July 1st 2020

By Oliver Willis

American Independent Foundation

On Tuesday, Steve Doocy, co-host of Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” pleaded with RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to get Donald Trump to wear a protective mask.

“I think that if the president wore one, it would just set a good example, he’d be a good role model,” the conservative host said.

“Fox & Friends” has been one of Trump’s favorite television shows and he has repeatedly used the program to make many decisions in his presidency, often prioritizing what has appeared on-air over expert advice he receives from government agencies.

Trump reportedly has previously said he doesn’t wear a mask because it would make him “look ridiculous,” and has promoted attacks against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden for wearing a mask.

At the same time as the virus has recently renewed in intensity, particularly in Republican-leaning states like Florida, Arizona, and Texas, Republicans have begun promoting mask-wearing.

Advocating masks is also a change in tone for Fox News, who originally devoted considerable airtime to downplaying the severity of the pandemic.

From the June 30 edition of Fox News’ “Fox & Friends”:

STEVE DOOCY, Fox News: More states every day, they’re mandating people, their citizens, to wear masks, and I think that if the president wore one, it would just set a good example. He’d be a good role model. I don’t see any downside to the president wearing a mask in public.

RONNA MCDANIEL, chair of the Republican National Committee: He has done that, and I know the president is concerned with every single American right now.

DOOCY: OK.

MCDANIEL: That’s his first priority is the health and safety of this country. But also balancing that with starting our economy, because you have a lot of people who are conflating, it’s one choice or the other.

DOOCY: Right.

MCDANIEL: We can’t go to work, we can’t start this economy because of coronavirus. But I think there’s a way to marry the two, and the president is figuring out that balancing act of how do we get Americans working who are worried about their wages and whether or not they can have an income, and how do we do that in a safe and healthy way? And that’s what the president and vice president have done leading this coronavirus effort.

DOOCY: Sure. And I think by wearing masks you can keep the economy open, and closing things are the last thing anybody wants to do.

MAGA should now stand for Masks Are Great Again. Let me give you some marketing advice right there. All right, Ronna McDaniel, thank you very …

MCDANIEL: Okay, I’ll take that. I’ll take that under consideration.

DOOCY: Please do.

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