Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said that President Trump does bear some responsibility for catching COVID-19 last week due to his refusal of not taking social distancing guidelines and not wearing a mask seriously.
“Look, 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,” Biden said during the NBC News town hall in Miami Monday evening when moderator Lester Holt asked if he agreed with the latest poll stating that 65 percent of Americans believe Trump bore some responsibility for catching the virus.
“They’re taking responsibility that, in fact, they should be held responsible for, because every major scientist and doctor and immunologist has said that’s a very dangerous thing to do,” Biden said. “The particles and droplets can stay in the air for a long time, longer than they thought.”
The former Vice President slammed those that refuse to wear mask, calling them “tough guys” and asserted that a face covering should be “viewed as a patriotic duty” to protect yourself and others.
“What is this macho thing, ‘I’m not going to wear a mask?’ What’s the deal here? Big deal, does it hurt you? Be patriotic for god’s sake! Take care of yourself, but take care of your neighbors,” Biden argued.
“I view wearing this mask, not so much protecting me, but as a patriotic responsibility,” Biden added while taking out his surgical mask. “All the tough guys say: ‘I’m not wearing a mask. I’m not afraid.’ Well, be afraid for your husband, your wife, your son, your daughter, your neighbor, or your co-worker. That’s who you’re protecting having this mask on. And it should be viewed as a patriotic duty to protect those around you.”
Biden went back into campaign attack mode, giving sharp criticism of Trump during his response when he asked if he was surprised to hear his presidential rival reveal last Friday that both he and the First Lady tested positive for the virus.
“Quite frankly, I wasn’t surprised,” Biden responded.
“For the last three months, three times a week, I’m on the telephone and on Zoom with some of the leading immunologists in the nation, and they go through everything that’s happening. And so the idea that COVID does not spread in proximity when you don’t have a mask on, when you’re not socially dancing, when there is large groups of people, when you’re inside in particular and even when you’re outside, that’s not surprising,” Biden added.
Regarding the president tweet telling Americans to not “be afraid of COVID” as he was leaving Walter Reed medical center, Biden expressed concern to hear from Trump this uplifting message.
“You have about 1,000 people a day getting the coronavirus. It’s a significant concern. I hope no one walks away with the message thinking it’s not a problem,” Biden said. “It’s a serious problem. It’s an international pandemic.”
20202020 Election2020 Presidential RaceCoronavirusFace MaskJoe BidenLester HoltNBC NewsPresident TrumpSocial DistancingTown Hall
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