Stacey Abrams Snaps Back Over Criticism of Her Mask-Free Photo Op

Kevin Wolf/AP Images for The Roosevelt Institute

Earlier on Sunday, my colleague Thomas LaDuke shared that failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who’s making another go at the position, recently posed for a truly cringe-worthy photo op, showing her sitting with school children who were all masked, while she was mask-free.

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(see Photo Op Cringe: Grinning Stacey Abrams Sits Among Masked Children With No Mask)

Duke wrote:

Stacey was not really a contender for being Biden’s pick for V.P., but I do now wonder if she could top the mess that Vice President Harris is doing in that job. Her obvious lack of self-awareness of her grinning mug, in front of a bunch of masked, hostage-looking kids, shows that she might at least be on par with Harris in the “no idea what I’m doing” department.

He brings up some great questions, especially since when we last heard from Abrams, she was doing her best to avoid being seen with President Biden — though he was in her state, speaking on “voting rights,” likely the top issue she uses to explain away her loss to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in 2018.

Now, the Abrams campaign has responded via Instagram to the tsunami of well-deserved criticism their candidate got over the image.

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The statement reads:

It is shameful that our opponents are using a Black History Month reading event for Georgia children as the impetus for a false political attack, and it is pitiful and predictable that our opponents continue to look for opportunities to distract from their failed records when it comes to protecting public health during the pandemic.

One of Stacey’s opponents downplayed the virus while trading stock to profit off the pandemic after his private coronavirus briefings as a Senator.

Another of her opponents attacked mayors seeking to protect their citizens and has failed to expand access to Medicaid even as rural hospitals close.

This pathetic, transparent and silly attack is beneath anyone who claims he wants to lead Georgia.”

Then in the comments of the post, the Abrams account — for no known reason — makes a reference to former President Donald Trump. “Our opponents took a brief break from pledging fealty to Trump this weekend…” I’m not going to speculate on what is meant here, but the tone of the remark is unprofessional, at best. Let’s move on to the statement itself.

Now, there’s a lot going on in the post, for sure. They’ve managed to throw everything and the kitchen sink into it, including implying that even asking questions about an event taking place during Black History Month is somehow racist. There’s also a bunch of word salad about evil Republicans endangering citizens’ lives, the specter of congressional stock-trading, and an (undoubtedly unsubstantiated) allegation of “profit off the pandemic.”

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Of course, the sole purpose is to distract any onlookers and evade the basic question: why in the world did anyone on Abrams’ team (including Abrams herself) think this was a bright idea? Also, I don’t see any “false political attack” in this.

Why isn’t she wearing a mask — while every single one of the children is forced to mask-up? It’s a simple question, but neither Abrams nor any other Democrat can answer it. It’s worth asking why.

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