U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) appeared on CNN Sunday and seemed to chastise U.S. President Donald Trump for not wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If Trump wears a mask, the senator hypothesized, then the president’s voters will do as he does.
The senator expressed this sentiment on CNN’s “Inside Politics.”
“Well, I wish the president would wear a mask when it’s appropriate, because millions of Americans admire him, and they would follow his lead. And his experts have told all of us that wearing masks, social distancing and washing your hands is the way we can contain the disease, to go back to school and back to work. It also would help to get rid of this political debate that if you’re for President Trump, you don’t wear a mask, and if you’re against President Trump, you do wear a mask. The stakes are much too high for that,” Alexander told CNN host Manu Raju.
“I understand why he doesn’t. Most of the time, he’s with people who have been tested. He’s been tested, so they’re not infecting each other. But there are times when he could wear a mask, and the vice president could wear a mask. It would signal to the country that it is important to do so. It will help contain the disease because people admire him and will follow his lead. So I think it would be a sign of strength if he would, from time to time, wear a mask and remind everyone that it’s a good way to help deal with this disease. And we’re going to deal with it through 2020 until we get a vaccine.”
After Sunday’s interview, Alexander’s staff published a partial transcript of the senator’s CNN appearance and sent it out as a press release. That press release emphasized Alexander telling CNN that Trump should wear a mask.
Alexander chairs the U.S. Senate Health Committee.
Throughout the interview Raju’s questions seemed loaded and repeatedly tried to undermine Trump and his credibility — specifically on how the president has handled the COVID-19 pandemic thus far.
Watch the full segment:
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
I will be so glad to see his last day in Government. He is nothing but a trader. He has done nothing for our state, but a lot for himself.
Phuck that RINO. He’s as deepstate as Krystal. Even the N95 masks aren’t effective against this virus. They’re more anti-bacterial, and this virus in particular is small even for a virus.
I’m sure CNN would love to put a muzzle on President Trump! A mask would be a great start, right? Hope he doesn’t fall for it. It’s been shown that oxygen levels in the blood drop to dangerous levels almost immediately after donning masks. Completely unhealthy. God gave us an immune system and a respiratory system that works a lot better if it’s not plugged up. Rebreathing your own exhaled waste is not good. And from time immemorial we’ve been told to cover our mouths when we sneeze. Masks don’t block viruses. Not to mention the social and psychological isolation they create. What’s going on with the push for masks?
He’s done more to help the Democrats.
He might as well just put on a pink pussy hat because that is what wearing a mask has turned into, virtue signaling by the commies. The virus is sub-micron in size. The only masks that will filter to that size are N-95 rated. Bandanas and all the cute mask you can but on line will not stop the virus as they are too porous. The greatest benefit of mandatory mask wearing is that it hides the criminals who are the same people burning and looting who seem to be held in much higher regard by the Donks and commies than us law a biding American citizens.
Lamar, just shut-up & go away.
Nice to see Republicans policing themselves instead of minorities
Nice to see you Beatrice, getting a real education from conservatives like us instead of reading socialist propaganda regurgitated from the left. Very smart!
Were you commenting on the wrong column? This one is about Lamar! Alexander, not Republicans.
Senator Alexander still hasn’t figured out that Trump Supporters are Butt kicker, not Kisser.
If mask work, why didn’t they give them to all the prisoners they released and kept them in jail,
Several families wouldn’t be grieving today.
I hope most of you know that “HAGERTY” is another RINO like Alexander and Mitt Romney.
This virus is not going away and you can’t keep closing/opening the economy without destroying it.
It’s time to let “HERD IMMUNITY” decide who survives and who doesn’t, same as we do with the common cold and flu, Covid has a lower casualty rate than either of them.
FYI, I’m in that category of least survivers.
Bill Gates and his “Human Implantable Quantum Dot Microneedle Vaccination Delivery System,”, ID2020 system along with his “De-population vaccines” is driving all this propaganda and scare tactics about this virus.
I understand there is now a bill in Congress for “Mandatory covid vaccinations”.
When that starts, I’ll start my own injection program, FMJ at 2800 fps.
And I’m not joking.
I do not need government, especially a washed up never-was, to tell me how to take care of myself. I do not wear a mask and I refuse to go places where one is required. Just another reason to stay out of Nashville. As if there was not already enough reasons.
The last thing we need from this fossil is a lecture. For a guy who has been in government for as long as he has, like most others, he has accomplished nothing in his career, including the DOE.
He can’t leave soon enough. Tennessee needs actual representation.
This coming from a guy that’s one “Biden” away from using a Depends as a face mask. A used one!
What a putz!
Why is Alexander still considered a source of importance when it comes to opinions? Obviously he’s not if he has to go on a socialist media outlet such as CNN. Yet, his competence or rather incompetence should come into question as to why as a conservative, he evens appear on such a network. He as well, is anti trump, which means he’s anti trump voters as well. However, he did speak one actual truth. President Trump has millions of supporters, but we’re not weak, ignorant, or powerless to know what we believe in, nor will we allow the liberal/progressive idiots lead us as sheep to slaughter.
Thinker – Alexander is not a conservative. He is a RINO at beast and a closet progressive at worst.
Where is the scientific data, there is none, if there is any data its all over the place. Your no doctor, your an old politician that is ready to be put out to pasture and you grab the spotlight anyway you can. I have ZERO respect for you go away!! You have sponged off the government all your life with little accomplishment, except ruining public education in Tennessee and becoming wealthy.