Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has gone through so much. She was targeted by white supremacist terrorists in a kidnapping plot which was thankfully thwarted. She was just one of so many women in politics who have been put at risk by Trump’s hateful rhetoric. She’s an outspoken democrat and I admire that, she’s always excellent on MSNBC, but she’s not perfect. Gov. Whitmer was photographed eating inside a restaurant with a larger group of people, in violation of Michigan’s covid restrictions. The current rule in Michigan is that only six people can eat together. In the photo with Whitmer there were at least 12 other people. She apologized for that and said it was a mistake.
Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has apologized for breaking the state’s public health protocols after a photo surfaced on social media of her at a restaurant Saturday seated at tables that had been pushed together with at least 12 friends.
“Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been committed to following public health protocols. On Saturday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didn’t stop to think about it,” Whitmer said in a statement on Sunday. “In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize.”
The apology comes as states lift restrictions amid declining coronavirus cases and as more Americans continue to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
When republicans repeatedly violated covid rules last year they were barely taken to task. They had entire conventions and parties without a mask in sight, but now that more people are vaccinated and it’s relatively safe the democrats are being nitpicked like this. I’m glad that she was called out, that she acknowledged it and said she’s sorry. This is how people should deal with mistakes like this.
I haven’t eaten inside yet. I wish I was comfortable enough to do it, but I still get anxiety at the grocery store, especially now that The CDC practically called masks optional. Last night I did zoom therapy and feel more hopeful from the advice and worksheets. It’s promising that half of US adults are now fully vaccinated! We still need to be careful or the variants will spread. My therapist told me that he’s fully vaccinated and continues to wear a mask and sanitize and that I can feel safe doing that. I hope to gradually go back to seeing movies and going to restaurants. I’m almost jealous that people are able to hang out in vaccinated groups and forget that they’re not supposed to do that!
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer apologizes for violating her own state-mandated social distancing guidelines https://t.co/zxW9xLFaO0
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) May 24, 2021
The hope that we feel today is thanks to the millions of Michiganders who have gotten vaccinated to keep themselves, their families, and communities safe. pic.twitter.com/Mr4VzmxjrB
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) May 21, 2021
She’s so cute!
Photos via Instagram
I don’t know how it will be being inside a restaurant, I have met some friends in a park last week and it was weird for me, it will take time, and we cannot think everything is over.
On another related news: I had my first Pfizer shot on Sunday! I was thrilled and anxious, and happy, and barely no side effects except I was tired for a couple of hours.
Well, it’s against her own rules so it’s definitely a mistake that will be used against her. Here in NY we can do this now though. I have been eating out this month, and going to see live music. I’m fully vaccinated, I still wear a mask in places like Coscto, or grocery stores, but I wanted my life back and believe the science says my risk is higher driving to the store than dying of covid now. There is always risk in life.
Also in NY, and doing much of the same. No live music yet, though – I have Broadway tickets for September and will try to get to a few outdoor concerts this summer. We ate inside of a restaurant on Mother’s Day for the first time in over a year (all of us are fully vaccinated, including my Mom & my niece, who joined us).
My building still requires masks in common areas, so I have to wear one to leave my apartment, even just to take out the trash. I do take it off once I’m outside, particularly if I’m walking the dog or going running. If I’m going to run errands and will be in and out of stores, I generally leave it on, mostly because I don’t want to carry it around and because I will forget to put it back on before going into the deli, etc.
Democrats have always been held to a higher standard. Plus as the PP said, it was a rule she herself made. I like her a lot, but I’m sick of this ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ attitude of politicians. They need to be better than that. Sigh.
This reminds me of Gavin Newsom (CA Gov) who went to the French Laundry, maskless before there was a vaccine. Totally unforced, hugely hypocritical errors. And what’s worse is they give COVID deniers more ammo to believe it’s all BS.
It’s one year later and we have vaccines..
The spread is at its lowest ever, this is all positive news and while her state rules says differently, I don’t think it’s an OMG moment and it’s needs to be addressed so harshly.
Agreed, but she needs to drop the rule for everybody. She cannot be above the rules. We can’t allow any politician to be above the rules. That just helps normalize the next Trump. And they’re coming.
We are getting better, but the world is not healed.
We must stay vigilant.
That’s just the thing. Americans seem to think the pandemic is over because America is doing well. This pandemic involves the entire world. This ain’t over until all countries have this virus under control…we are far from that yet.
