On Thursday, with the help of The Washington Post and using the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, former Vice President Joe Biden, who has harshly criticized President Trump for not wearing a mask on occasion, starred in a video instructing others to wear a mask in public, even if they were not around other people. That triggered the Trump campaign to fire back with a reminder that Biden had apparently violated his own instructions no more than two days ago.
The video shows Dave Jorgenson, whose LinkedIn profile states that he is a “Producer/Writer – Creative Video at The Washington Post,” walking his dog when a message comes through the earphones for his cell phone. Biden’s voice can be heard saying, “Hello, folks; it’s Joe Biden and you’re listening to ‘Here’s The Deal.’ Dave, what the hell?”
As Jorgenson holds the phone showing Biden’s face with a mock game show screen reading, “Here’s The Deal w Joe Biden,” Biden’s voice continues, “I told you to wear your mask outside.”
Jorgenson, looking around and looking bewildered, asks, “Mr. Vice President?”
The phone then shows Biden as he responds, “Yeah, Dave. It’s me.”
Jorgenson, still looking around: “How are you doing this?”
Biden: “You need to wear your mask outside. I don’t care if you’re just walking your dog.”
Jorgenson, donning a mask: “Is that better?”
Biden: “He’s never gonna learn.”
Washington Post is now creating de facto campaign ads for Joe Biden (featuring unnecessary guidance regarding masks outside when you’re by yourself).
Interesting strategy. https://t.co/tJi11XpcmW
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) May 28, 2020
On Tuesday, Biden tweeted “Wear a mask.” As The Hill noted, “Biden was also seen wearing a mask to a Memorial Day ceremony, as his campaign attempts to show a sharp contrast between President Trump, who has been seen without one in public on multiple occasions.”
On Tuesday, Biden stated, “Presidents are supposed to lead, not engage in folly and be falsely masculine.”
Biden’s warning about wearing a mask outside even if one is alone would seem to fly in the face of Biden’s own actions, as the Trump campaign pointed out of Biden’s interview with CNN’s Dana Bash:
Joe Biden today: "You need to wear your mask outside. I don't care if you're just walking your dog."
Joe Biden 2 days ago: pic.twitter.com/eYw8hAJZin
— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 & get the APP (@TrumpWarRoom) May 28, 2020
Newsbusters’ managing editor Curtis Houck pilloried the softball interview, writing:
Naturally, Trump-hating and fear-loving CNN served Tuesday as Joe Biden’s first in-person interview since the coronavirus pandemic began and, right on cue, chief political correspondent Dana Bash fulfilled her role as a real-life Bashful, liberal foot solider, and citizen of Zuckerville. Between softball questions and assisting Biden in touting anti-Trump conspiracy theories, it was mission accomplished.
Of course, Bash refused to ask about Tara Reade or the refusal from the University of Delaware to release any of Biden’s Senate papers that could provide the public more information on what was internally written at the time of Reade’s allegations. So much for journalism.
In the interview, Bash stirred the pot, saying, “But wearing a mask has become a cultural and political flashpoint. The President is involved in that, even stoking that.”
Biden replied, “Sure, he is and look, he’s stoking deaths. That’s not going to increase the likelihood that people are going to be better off.”
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