Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantisThe Hill Morning Report – Presented by TikTok – Day 1 goes to Dems as the Republican Party gets angry at Florida Democratic Trump lawyers stuck in divisions, debts before 2022 Florida data scientist gives up the process for armed attack on your home for now MORE (R) attacked the media for what he said was a double standard with regard to how the big social justice marches were covered in opposition to the celebrations in Tampa after the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl victory.
“The media is concerned about this, obviously,” said DeSantis on Wednesday of scenes of major celebrations in Tampa, which showed hundreds of fans without a mask as they packed the streets and bars on Sunday night.
“You don’t really care if it’s a ‘peaceful protest’ … and then it’s okay,” continued DeSantis. “You don’t care so much if they’re celebrating a Biden election. You only care if they’re people you don’t like. I’m a fan of Bucs. I’m really proud of what they did on Sunday night.”
Local health officials and the mayor of Tampa said she was very concerned after seeing the celebrations on Sunday night.
“It’s a little frustrating because we work a lot,” said Mayor Jane Castor (D) the next day. “At this point, when dealing with COVID-19, there is a level of frustration when you see this.”
DeSantis also found himself at the center of a controversy this week stemming from a photo taken at the game on Sunday night, which shows him sitting in an indoor executive suite without a mask, sitting less than five feet from the person next to him.
DeSantis first addressed the controversy over the photo earlier in the week.
“Someone said, ‘Hey, you were in the Super Bowl without a mask,'” he said on Monday. “But how the hell am I going to get a beer with a mask on? Come on. I had to watch the Bucs win.”
DeSantis regularly attacks members of the media for his coverage of the state’s coronavirus pandemic. He also minimized the effectiveness of wearing a mask and resisted statewide blockade measures.
With regard to a new variant of the coronavirus found in several states across the country, including Florida, DeSantis said he is confident that the vaccines will work against the mutated strain.
“We have not seen any data or any evidence to suggest that these vaccines are not effective,” he said. “So, if we vaccinate the elderly, we’ll be fine.”