Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is mocking President Joe Biden for suggesting state leaders who have lifted COVID-19 restrictions are engaging in “Neanderthal thinking.”
During an appearance on “Fox & Friends” Thursday, host Brian Kilmeade noted Missouri is one of the states without a mask mandate.
He asked Hawley, “Do you have archaic thinking?”
The senator replied, “What a uniter Joe Biden is. You know, this is Mr. Unity, and yet, if you disagree with him you’re a Neanderthal. This guy has also called people who disagree with him Nazis. I mean it’s unbelievable.”
He continued, “There’s nothing wrong with actually following the science and allowing people to make their own decisions.”
Hawley explained he believes Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) has done a “good job” by “giving local counties the ability to make their own decisions.”
“If Joe Biden really wants to do more, why doesn’t he focus his COVID relief package on vaccine distribution and actually put the brunt of the package there,” Hawley argued.
He added, “Instead he’s spending hundreds of millions of dollars on stuff like abortion providers and environmental justice. That shows you where his priorities are.”
Watch the video below:
The president was asked by reporters on Wednesday what his message is to states who are lifting mask-wearing mandates, as IJR reported.
“I think it’s a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody’s realized by now these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of fundamentally changing the nature of this disease because of the way in which we’re able to get vaccines in peoples’ arms,” Biden replied.
He went on, “And the last thing, the last thing, we need is Neanderthal thinking that ‘in the meantime everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it.’ It still matters.”
Texas and Mississippi on Tuesday separately issued executive orders to lift mask mandates and reopen businesses at full capacity.