New York Times reporter is ripped for saying Obama's 60th birthday bash was low COVID risk because of the 'sophisticated, vaccinated crowd' who attended
A New York Times reporter was blasted after saying Barack Obama's birthday was a COVID-safe event because of the 'sophisticated, vaccinated crowd' that attended.
A clip of Annie Karni, a White House correspondent for the New York Times speaking on CNN quickly spread on social media with critics berating her for justifying the party using such terms.
Quoting people from her own story, Karni said that residents on the island of Martha's Vineyard where the party was being held had given her various reasons as to why COVID concerns were low.
'This has really been overblown, they're following all the safety precautions, people are going to sporting events that are bigger than this, this is going to be safe, this is a sophisticated, vaccinated crowd and this is just about optics it's not about safety,' Karni stated.
Karni's comments came as Dr Anthony Fauci was blasted for saying he was worried about the Sturgis Motortcycle Rally in South Dakota as a potential superspreader event, but made no mention Barack Obama's controversial 60th birthday party.
As day three of the rally was winding down on Sunday, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser said during an interview on NBC's Meet the Press that he understood why people want to attend, but said he remains 'concerned' about the potential to be a super-spreader event amid the Delta variant.
Critics, including journalist Glen Greenwald, slammed White House Correspondent Annie Karni, seen right, for ignoring concerns of the fast spreading Delta variant
On Twitter, the reporter later clarified that she was simply quoting what she had been told by locals quoting her own Times story.
'The Q was, what do people on the island think of the party? The A was me summarizing views of ppl I spoke with: some are upset, + others think the concerns about it are overblown. 'Sophisticated crowd' was from a quote in the story,' Karni tweeted.
But it was too late to quell criticism including from fellow reporters such as Glenn Greenwald.
'A NYT reporter on CNN justifying Obama's huge maskless birthday bash because he only invited 'a sophisticated, vaccinated crowd' is about as emblematic of liberal discourse as it gets. What happened to all the concerns about vaccinated people passing Delta to the unvaccinated?' Greenwald tweeted.
'Yes, it's a pandemic and a crisis, but let the sophisticated people have their fun!' he added.
New York Times reporter Annie Karni said President Obama's 60th birthday party was low risk COVID event because of its 'sophisticated, vaccinated crowd'
Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed concerned that the Sturgi bike rally would be a potential 'super-spreader' event, but didn't say anything about the hundreds gathered at Obama's Martha's Vineyard mansion for his 60th birthday party
The 10-day rally is expected to draw 700,000 from Friday, August 6 to Sunday, August 15
Motorcycle enthusiasts gather for a group photo during the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 8, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 8, 2021 - the third day of the rally
'Of course viruses don't attack sophisticated people, Muffy!' attorney Harmeet K. Dhillon wrote, while jokingly using a stereotypically WASPy name.
'Someone really should inform Annie Karni what certain parts of Hollywood thinks of vaccines,' writer Stephen L. Miller chimed in.
'Oh that explains it. As long as you are rich and sophisticated, you are safe from Covid. All the rest of us lower level citizens must practice social distancing,' wrote Lain C.
'I guess from now on, the virus will be asking if you've read War and Peace before it infects you. If you are sophisticated enough to have read it, you'll get a pass,' added Mehdi Farbod.
President Obama's party was due to have a guest list of more than 500 but it was 'scaled back' due to concerns over the spread of the delta variant.
However, pictures from the party showed only those working at the party to be wearing masks while guest, who partied the night away under massive tents, did not.
A number of Twitter users mocked the 'sophisticated' comments online
Dr Fauci also came under fire for criticizing the 10-day Sturgis Motortcycle Rally over its potential as a super-spreader event, while making no mention of Obama's birthday.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Fauci said: 'Well I'm very concerned that we're going to see another surge related to that rally
'I mean, to me it's understandable that people want to do the kinds of things they want to do. They want their freedom to do that,' Fauci said.
'But there comes a time when you're dealing with a public health crisis that could involve you, your family and everyone else, that something supersedes that need to do exactly what you want to do.'
This riled up Fauci critics and rally participants who tore into the polarizing health expert on Twitter for not saying the same thing about former Obama's Great Gatsby-like soiree at his $12million Martha's Vineyard mansion, where guests celebrated the former president's 60th birthday.
