Tag: Mike Pence

Pence’s mask-free visit to the Mayo Clinic speaks volumes about Trump’s coronavirus stance

Washington Post logoSince mid-March, President Trump has adjusted his tone about the threat of the coronavirus — but only so much. Trump has continued to optimistically suggest that the virus might disappear sooner than experts say it could, and has played down the potential death toll and the severity of the situation, all in the service of praising the federal (and his own) response.

On Tuesday, his approach seemed to bleed over in a way that prompted one of the country’s top hospitals to rebuke the White House.

Vice President Pence visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on Tuesday. But conspicuously absent from his visit was a mask. While pictures and video show plenty of people around Pence all using masks, he wasn’t wearing one. Continue reading.

Mike Pence refuses to wear mask at health clinic

AlterNet logoVice President Mike Pence visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on Tuesday as it works on expanding the state’s capacity to test for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. But in an apparently brazen act of defiance, Pence didn’t wear a mask during his visit to the facility, despite the clinic’s own rules.

“Beginning today (Monday, April 13), Mayo Clinic is requiring all patients and visitors to wear a face covering or mask to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” the facility explained in a recent news bulletin. “Patients and visitors are asked to bring their own face covering or mask to wear. If a patient or visitor does not have a mask, Mayo Clinic will provide one. This updated masking guidance is based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Mayo Clinic experts. Mayo Clinic continues to assess and prioritize personal protective equipment needs to ensure the safety of its staff, patients and visitors.”

During the visit, Pence met with officials and subjects at the facility. In video clips, everyone but the vice president could be seen wearing a mask: Continue reading.

Minnesota DFL Party Responds to Pence’s Refusal to Wear a Mask to Mayo Clinic

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday, Vice President Mike Pence refused to wear a cloth face mask during his tour of the Mayo Clinic, despite the CDC’s recommendations that every American wear a cloth mask in public and despite the Mayo Clinic’s own policy requiring all those on campus wear masks.

Ken Martin, Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party released the following statement:

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend wearing a cloth mask to protect others, not oneself. Though extremely ill-advised, if Vice President Pence wants to gamble with his own health, he’s welcome to do that. However, Mike Pence’s failure to wear a mask during his tour of the Mayo Clinic jeopardizes the health and well-being of those around him and encourages others to engage in the same selfish and irresponsible behavior.

“The least we can do to thank the essential workers who risk infection to keep us fed, healthy, and safe during this crisis is to take the proper precautions to keep them safe as well. By refusing to lead by example and help protect essential workers, Vice President Pence is telling the American people that his public image matters more than the lives of those on the frontlines of this pandemic.”

 

Mike Pence Suggests America Is Too Dumb To See What A Great Job Trump Has Done On Testing

When a reporter asked Mike Pence why the Trump administration has failed to live up to its initial promise on coronavirus testing capacity, the vice president blamed the media and the American public for not understanding just how good a job the president has done.

“Mr. Vice President, back in early March you said we’d be at four million tests by the following week,” Jonathan Karl of ABC News pointed out at Monday’s press conference. “We’ve just now got there in the last few days.”

“What lessons have you learned from the mistakes over the last month and a half or so?” Karl asked. Continue reading.

“The Crisis is Worse Because of Donald Trump and Mike Pence’s Failed Leadership”

Minnesota Leaders Respond to Vice-President Pence’s Visit to Minnesota

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Ahead of Pence’s visit to the Mayo Clinic, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin joined Congressman Dean Phillips and State Representative Tina Liebling to highlight the Trump/Pence administration’s broken promises on coronavirus and contrasted the lack of a federal response with the leadership of Governor Walz to expanding testing.

Quote from DFL Chair Ken Martin: “Donald Trump’s chaotic leadership and his decision to force states to go it alone has ultimately made it more difficult for states like Minnesota to get the supplies they need. Donald Trump and Mike Pence’s message to states is clear: you’re on your own. America needs real leadership right now and it’s beyond clear that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not capable of delivering that and effectively guiding our nation through this crisis. Now unfortunately we’re seeing the consequences. The crisis was made worse because of Donald Trump and Mike Pence’s failed leadership.” Continue reading ““The Crisis is Worse Because of Donald Trump and Mike Pence’s Failed Leadership””

Mike Pence says coronavirus pandemic will be ‘largely’ behind us by Memorial Day – as Texas prepares to re-open retailers this week

Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic could be ‘largely’ behind Americans as early as Memorial Day Weekend.

