President Joe Biden trolled the Florida GOP Governor. Ron DeSantis was upset by Thursday’s pledge of the governor to oppose federal COVID-19 lockdowns, mandates, and restrictions imposed upon Floridians.
When asked at a press conference outside the White House: “DeSantis, who was using your words about ‘don’t be in the way,’ he’s saying, ‘I am in the way to block too much interference from the federal government.’ Your response, Mr. President?”
Biden responded with a tongue-in-cheek comment to suggest his higher authority: “Governor who?”
Biden smiled, and the press corps laughed with him.
Biden pointed the finger at DeSantis, Texas GOP Governor. Greg Abbott was blamed for the highest red state’s COVID-19 infected rise during the delta variant. DeSantis retorted, telling the president that Florida is his business.
“Why don’t you do your job?” DeSantis told reporters Wednesday, saving his heated remarks for the end of an 18-plus-minute news conference. “Why don’t you get this border secure?
“And until you do that, I don’t want to hear a blip about COVID from you.”
DeSantis claimed that COVID-19 infections from illegal immigrants crossing the border illegally were responsible for the rise in COVID-related cases in large red states.
“Joe Biden suggests that if you don’t do lockdown policies, then you should ‘get out of the way,’ but let me tell you this: If you’re coming after the rights of parents in Florida, I’m standing in your way,” DeSantis said. “I’m not going to let you get away with it.
“If you’re trying to deny kids a proper in-person education, I’m going to stand in your way, and I’m going to stand up for the kids in Florida. If you’re trying to restrict people, impose mandates, if you’re trying to ruin their jobs and their livelihoods and their small business, if you are trying to lock people down, I am standing in your way.
“And I’m standing for the people of Florida.”
Biden made the comment that provoked DeSantis’s anger.
“We need leadership from everyone, and if some governors aren’t willing to do the right thing to beat this pandemic, then they should allow businesses and universities who want to do the right thing to be able to do it,” Biden told White House reporters Tuesday.
“I say to these governors, please help. If you aren’t going to help, at least get out of the way of people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives.”