Within the past few days, President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and with a slew of other White House officials and prominent Republican lawmakers have all tested positive for the virus that's killed over 200 thousand Americans.
Trump was likely already infected but had yet to test positive at the recent presidential debate, to which 11 positive virus cases have been traced. Trump arrived late to the debate and bypassed the testing.
On Monday evening, Trump was discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center after receiving supplemental oxygen treatment and a cocktail of powerful drugs over the course of three days.
This all comes as the highly anticipated vice presidential debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) is still set for Wednesday, with added precautions.
One of these precautions is a plexiglass barrier, a proven effective measure for intercepting projectile droplets through which the virus is passed.
NEWS: Debate commission has approved plans for plexiglass to be used at Wednesday VP debate
Barrier will separate Pence and Harris, and the two candidates from moderator Susan Page
w/ @ccadelago https://t.co/GpRiEJurbQ
— Alex Isenstadt (@politicoalex) October 5, 2020
But despite the ubiquity of the virus in the White House, Vice President Mike Pence's team—normally vocal proponents of walls—is mocking Harris for agreeing to the plexiglass barrier.
Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller—who herself contracted the virus this past May—said:
"If Sen. Harris wants to use a fortress around herself, have at it."
While Pence has tested negative, the number of positive test results within the White House continues to grow. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tested positive, despite numerous negative test results since her exposure.
People were astounded at the Pence team's response.
Pence spox Katie Miller "If Sen. Harris wants to use a fortress around herself, have at it."
Miller had COVID in May (announced day after she spoke to reporters, unmasked), a dozen people connected to WH tested positive this week alone.
She is mocking Harris for being cautious. https://t.co/RaygFbADmV
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) October 5, 2020
Risking infection is stupid, not "tough." Particularly for @VP - since Trump is sick & continuity of government is #1 most important national security issue. Yes, protect @KamalaHarris. But if Pence is too stupid to protect our government by staying safe, he's too stupid to be VP https://t.co/z3aQojZMY6
— Kurt "Mask Up, Vote Early" Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) October 5, 2020
Pence is the chair of the COVID task force and the President, his staff, and a group of Senators got COVID at the White House, which is an ACTUAL fortress https://t.co/JcUF6Q5M8r
— 1% Better Everyday (@PolitcalCapitaI) October 5, 2020
The Republican insistence on mocking people who protect themselves from a deadly virus is really something. https://t.co/wmkLHLfCZv
— 🕷Dante Atkins🕷 (@DanteAtkins) October 5, 2020
In mocking Harris, the Trump camp is seemingly trying their best to demonstrate they still don't take COVID seriously. A questionable political strategy as a new CNN poll shows 63% of Americans believe POTUS acted irresponsibly, risking spread of infection https://t.co/yLW3TcikZA
— Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) October 5, 2020
I'm tired of dumb, mean people. https://t.co/s9FHI6BHOG
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 5, 2020
But since Harris' selection as Democratic nominee Joe Biden's running mate, Democrats have been chomping at the bit to see her debate Mike Pence, whom they think the former prosecutor will eviscerate.
Kamala Harris is going to destroy Mike Pence.
— Baligubadle (@Baligubadle1) October 5, 2020
This debate is so out of Pence's depth it's astounding. If Sen. Harris just keeps reminding him that he's in charge of America's covid problem, and it's going the way his Indiana HIV problem went, he's out. He has nothing to fall back on. https://t.co/rFzF8SAieF
— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) October 5, 2020
I have $50 Kamala Harris makes Pence cry during the debate.
— Americana (@Disqeet) September 30, 2020
The vice presidential debate will be held Wednesday, October 7 at 9pm Eastern Time.
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images