'Yeah, no,' Twitter user 'RedState's Becca Lower' said. 'We should not have unelected bureaucrats telling us what our rights are, period!'
'I have come to loathe Fauci. I cannot believe I fell for this fraud for even a minute. Lollapalooza: Nothing. Obama birthday party: Nothing. Riding a motorcycle in the free air: SATAN'S DEVIL VIRUS WILL GET YA!' Melissa McKenzie tweeted.
'Kenny F.' tweeted, 'Lollapalooza, Obama's birthday, Bowser's wedding, etc etc etc Those telling us to worry aren't themselves worried, so why should we be?'
'No comment from St. Fauci on Obama’s soirée last night with a few hundred of his closest friends - or how about Lollapalooza last week in Chicago. Or, I guess it’s SELECTIVE festivities, because the virus knows, and only attacks those who fit the Dems’ narrative,' Sarah Johnson tweeted.
Pictured: People walk down the streets of Sturgis, South Dakota during the rally, which is expected to draw more than 500,000 people during its 10-day run
The 81st annual rally has already been linked to three motorcycle deaths and 207 open container violations
A sign outside a temporary shop advertising piercings and tattoos near the rally reads, ' F*** COVID Tour'
As of Thursday, one day before the rally, there were 10 COVID patients at the largest nearby hospital
The rally - which is the largest motorcycle gathering in the world - is expected to attract at least 700,000 people during the 10-day rendezvous for bike lovers at a time when the highly contagious COVID-19 'Delta' variant is decimating parts of the US.
Last year - with significantly less people - researchers linked about 266,000 COVID-19 cases and at least one death to the event, which for some is a once-in-a-lifetime goal to make it to Sturgis while others faithfully make the pilgrimage year after year.
'It's just a great big family atmosphere, everybody's out here for the same purpose - we all love motorcycles,' said Aaron Harper. 'If you're a motorcyclist, you have to see it at least once in your life.'
At least three people died in motorcycle accidents in the area Friday, when the rally began.
Only about 46% of adults who live in the county that hosts Sturgis are fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with 60.6% nationwide.
Virus infections are on the rise in South Dakota after a steady decline through the spring and early summer - though the state has the fewest new virus cases per capita in the United States.
There were 30 cases confirmed in the state on August 2, down from 72 on July 29, according to state public data.
The Department of Health reported a 68% jump in virus infections last week, with the highly contagious delta variant spurring a larger share of those infections.
Last year's rally transformed Sturgis, usually a quiet community of under 7,000 residents, into a travel hub comparable to a major U.S. city.
One analysis of anonymous cellphone data found that well over half of counties in the country were visited by someone who attended Sturgis.
Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen, second from right, is pictured during the rally this weekend
A bison is seen in South Dakota as Sturgis prepared for the 10-day motorcycle rally this weekend
A man is seen dressed like Captain America as he prepared for the rally in Sturgis this weekend
Captain America is seen waving at people on the back of a Harley Davidson motorcycle in South Dakota
A horse-drawn Budweiser buggy is pictured clopping down a road in Sturgis for the opening ceremony of the rally
A group of bikers attending the Sturgis motorcycle rally are pictured posing in front of Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota
A couple holds up the peace signh while riding on a Harley Davidson motorcycle ahead of the Sturgis rally
A couple is seen riding on an Indian motorcycle with three large American flags ahead of the Sturgis rally
A team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control concluded that last year's rally ended up looking like a 'superspreader event.'
An analysis by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics last year found that the rally was a superspreader event that resulted in around $12.2 billion in public health costs, according to The Hill.
Researchers linked about 266,000 COVID-19 cases and at least one death to the event.
This year, the rally is expected to be even bigger. The city held an opening ceremony Friday for the 81st iteration of the event - something it skipped in 2020 in an attempt to tamp down the crowds.
Concerns over the event have pitted local health workers against each other - with some nurses claiming those concerned about the event should move and others blasting the rally as irresponsible.
Rikki Plaggemeyer, 46, works as an emergency-room nurse manager in Sturgis and told the Daily Beast that she hears of people that live in town and don't love the rally.
'If you don't like to live in Sturgis, and you don't like the Sturgis Rally, you shouldn't live here,' she said.
'It gives us great experiences in the ER and in the hospital, and I spend most of my time during the rally here.'
Registered nurse Jamie Lascelles, 30, agreed with Plaggemeyer but added th
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