Mayo Clinic requires visitors to wear masks — given the pandemic involving a highly contagious respiratory virus. But that policy apparently doesn't apply when you're the vice president of the United States. Mike Pence visited the Rochester medical facility Tuesday and caused a stir after video feed appeared showing him not wearing a mask while meeting with a recovered COVID-19 patient and visiting a cornavirus testing lab.
Pence had his reasons for being the only politician and leader going mask-less. “As vice president of the United States I’m tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus,” Pence said, according to an AP report. Pence also said he's following federal guidelines saying that masks are good for preventing the coronavirus' spread by those who have it.
He also had a lot of praise for DFL Gov. Tim Walz and his testing plan with Mayo. “I had to be here at Mayo today because when the president and I heard about the moonshot partnership, we knew that this was the right state and the right time to come and celebrate," the Republican vice president said.
Joe Biden got another big, expected endorsement. This time from Hillary Clinton, who lost to President Trump four years ago. “Just think of what a difference it would make right now if we had a president who not only listened to the science ... but brought us together,” Clinton in endorsing the former veep.
Politicians disagree on mail-in voting, but the voters don't. The Pew Research Center took a look and found something most of us agree on. Via NPR: "Almost three out of four Americans favor universal access to mail voting, according to the poll. While Democrats overwhelmingly back greater absentee balloting, about half of Republicans also do — in contrast to many of the party's national leaders. President Trump's recently claimed that expanding mail voting could mean electoral defeat for Republicans and increase the incidence of fraud. Academic studies have debunked both accusations: Mail voting introduces the possibility for slightly more fraud, but it is still a minuscule amount according to voting experts, especially when appropriate modern safeguards are put into place."
