President-elect Joe Biden (D) is making it clear that he appreciates the decision by some Republican governors to implement mask mandates to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Biden was asked, “With cases skyrocketing across the country, do you think that more governors should be closing non-essential businesses and reinstating stay-at-home orders?”
“It depends on the state,” Biden said, adding, “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.”
Republican governors in North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, Indiana, and Utah have implement mask mandates despite the aversion to such mandates from President Donald Trump.
Biden also took aim at White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas who tweeted that Americans should “rise up” to stop what he sees as draconian coronavirus restrictions.
He said, “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?”
“Every major individual of any consequence in the health field is saying, we can save 100,000 lives just between now and January 21 by wearing these masks,” Biden continued.
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President-elect on Joe Biden on Dr. Scott Atlas: "What the hell is the matter with these guys?" pic.twitter.com/07JJ0exEUM
— The Hill (@thehill) November 16, 2020
He added, “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.”
Finally, he said, “And so I compliment the governors who’ve stepped forward, who have been stepping forward. But also the Republican governors who’ve stepped forward.
Biden has repeatedly urged Americans to wear masks and vowed to push local leaders to implement mask mandates around the country once he is sworn in on January 20, 2021.
In a speech last week, Biden pleaded with Americans to voluntarily wear masks, “It doesn’t matter who you voted for. Where you stood before election day. It doesn’t matter your party, your point of view. We can save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months. Not Democrat or Republican lives, American lives.”
“So, please, I implore you, wear a mask. Do it for yourself. Do it for your neighbor. A mask is not a political statement, but it is a good way to start pulling the country together,” he added.
