Commentators rip Trump for jokingly offering ‘big fat kiss’ to rallygoers after COVID-19 battle

Several political writers and commentators ripped President Trump for jokingly offering to give rallygoers in Florida “a big fat kiss” less than two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.

“Now they say I’m immune. I feel so powerful. I’ll walk in there, I’ll kiss everyone in that audience,” Trump told the crowd. “I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women, just give you a big fat kiss.” https://t.co/hvPemIUlYI

— The Hill (@thehill) October 13, 2020

The president’s rally in Sanford, Fla., his first on the campaign trail since September, comes with the election just three weeks away.

Some journalists and commentators took to Twitter to scold the president for what they said was reckless messaging that made light of the coronavirus.

“I’ll kiss everyone in that audience. I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women, and everyone. I’ll just give you a big fat kiss.”

The leader of the free world in a pandemic, everyone pic.twitter.com/SynpTvNyor

— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) October 13, 2020

Media: @Acosta to @wolfblitzer from today’s @realDonaldTrump @TeamTrump rally at #Sanford #Florida: “As this crowd here is chanting that there are members of the press here who suck, I should also point out what also sucks: getting the #coronavirus.” pic.twitter.com/JO4SxJBw3O

— Porter Anderson (@Porter_Anderson) October 12, 2020

Nope https://t.co/Z3S120GnRY

— Olga Khazan (@olgakhazan) October 13, 2020

“I’ll Kiss the Guys and the Beautiful Women’ …

It’s almost as if he wants a replay of the Access Hollywood video. But this time in the midst of a pandemic that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.https://t.co/EB0BKaGGOP

— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) October 13, 2020

The White House told The Hill in a statement that the president takes the health and safety of those who work in support of him “very seriously” while following CDC guidelines for “limiting COVID-19 exposure.”

“White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible when the President is traveling,” a White House spokesman said. “The White House Press Office and the White House Correspondents Association have also been in regular discussions to ensure that all those traveling in the protective pool feel safe to do so.”

Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are in a close race for Florida’s 29 electoral votes, with the former vice president leading in the RealClearPolitics index of polls by 3.7 percentage points.