A high-profile reporter for the taxpayer-funded Public Broadcasting Service demonstrated remarkable ignorance about civics and the role of the CDC during a press conference on Monday, demanding to know why the agency isn’t issuing mask and vaccine mandates, and haranguing White House spokesperson Jen Psaki for several minutes about why Joe Biden hasn’t issued such mandates himself.
“You talk a bit about whether or not he’s concerned at all that the CDC might be taking too long to issue new mask mandates, or even vaccine mandates, now that we’ve seen cities like New York issuing vaccine mandates?” PBS’ Yamiche Alcindor demanded.
Your daily reminder to contact your elected officials and tell them to OPPOSE vaccine and mask mandates and SUPPORT DEFUNDING PBS. #DefundPBS pic.twitter.com/Z5mipePsh7
— The Columbia Bugle
(@ColumbiaBugle) July 26, 2021
“Look, I think it’s important to take a step back and remember what we’re talking about here,” Psaki responded. “The CDC evaluates data from across the country, and they will make public health guidance, they will present public health guidance. They do that on a regular, periodic basis. They will continue to do that… They do not make laws. It is the guidance currently that if you are not vaccinated you should wear a mask, it is the guidance currently that if you are over twelve years old, you should get vaccinated.”
Alcindor continued to talk loudly. “When I talk to the experts, they say vaccine mandates would be a big step toward getting more people vaccinated, so I’m just wondering, when you see organizations like nearly sixty coming out and saying like, let’s at least mandate healthcare workers being vaccinated, why isn’t the White House behind it? What science is – ”
“I think I just said we support the step they took,” Psaki shot back. The two continued to argue about whether or not Joe Biden should legally order every American to be vaccinated for several minutes.