CBS, NBC Lie About Ron DeSantis ‘Admonishing’ Kids to Take Off Masks

On Wednesday, CBS Evening NewsNBC and NBC Nightly NewsBoth took exception to Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor, letting students from High Schools know that they are allowed to remove their masks and stand behind him at an event at University of Florida. 

CBS Evening News was the first to whine about DeSantis’s comments, with correspondent Mola Lenghi claiming the Governor “admonished” the students. Despite that claim, CBS then played Governor DeSantis’s comments which only proved it wasn’t “admonishing”: 

You don’t have to wear these masks. You can take the masks off. It’s really not doing any good, so we have to end this COVID theatre. It’s fine to wear, but it is absurd.

Meanwhile, NBC expressed much of the same tone with correspondent Miguel Almaguer announced that the road back to the “new normal” after the COVID pandemic “may be bumpy with the country still divided.”

NBC aired DeSantis’ soundbite immediately after that comment. It suggested that the Florida Governor was part of the problem with the nation’s division. 

The fact of the matter is that DeSantis didn’t “admonish”, berate or order the high school students to take their masks off, he simply let them know that it was perfectly acceptable to finally take them off and allow themselves to breathe without a piece of cloth on their faces. 

The video shows that students smiled when taking off their masks. 

NEW: @GovRonDeSantis annoyed with USF students—

These masks do not need to be worn. Take them off. It’s really not helping. It’s time to end this Covid theater. You can wear it if that’s what you want, but otherwise, this is insane.”https://t.co/7j1Pb2hV53 @WFLA pic.twitter.com/ZIOyTHLOh3

— Evan Donovan (@EvanDonovan) March 2, 2022

If CBS and NBC wanted to give their viewers both sides of the story they would’ve reached out to Governor DeSantis’s Press Secretary Christina Pushaw for a statement from the Governor. It’s clear that they do not want to hear anything from the DeSantis staff. After News Channel 8 in Florida published Pushaw’s statement, it went viral on Twitter. 

“As the governor said, ‘you can wear them if you want’ but there’s ‘no evidence’ masks make any difference. That has been clear for a long time, and the data informed our state’s official guidance. The CDC even dropped the recommendation to wear masks for Americans after Florida. After two years of mixed messages from health authorities and the media, the governor wants to make sure everyone is aware of the facts and data now, so they can feel free and comfortable without a mask.”

The media is not open to nuance when a Republican politician says or does controversial things. This is the exact opposite of how Democrats are treated in the media. 

CBS and NBC were brought to you today by Nature’s Bounty (NBC) and Liberty Mutual (NBC). You can link their information. 

You can click on “expand to view the transcripts” below. 

CBS Evening News
3/2/2022
Eastern, 6:41:27

MOLA LENGHI: A group of University of Florida students were criticized for using masks today by Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor.

[cuts to video] 

FLORIDA GOVERNOR ROY DESANTIS says: These masks are not necessary. You can take the masks off. It’s really not doing any good, so we have to end this COVID theatre. It’s fine to wear, but it is absurd.

NBC Nightly News 
3/2/2022
Eastern: 7:15 p.m.

MIGUEL ALMAGUER – The White House revealed a document of 96 pages with four goals. However, it will continue to focus on vaccinations. The White House will continue to invest in genomic sequencing, as it is preparing for new variations. To prevent school or economic closures, Americans are able to request additional at-home testing kits starting next week. And if they test positive at a doctor’s pharmacy or clinic for the virus, then antiviral drugs could be made available immediately. This initiative is called “test and treat”.

(…)

ALMAGUER : It seems like the President is signaling that we are entering a new norm. Do you think it is right to take that interpretation? 

Dr. PETER HOTEZ (DEAN of BAYLOR College OF Medication): It seems like we have reached a new place. It is a great improvement in the transmission level. We have time to reflect, and create a roadmap that will take us where we want to go. 

ALMAGUER: The road ahead may prove bumpy as the country is still divided. Florida Governor, today speaking with high school students.

[cuts to video]

FLORIDA GOVERNOR ROY DESANTIS says: These masks are not necessary. You can take the masks off. It’s really not doing any good, so we have to end this covid theatre. It’s fine to wear, but it is absurd.

ALMAGUER – Tonight, a nation struggles to cope with an emerging pandemic.