President Biden’s chief spokeswoman turned down a question about the captain’s captain’s mask-less appearance despite his own mandate Wednesday night – telling reporters that he was’ celebrating an evening of a historic day ‘and that he has’ bigger issues to worry about ‘.
The response from White House press secretary Jen Psaki came a day after Biden was seen bare-faced at the Lincoln Memorial, hours after he signed an executive order mandating the use of masks on federal property.
“He was celebrating an evening of a historic day in our country and he certainly signed the mask mandate because it is a way of sending a message to the American public about the importance of wearing masks, how it can save tens of thousands of lives. save it, ”Psaki rumbled during a press conference on Thursday.
“We’re taking some COVID precautions as you know here in terms of testing, socializing, wearing masks ourselves, as we do every day,” she added. “I don’t know if I have any more for you than that.”
The newly inaugurated president and members of his family were all seen maskless at the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday night, images from CSPAN and tweets from reporters showed.
Psaki was urged by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy to ask whether Biden was a “good example” for Americans by going maskless in light of his new mandate.
“I think we have bigger problems to worry about right now,” she responded.
In November, then-President-elect Biden told Americans it was their “ patriotic duty ” to limit the spread of coronavirus during their family’s Thanksgiving celebrations, asking them to “ forgo so many of the traditions we have made this holiday a long time ‘.
‘I know how difficult it is to forgo family traditions. But it is so very important. Our country is in the midst of a dramatic spike in cases, ”he said in the November comments.
‘We owe it to each other. It is literally our patriotic duty as Americans. It means wearing a mask, keeping social distance, limiting the size of any group we are in until we have a vaccine. These are the most effective means of fighting the virus, ”he continued at the time.
In a 17-minute pre-Thanksgiving speech, Biden stressed that “none of these steps we ask people to take are political statements. Everyone is based on science. “
He said, “The federal government cannot do this alone. Each of us has a responsibility in our own lives to do what we can do to slow down the virus. Every decision we make is important. “