Pence’s remarks come as Texas partially re-opened its economy this week despite the number of COVID-19 infections still rising.

‘Am I going to be on my boat and fishing in early June, Mr. Vice President?’ asked Geraldo Rivera of Fox News on his radio show.   Continue reading.

Watchdog Group: Top Pence Aide Has ‘Conflicting Financial Interests’

As Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short — according to analysis by the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) — appears to be playing a prominent role in the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. And CREW reports that Short might be doing so “while holding significant conflicting financial interests.”

In an article posted on CREW’s website on Thursday, Walter Shaub, former director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics), and researcher Meredith Lerner explain: “The financial disclosure report [Short] filed when he entered government in March 2019 shows he may own stocks in companies directly affected by the pandemic response that the vice president’s office is leading. The companies whose stocks he listed in his disclosure include manufacturers of drugs, medical tests, medical devices, medical instruments, personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, antiseptics, airplanes and airplane parts. They also include a major consumer goods retailer, the parent company of Google, and for-profit managed healthcare companies.”

As Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short — according to analysis by the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) — appears to be playing a prominent role in the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. And CREW reports that Short might be doing so “while holding significant conflicting financial interests.”

In an article posted on CREW’s website on Thursday, Walter Shaub, former director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics), and researcher Meredith Lerner explain: “The financial disclosure report [Short] filed when he entered government in March 2019 shows he may own stocks in companies directly affected by the pandemic response that the vice president’s office is leading. The companies whose stocks he listed in his disclosure include manufacturers of drugs, medical tests, medical devices, medical instruments, personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, antiseptics, airplanes and airplane parts. They also include a major consumer goods retailer, the parent company of Google, and for-profit managed healthcare companies.” Continue reading.

Even Trump’s best lackey can’t defend him

Washington Post logoWhen Donald Trump chose Mike Pence as his running mate in 2016, the obvious political benefit was that Pence, a former governor and House member who is famously Christian, could boost evangelical and conservative turnout to help Republicans up and down the ballot. But for the egomaniacal Trump, Pence had another key qualification: “He says nice things about me.”

Since being named to the ticket, Pence has repeatedly put his obsequiousness on display: Few on Team Trump are better at deploying up-is-down reasoning to spin news to Trump’s benefit. But during the vice president’s appearances on NBC’s and Fox News’s Sunday morning talk shows, it was clear that even Pence could not bootlick his way out of the lurch the president’s actions leave the rest of us in.

On Friday, Trump spoke out in support of protests against stay-at-home orders imposed by Democratic governors in Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia. It’s disturbing enough that the president would undermine the fight against the pandemic. Worse was his provocative call on Twitter to “LIBERATE” those states — and, in Virginia’s case, “save your great 2nd Amendment” — which caught the attention of far-right extremists. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) rightly observed Friday, “The president is fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies — even while his own administration says the virus is real.” Continue reading.

‘Delusional’: Governors Reject Pence’s Claim on Virus Testing

New York Times logoDemocratic and Republican governors bristled at claims from the Trump administration that the supply of tests was adequate to move firmly toward reopening the country.

ATLANTA — Governors facing growing pressure to revive economies decimated by the coronavirus said on Sunday that a shortage of tests was among the most significant hurdles in the way of lifting restrictions in their states.

“We are fighting a biological war,” Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia said on “State of the Union” on CNN. “We have been asked as governors to fight that war without the supplies we need.”

In interviews on Sunday morning talk shows, Mr. Northam was among the governors who said they needed the swabs and reagents required for the test, and urged federal officials to help them get those supplies. Continue reading.

‘I have never been so mad about a phone call in my life’

Democrats erupted after receiving vague answers from Vice President Mike Pence about efforts to ramp up coronavirus testing.

Senate Democrats exploded in frustration during a conference call with Vice President Mike Pence and Trump administration officials on Friday afternoon, with one normally laid-back senator asserting it was the most maddening phone call he’s ever taken part in, according to participants and people familiar with the call.

The call between President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force and Senate Democrats on Friday left the Senate minority “livid,” according to one Democrat on the call, because of the lack of clear answers about national testing for the disease.

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) called it a “dereliction of duty,” said a second person on the call. King added: “I have never been so mad about a phone call in my life.” Continue reading.