A gaggle of Republican delegates from Southern states reacted with apparent glee to the news that President Joe Biden had tested positive for COVID, when they were approached by the press at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, reported NBC News' Garrett Haake.
“Bless his heart,” one delegate from Tennessee reportedly told Haake, with a wink. Another delegate from Alabama said, “We want him to live til November!”
This was greeted with disgust from a number of commenters on social media.
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"Is this the unifying message they were talking about?" wrote the account @Jared_Poland. "Sounds like pretty fine people! Sadly, this whole Trumpism thing has taught me one very sad lesson. There are millions of very mean people in this Country," wrote the account @LDenoncourt. "Weren’t GOP just bitching about Dems stoking the flames of division? I swear the lack of self-awareness & overall cognitive dissonance needs to be studied in scientific laboratories someday," wrote the account @nickblax88.
This comes amid some other controversial reactions on the Trump side to Biden's diagnosis, with Donald Trump Jr. proclaiming that Biden "didn't really get COVID," and "maybe they don't want him on a world stage anymore."
Biden's positive test result came as he was preparing to give a speech at the UnidosUS event in Las Vegas, forcing him to withdraw from the event. He does not appear to be in any immediate life-threatening danger, according to medical releases.
“Earlier today, following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, noting that “he is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms.” And that while Biden recuperates at his home in Delaware, "The White House will provide regular updates on the president’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation."
