Biden asks Trump 'what's so macho' about not wearing a mask despite Covid-19 diagnosis: 'Masks matter'
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Monday, October 5, lashed out at President Donald Trump and his family for failing to give the idea of wearing masks in public enough importance even after the president and many around him in the White House, including First Lady Melania Trump, tested positive for the deadly coronavirus.
The former vice president, who came closest to the president during their first presidential debate in Cleveland last week, spoke minutes after Trump departed the Walter Reed medical facility where he spent three nights receiving treatment. The poll-bound commander-in-chief had reentered the White House and took off his own mask in a macho style suggesting there was 'nothing to fear' from the virus.
Biden, who Trump mocked during the first debate saying he wears the biggest mask he has ever seen, said at an NBC town hall in the key state of Florida: “Anybody who contracts the virus by essentially saying, 'masks don't matter, social distancing doesn't matter,' I think is responsible for what happens to them.”
Addressing the president’s dramatic arrival, Biden said: “I would hope that the president having gone through what he went through, and I’m glad he seems to be coming along pretty well, would communicate the right lesson to the American people.” The veteran also wondered “what is this macho thing I’m not going to wear a mask”. Biden also reiterated the importance of wearing masks that he said at the debate while Trump mocked him, saying: “Masks matter. These masks, they matter. It matters. It saves lives. It prevents the spread of the disease.”
The president also published a video message on Twitter in which he advised the people of America to not take the virus that has killed over 200,000 people in the country, seriously. The short video lasting around 90 seconds appears to have been recorded soon after the president returned to the White House and took off his mask, potentially putting the White House staff members at risk. He reportedly is also preparing to take part in the next presidential debate in Miami on October 15.
Recent polls have also suggested that most Americans believe Trump invited trouble for himself by being less serious about the virus that eventually hit him and many of those who stay around him.
Biden, who spent most of the campaign period at his residence basement in Delaware and reached out to people virtually, said he was not worried about himself contracting the virus from Trump while debating with the latter on September 29 since the president could have been already infected then. The former veep, who will turn 78 next month, told NBC’s Lester Holt: “I’ve been fastidious about the social distancing.” He tested negative for coronavirus along with his wife Jill.
Biden did not spare the first family either. He gave a hint at the fact that many from Trump’s family -- Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Lara Trump -- took off their masks while watching the debate. “It was a little disconcerting to look out and see that his whole section no one had masks on. You could see people coming in and a lot of people didn’t have masks on,” Biden said, without taking any specific names. It was reported after the debate that Cleveland Clinic, which co-sponsored the debate, offered masks to the president’s family inside the venue but they refused.
Biden doesn't think every bit of info needs to be revealed
However, while Biden refused to agree with Trump that coronavirus is not a problem and called it a “serious problem” that has happened internationally, he refused to target the president’s medical team for not revealing information. He said it is not required to reveal “moment to moment” information about the president’s health because it could have national security implications.
“I’m not being critical of the fact that every single detail was not released,” he said. White House physician Sean Conley faced criticism in the media over his refusal to reveal critical information about Trump’s condition, including the condition of his lungs and the exact levels of oxygenation while he faces a battle against the virus.