“The View” co-hosts shared their thoughts on a photo that went viral showing Democrat Stacey Abrams maskless in front of children wearing masks.
During an episode of the show Monday, Joy Behar noted “some Georgia Republicans are calling Stacey Abrams a hypocrite for being unmasked in a photo with school kids during a visit for Black History Month.”
In case you missed it:
Hypocrisy. @staceyabrams pic.twitter.com/FI8QDFyJwd
— Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) February 6, 2022
Behar explained, “She’s calling them shameful for using a black history month event to stage a false political attack and it’s just a distraction from their failures to protect people during the pandemic.”
She asked her co-hosts if Abrams should have “read the room,” adding, “I’m a little bit shocked because Stacey Abrams to me is one of the most intelligent people in politics.”
Arguing Abrams “kind of slipped up there,” Behar continued, “They took a picture of her with these kids without a mask, giving aid and comfort to the other side. That’s what she did.”
Sunny Hostin questioned why Abrams would “give the right more ammunition.”
She continued, “I mean, they always go after her anyway, and I think it was really hypocritical actually.”
Hostin went on to argue this issue has “nothing to do with Black History Month,” adding, “The point is she was not wearing a mask when she is one of those proponents of mask mandates, and she said, I think, in her statement, her people said that she asked to — she removed it — I’m sorry, ‘She wore a mask to the school, but later removed it so she could be heard by students watching remotely, and for the photos on the condition that everyone around her was wearing masks.'”
She said Abrams “should’ve worn a mask,” calling it a “lame excuse.”
Behar suggested it is “shocking because she’s such a good strategist.”
Hostin responded, “It was an unforced error of the worst sort because I don’t know that I necessarily believe that politicians are role models anymore, but to many people she is, and you want better from your role model. Model the correct behavior.”
ABRAMS SLAMMED FOR GOING MASKLESS AT SCHOOL EVENT: After Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams received backlash for posing maskless in a photo with a room full of young masked children during a visit for Black History Month, #TheView panel reacts. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/GglOgitofN
— The View (@TheView) February 7, 2022
The Abrams campaign responded to the growing backlash in a statement Sunday.
“It is shameful that our opponents are using a Black History Month reading event for Georgia children as the impetus for a false political attack, and it is pitiful and predictable that our opponents continue to look for opportunities to distract from their failed records when it comes to protecting public health during the pandemic,” the campaign said.
The statement continues, “One of Stacey’s opponents downplayed the virus while trading stock to profit off the pandemic after his private coronavirus briefings as a Senator. Another of her opponents attacked mayors seeking to protect their citizens and has failed to expand access to Medicaid even as rural hospitals close. This pathetic, transparent and silly attack is beneath anyone who claims he wants to lead Georgia.”