worker (at JDW?) who said safety at her plant had greatly improved and she felt safe. Tyson closed a plant briefly for deep cleaning.
It’s a win for Trump because, while the average citizen won’t end up in a hospital and notice a lack of ventilators, they will notice they can’t get a Big Mac at the drive-in window because McDonald’s ran out of ground up retired dairy cows (a fact – yum!).
Just doesn’t mean sense to me.
All the usual mass gatherings (mainly mega-concerts) have been shifted to virtual venues, but families in my neighbourhood are jumping the gun and holding the traditional family lunch. Nobody’s much worried as the date of May 4th is interpreted as being aimed at closing down the mega gatherings. The elderly relatives don’t seem to have been brought in as usual, however, but cellphones are being used to keep them in the loop.
Happy Labour Day!!!
There is no doubt in my mind that the VP was told to wear a mask and that he was only too happy to pull rank on the doctors. Only wish the doctors had had the spine to refuse access.
Pence’s excuse that he had been tested several days previously only confirms ignorance: this from the nominal head of the task force.
