You’ve likely heard by now that Vice President Mike Pence violated the Mayo Clinic’s policy when he didn’t wear a face mask while touring the hospital this week. Now, the VP is demanding an apology from a reporter who called him out for it.
Yesterday, Voice of America’s White House Bureau Chief Steve Herman said that Pence’s office definitely knew about the face mask policy, despite Second Lady Karen Pence insisting on Fox & Friends that her husband had no idea.
“All of us who traveled with him were notified by the office of @VP the day before the trip that wearing of masks was required by the @MayoClinic and to prepare accordingly,” Herman tweeted.
All of us who traveled with him were notified by the office of @VP the day before the trip that wearing of masks was required by the @MayoClinic and to prepare accordingly. https://t.co/LFqh27LusD
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 30, 2020
Herman’s tweet came days after the Mayo Clinic itself tweeted (and later mysteriously deleted) that it had informed the VP’s office about its mask requirement prior to his visit:
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Now, Herman tells The Washington Post that the White House Correspondents’ Association informed him this week that Pence’s office was banning him from Air Force Two.
They falsely claimed he violated an off-the-record agreement by leaking sensitive information about the Mayo Clinic visit.
For the record: Herman didn’t leak any sensitive information. Not only was the Mayo Clinic’s policy on masks already public information, but so was all the planning information leading up Pence’s visit.
Brett Bruen, the White House director of global engagement in the Obama administration, explained yesterday how planning information is circulated.
“A little background on ‘for planning purposes’ information from the White House to media,” he tweeted. “These are logistical details. If the VP was visiting a chocolate factory & masks were required that goes into the ‘planning’ info sent to the press. It isn’t sensitive or off the record.”
A little background on “for planning purposes” information from the White House to media.
These are logistical details.
If the VP was visiting a chocolate factory & masks were required that goes into the “planning” info sent to the press.
It isn’t sensitive or off the record. https://t.co/My7YXmwIqf
— Brett Bruen (@BrettBruen) May 1, 2020
Seriously, nobody would still be talking about this if Karen and Mike Pence would just shut up about it.
Related: Twitter drags Karen Pence for her explanation why Mike Pence ditched his mask at the Mayo Clinic
Cam
Typical Republican ploy, Cry that they’re the victim when they did something wrong.
They do the same thing when they get called out for being racists or bigots.
vcharissejlavin2
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TomG
Isn’t that just like the repukelicans, get caught breaking rules and laws and blaming those who caught them. It’s PATHETIC ! However they learned that from Trump who thinks it’s always everything and everyone else’s fault and never takes personal responsibility.
WSnyder
Another example of the VP’s arrogance. This was the guy touching spacecraft during a NASA tour that was CLEARLY labeled ‘Do Not Touch’. He displays all the earmarks of someone who believes the rules don’t apply to him. This is the guy in charge of the COVID-19 Task Force and should be fully aware of WHY you wear masks, the least of which is the optics of setting an example. Instead, using a false rational that he gets tested frequently and therefore poses little risk, and likely , like everyone who hates having to wear them because they’re mostly uncomfortable, fails to consider what it looks like to not wear them, Proof of this? After this story broke, his very next public appearance touring a GM plant, he’s wearing one. What changed? The bad PR, not the flawed rational. This is why this administration is so f*cked up, all the people in it play to the audience of one, Trump. Doing the ‘right’ thing, doing the ‘rational’ thing, doing the ‘honorable’ thing, all take the backseat to doing the thing that pleases the Idiot-in-Chief.
rbernard
This is just another example of Mike Pence’s arrogance and his open rebellion to science. He didn’t wear a mask on purpose because he views himself above being told what to do and to a larger degree, his innate belief an invisible supernatural deity is protecting him and his family from catching the COVID-19 virus. This is the same guy that still today says there is no proof smoking tobacco causes lung cancer.
Steve Herman is being made an example of for factually disproving Mike Pence’s lies and embarrassing Pence in public. This harsh and decisive action was meant to be a clear message to all other reporters that they better play ball or they will meet the same fate.
bonbon
What’s this got to do with LGBT? Queerty is just becoming another LGBT space poisoned by American politics. With the US election season heating up I might just stop following again.
curiobi
Mike Pence is so anti-LGBT Trump literally said to the press pointing to Pence “This one wants to kill all the gays”.
Pence made a mockery of his entire state when he ran it by intoducing anti-gay laws so severe, major sports and entertainment refused to film or play there major matches there anymore.
This is common knowledge.
You are either playing dumb, somehow do not know anything about Pence, or you are one of the trolls this site is plagued with. Either way just stop.
There is no way Pence is not a subject of interest here, he is the phucking Vice president of the free world who has made no secret of the fact he detests Gay people.
Reporting on him here is the right thing to do and you damn well know it, so like I said just stop.
Hdtex
@bonbon….what flavor is Trump’s crusty sphincter today Cletus?
Diplomat-G
Then go someplace else, because if you are under the impression that politics are not part f LGBT lives then you are rather ignorant.
Cam
Right wing ploy….trying to act like LGBT rights aren’t “Politics”.
But we get it, exposing the hypocrisy and lack of concern for Americans that these anti-LGBT Republicans have hurts your cause.
Gadfeal
It’s about time that someone drilled into politicians’ heads that telling a lie in official office WILL BE UNCOVERED in the Information Age.
It’s also about time that anyone who holds office pass a knowledge test of the US Constitution (to the level of a lawyer) and the Press protected in pursuit of their vital role in democracy.
TomG
You are talking aboput people who are ignorant and just not up to current knowledge of how the world is today. I think in some circles they call it OLD AGE.
Hardptyplr
Who PROVED he broke the Mayo Clinic’s rule. All THAT would take is common sense and paying attention to what’s going on around you. Like for example, when everybody else around you is wearing a mask and you are not — that proved it to anyone who was looking at those images.
Terrycloth
Simple. Pence enters , everyone is wearing a mask. Give one to Pence .if he refuses or doesn’t put it on , turn him around walk him to the door and.say , thank you for coming. I blame the doctors for not following protocol EVERYONE. Wears a mask they should have done what I just said.. Pence is robotic , a deer in the headlights , never knows where he is at any given moment..He has to be REMINDED…Both were to blame. .hospital staff should have stood up for themselves…
scotty
i would like an apology from mike pence for his bottoming out of the barrel of IQ points. if you could reason with relgious people, there would be no relgious people.