Battleground Dem Senate Hopeful Skips Out On Biden Rally Following NATO Speech
Slotkin's absence is significant
Smiling Democratic Gov. Whitmer appears with Santa in video, urges Michigan children not to visit grandparents for Christmas
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer posted a video on her Twitter page using Santa Claus to spread the message of mask-wearing and social distancing — and the Democrat had an extra-special holiday message for the children gathered on the video chat.
"And another way to stay safe during the holiday is to stay home but call your grandparents and your cousins and your family," Whitmer told the tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, adding, "It's the a safest way to tell the people you love how much you care about them. This year is it has to look a little bit different so we can stay safe."
What else was said on the clip?
Whitmer started things off by referring to Santa, her "special guest" on the chat, as "someone who's been really following the rules and making sure that he stays safe and the elves stay safe."
Then in what appeared to be preselected questions, the children on the video chat took turns asking Santa questions, such as "Santa, do you have to wear a mask?" and "How can we keep people safe for Christmas?"
St. Nick answered the latter query: "What I would suggest to do is what the governor is telling all the people of the great state of Michigan to do: Social distance, wash your hands, and make sure you wear your mask when you're outside your home."
As Michigan's kids gear up for the holiday season, I decided to surprise a few of them with a special guest from th… https://t.co/UUtTVMOqOl— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@Governor Gretchen Whitmer)1608132605.0
How did folks react?
Whitmer — who's drawn national attention for her strict coronavirus lockdown efforts — certainly has her critics. But she has plenty of supporters as well, so reactions to her Twitter video were a mixed bag.
Some commenters gushed with admiration:
- "Happy holidays, Governor," one user said. "Helluva job this year under extraordinary circumstances. You are everything a public servant should be. A tower of power. A leader. Compassionate. Tough. Smart as hell."
- "I don't even live in your state but you Rock," another commenter said. "Wished you were our Governor."
- "Thanks for doing something sweet for the kids this Christmas Governor Whitmer! Merry Christmas!" another user wrote. "To the conservatives that said this was a hoax and now mad their family members are dying due to COVID-19 and stuck at home, you can get coal."
But Whitmer's detractors were just as passionate in response to her Santa video for kids:
- "You doing this qualifies as child abuse," one user said.
- "That's nice since a lot of kids won't be having much of a Christmas due to your insane lockdowns," another user noted.
- "Nothing like seeing Santa on a screen while you sit home learning next to nothing with your abusive parents who've lost their jobs," another commenter said.
- "You exemplify the problem in politics/government today," another user wrote. "You believe that you are a 'class' above, and the 'regular people' have no right to question you. You are an oath breaking/ignoring traitorous bilge rat that should be removed from office and society."
'Wake up! Stand up! This is America!': Restaurant owner interrupts news broadcast, urges resistance to COVID-19 state 'tyranny'
Dave Morris saw the news camera and reporter in front of his Michigan restaurant Wednesday and apparently decided he wasn't going to wait to be interviewed.
Instead he walked up and interrupted WWMT-TV's segment on restaurant owners defying a statewide ban on indoor dining — and it turns out Morris has been doing just that.
"My government leaders have abandoned me," Morris — who owns D&R Daily Grind in Portage — told the reporter.
He added to the station that since opening up his establishment for indoor dining Friday, he's seen a record number of customers — and he wants other business owners to open up, too.
"We've got a government that has taken the stimulus money, they gave it to special campaign donors, they gave it to special interests," Morris told WWMT. "They abandoned me, and they have put me in a position where I have to fight back."
Bar and restaurant owners are saying they're feeling the pain of the dine-in ban after the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services passed an epidemic order, which was set to expire Dec. 9, the station noted.
But Morris has had enough, telling WWMT he's tired of restrictions putting businesses like his in danger of closing.
We’re all Dave Morris. Time is up. “Wake up! Stand up! This is America. Be free!” https://t.co/iubJkJXBCp— Tyler Cardon (@Tyler Cardon)1606976622.0
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Associations filed a lawsuit to stop the order banning indoor dining, but a federal judge ruled Wednesday that restaurants can't open safely and successfully, the station said.
But Morris has been defying the order and wants others to do the same, calling state actions a "tyranny."
"I feel everybody needs to stand up," Morris told WWMT, adding that fellow business owners should "Wake up! Stand up! This is America! Be free!"
He added to the station that he received a cease-and-desist letter from the Kalamazoo County health department, but Morris said business has been booming, so he would be staying open.
"They want me to go down and be quiet and never hear from me again," Morris told WWMT. "I am not going to put up with it. It's time to rise up. Shut it all down or don't shut any of us down. That's the only way to get control of a virus."
Businesses that defy the state's orders face a daily fine of $1,000 — and the station said Morris was was up to $6,000 as of Wednesday.
CNN's Chris Cuomo melts down over Trump health adviser's advice to 'rise up' against Michigan Gov. Whitmer's COVID restrictions
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo went off Monday night and raged against Trump health adviser Dr. Scott Atlas, who urged Michiganders to "rise up" against their governor's COVID-19 recommendations.
What are the details?
Atlas, a neuroradiologist, made the remarks about Americans rising up against Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's COVID-19 mitigation measures.
On Twitter, Atlas addressed Whitmer's newest COVID-19 restrictions — which were announced Sunday — writing, "The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp."
The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp https://t.co/8QKBszgKTM— Scott W. Atlas (@Scott W. Atlas)1605483669.0
How did Cuomo react?
During Monday night's "Cuomo Prime Time," the show host railed, "Are you kidding me? Shame on you! What kind of doctor would tell people to rise up and resist the only kind of prophylaxis that can help them? What the hell is the matter with this person? Rise up? You rise up and do your job or get the hell out! How could you give this kind of advice?"
Cuomo wasn't done there: He went on to blast Atlas for what he says is a lack of experience with infectious diseases and said that it was wrong that he suggested family members continue to gather together for Thanksgiving despite the ongoing pandemic crisis.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he continued. "Yeah, it could be their last Thanksgiving if you expose them to people who aren't wearing masks, who aren't socially distancing and haven't been doing so and haven't gotten tested because they somehow think they don't want to get in on the 'con' of COVID."
In October, Dr. Anthony Fauci shared his own thoughts about Atlas.
"I have real problems with that guy," Fauci said during an interview with the Washington Post, "talking about things that I believe he doesn't have any real insight or knowledge or experience in."
Chris Cuomo slams Dr. Scott Atlas for telling people to "fight back" against COVID restrictionswww.youtube.com
Anything else?
Shortly after his initial tweet, Atlas wrote, "Hey. I NEVER was talking at all about violence. People vote, people peacefully protest. NEVER would I endorse or incite violence. NEVER!!"
Hey. I NEVER was talking at all about violence. People vote, people peacefully protest. NEVER would I endorse or in… https://t.co/YwZgA7qhrk— Scott W. Atlas (@Scott W. Atlas)1605495737.0
Atlas also told Fox News he never meant to cause any confusion with his remarks.
"If you want to change things, you have to have your voices heard," he told the network's Martha MacCallum. "What I meant was in response to the literally thousands of emails I get from people all over the country begging me to figure out how to end the lockdowns."
"I get emails, I would say, you know, every couple of weeks from someone who has had a family member commit suicide because of the lockdowns," he continued. "I have people begging me to do anything I can to end the lockdowns. And so what I meant — and I'm sorry, I'm not very articulate on Twitter — is basically if you want to change things, you have to have your voices heard. I didn't mean anything more than that. I think that's obvious in the United States. I didn't mean to threaten or incite violence."
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