Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy cornered White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday and asked her whether President Joe Biden still thought red-state governors exhibited “Neanderthal thinking” for eliminating mask mandates after the CDC lifted restrictions.
“Does the President still think that these red-state governors, who were a little bit ahead of the federal government, lifting the mask mandates, had Neanderthal thinking?” Doocy asked.
In response to Doocy’s question on Biden’s previous thoughts on the “Neanderthal thinking,” Psaki deflected.
“I would say that even with this guidance that’s out there, the guidance is not telling states and localities exactly how they should implement,” Psaki responded. “As you know, there are some localities and states in the country that have higher rates of vaccination than others, some communities that have higher rates of vaccination than others. And we even know as this is being implemented that different localities, businesses will implement it in a way that they feel will help ensure their community is safe.”
Psaki insisted that the new federal guidance on masks originated from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and that the CDC was now stating that vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks indoors or outdoors. They also don’t have to socially distance themselves.
(Video Credit: Fox News)
But Psaki made it clear that the directive came from the CDC and not the Biden administration: “Not by us, not by the president,” she declared and then added that the White House was working to implement the new guidelines “across the government.”
“Our North Star has been listening to the guidance of our medical and health experts and teams and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this case,” Psaki proclaimed.
After a long year of sacrifice, Americans who are fully vaccinated can stop wearing masks in most settings. We have more to do — but this is great news. pic.twitter.com/s6hPCYKJrG
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 14, 2021
In March, Biden excoriated Texas and Mississippi governors for reopening their states and ending mask mandates.
The new CDC mask guideline came out on Thursday. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky advised that fully vaccinated individuals should still wear masks in crowded gatherings such as homeless shelters, hospitals, and prisons and while riding public transportation.
“This virus can be unpredictable, so if things get worse, there is always a chance we need to make a change to these recommendations,” Walensky warned.
She claimed that the CDC is following the science: “I want to be clear that we followed the science here,” Walensky posited. “While this may serve as an incentive for some people to get vaccinated, that is not the purpose, our purpose here is as a public health agency to follow the science and to follow where we are with regard to the science and what is safe for individuals to do.”
In a flipflop on wearing masks, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stated that the CDC’s new guidelines on mask-wearing were a “great milestone.”
“If you have been fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask. Let me repeat, if you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask,” Biden declared. “I think it’s a great milestone, a great day. It’s been made possible by the extraordinary success we have had in vaccinating so many Americans, so quickly.”
“Get vaccinated or wear a mask until you do,” the President ordered. “As great as this announcement is today, we don’t want to let up. We all know how tough this virus has been…The safest thing for the country is for everyone to get vaccinated.”
Republican lawmakers questioned the administration’s odd timing on the new mask guidelines.
With Biden’s world on fire, some in GOP question timing of CDC mask announcement https://t.co/QxYuJ8Mg9e pic.twitter.com/ZvwH7h5Q7s
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) May 14, 2021
“Why today? The science hasn’t changed,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) asked in a tweet.
“While the new mask guidance is encouraging, the CDC and my Far Radical Left colleagues only chose to do this to distract from the consequences of catastrophic policy decisions that have been heard around the world,” Rep. Andy Biggs, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, noted on Thursday. “Inflation is rising, the Middle East is in shambles, the working class can’t fill up their gas tanks, our border is being overrun and the Biden Administration’s leadership is nowhere to be found.”
People are confused, suspicious, and infuriated over the suddenly announced new mask guidelines:
What is most disturbing to me is that White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki characterizes President Biden as “our North Star.” I believe that the analogy is meant to convey a steady, unwavering calculus of guidance and direction with reference to Biden. I’m not feel’n it.
— Louis A. Burgess (@exegeomai) May 14, 2021
Prez Joementia.. needs a pudding cup at 6pm.. in bed by 6:30pm .. “our North Star” yikes .. we are so screwed
— Zeke (@Zeke50010776) May 14, 2021
What was the big breakthrough between yesterday and, say, Monday of this week or last week or last month?
There wasn’t one. They could have done this much earlier. Instead they waited and the freedoms of people who had to follow that guidance were taken away during that time.
— Stagflation SlothB77 (@ScottySols) May 14, 2021
The truth is, Jen Psaki is being told exactly what BS to spew, by the same people who are telling Pres. Biden what ‘his’ agenda will be from day to day. He is our ‘John Gill’.
— Cy Bear Loafing (@CyberLofing) May 14, 2021
So what changed? Perhaps a shitty jobs report and inflation. The left never tells the truth but you can See the truth by their actions, they telegraph them every time.
— Scott Stasak (@raisedbedsoil) May 15, 2021
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