Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary Monday about former President Obama’s large birthday party and wondered if he is setting “the wrong example.”
Obama plans to celebrate his 60th birthday Friday with a large party in Martha’s Vineyard. Over 600 people including staff are expected to attend. The former president is having his celebration amid concerns about the spread of the delta variant, which has led some places to reinstitute mask mandates.
“Is President Obama setting the wrong example about how serious COVID-19 is by hosting a big birthday party with hundreds of people this week?” Doocy asked. (RELATED: Sen. Graham Says Biden’s Border Policies Are The ‘Biggest Super Spreader’ For COVID-19)
Doocy also asked about Obama throwing a massive birthday party and whether he’s “setting the right example of how dangerous Covid is,” which led Psaki to defend it because “Obama has been a huge advocate of individuals being vaccinated,” there will be testing, and it’s outside pic.twitter.com/jGb11keCW7
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 2, 2021
Psaki said that there are testing requirements for the event and that Obama “has been a huge advocate of individuals getting vaccinated.” She added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance applies to “indoor settings in high or substantial high zones of COVID cases.”
“This event, according to all the public reporting, is outdoors and in a moderate zone,” she said.
Doocy pointed out that vaccinated people can still spread the delta variant and asked if there was concern about the event becoming a super-spreader.
“The guidance is about what steps people can take when they’re in public settings, indoor settings specifically was the new guidance to keep themselves and others safe,” the press secretary said. “In terms of what protocols they are taking, I would refer you to them and I’m sure they can give you more details.”
Doocy asked if people might think that they can have a party with several hundred people because Obama did it, and Psaki said that the administration advises people to follow public health guidelines.