MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace said it was “more difficult” to hope for Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s recovery from coronavirus.
Paul became the first U.S. senator to test positive for the novel virus on Sunday, which led Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune to urge anyone who had been in contact with the Kentucky senator to consult their healthcare provider.
Meanwhile, Democratic Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and others accused Paul of exhibiting “irresponsible” behavior while waiting for his test results, including using the Senate gym and pool. It was in that context that Wallace brought the topic up on Monday afternoon’s “Deadline White House” with her guest, Democratic Connecticut Rep. Jim Hines.
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“I don’t want this to come off sounding harsh, but I think when people hear that Republican Senator Rand Paul submitted to a test and then swam in the pool that the gym was open, I know that you’re not in the Capitol, you’re back in your district tending to the needs of your constituents, but what does it say that in the Capitol, at least this Republican senator didn’t seem to have much regard for the health of the people around him?” Wallace asked Hines.
The Connecticut lawmaker said Paul’s actions “when we should be isolating really doesn’t send the right message.”
“So, I have no idea what Rand Paul was thinking, but at this point, I just hope he, uh, he’s okay,” he added. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson: Democrats Holding Up Coronavirus Relief Putting ‘Wokeness’ Over The American People)
“I think everybody hopes he’s okay,” said Wallace. “I think, not wishing anyone to be sick or to be exposed is a universal sentiment, but I wonder if that’s just made more difficult.”