@belle -actually, in Michigan the spread is NOT at its lowest ever – not even close. It was better basically March-October 2020, and between the Christmas and spring break hikes since then. This is why I can’t understand all of my friends who are going around acting like “great! I’m vaccinated, the kids will be fine.” And I don’t buy the “kids don’t get as sick” argument because people in their 30s don’t get “as sick” as older people, either, but none of these people were taking the chances for themselves last year when the numbers were lower.
I’m a liberal Democrat in the Midwest. She needs to follow the rules like everyone else. And these are HER rules. Last year, her husband tried to get special treatment for boating, when she had limited boat access. And they blamed that on a his attempt at humor. She also flew to Florida (she claimed it was to visit her father) at a time when she was telling Michiganders to not travel. Now she’s blaming this on people pushing tables together.
I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I am seeing a pattern with her, and it’s not a good look.
I was going to list the other transgressions as well. I’m also a democrat and think she’s generally doing a good job, but these incidents are mounting and they are her own rules that she’s breaking. I agree with you, it’s not a good look.
+1
I’m also a liberal Democrat in the Midwest and I worked for the Biden campaign in Michigan last year. Gretchen Whitmer is hugely important to national Democratic victories but she is not above the rules and is going to sabotage herself. I hate to see it. Her state is purple, not blue. She doesn’t have as much leeway to make mistakes as Pritzker does in Illinois (for example).
I’m terrified that the Black, Republican retiring Chief of Police in Detroit, James Craig, is going to get enough support to make a run for governor. He’s a Trumper and frequent Fox News guest and that will go over well in the sticks.
My husband and I recently hosted a barbecue that had to be brought into our house due to rain. Every attendee except me is a doctor, but we were all vaccinated and as physicians they follow much stricter protocols than most people here in Texas. We were 14 people total but still did temperature checks at the door and spread out throughout the first floor of our house. Nevertheless, my husband and I made a big deal about recommending people not post photos on social media or say anything about having such a large gathering because we did not want to create an impression in anyone’s mind that the pandemic is not a problem anymore.
Technically only 39% are fully vaccinated, but 50% have one vaccine. The numbers coming down, though, are so encouraging! In Canada we have almost 60% of adults with one vaccine dose but nobody is fully vaccinated. We won’t be fully reopening things like indoor dining until 75% of adults have one vaccine dose and 20% have two. The idea I think is that the entire community needs to be safe before we drop mask mandates and even if you are fully vaccinated you should be inconvenience with masks until everybody else has had their turn to at least have one shot. It’s more individualistic in the States, rewarding people for getting both shots by allowing them to drop the masks and eat indoors. Not sure what’s the best approach but it’s interesting.
No, in the US now we are at 50% fully vaccinated (almost 130 million adults). The news was just released.
My 90-year-old Alberta’s mother has been fully vaccinated since April and continues to fully abide by COVID regulations. I hope it’s not much longer until I get my second shot – I’m going to be very reluctant to put away my masks even when it’s supposedly safe to do so.
On a different note, I suggested to a relative who is a quilter that she collect everyone’s cotton masks when (if) they’re no longer needed to make a COVID quilt; given how many colourful masks I’ve seen, it could be really beautiful.
That’s a great idea!
So it was her own rule, correct? Then yeah, she deserves the backlash.
We have opened back up pretty much completely here in Maryland and I’m slowly adjusting to it. Our positivity rate is the lowest its been since we started tracking, close to 70% of adults have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine (and most of those are fully vaccinated), etc. Every day more and more people are getting vaccinated.
I’ve eaten indoors at restaurants, if our vaccination rate keeps going up the way it has been I’m going to the movies next month, etc. I still wear a mask indoors at most places, even though not required, mainly bc I don’t want to put any store in the position of having to ask me to wear one, but it’s usually 50/50 in terms of whether other people are wearing one.
It’s been a weird feeling but I’m adjusting to things being as normal as possible again – it’s not so much that COVID is gone as it is that it’s part of our new normal and with enough people vaccinated, we’re in a pretty good place.
I’m a Dem that lives in a neighboring state….so am I irritated AF that she failed to follow protocol…yes..but am I DISGUSTED that one of the people who ACTIVELY kept facism at bay made this and that other mistake?
HECKY NAW!
There are LEVELS to my disgust regarding politics and I can not EVEN imagine what would have happened if she didn’t fight POS Trump last year in pushing covid mandates & fight him stealing the election in her state…her doing that helped MY state!