ABC News was panned on social media over a “bigoted question” directed at Vice President Mike Pence during an interview this weekend about the coronavirus pandemic.
Byron Pitts, the co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline,” asked Pence—in his final question—if he talks to God in his “moments alone” and if he finds himself worrying at all “that people you represent and care deeply about have died and will die who did not need to because of steps the federal government did not take soon enough?”
The Gatewaypundit.com wrote that the question was akin to “asking someone how often they beat their wife.” Pence, however, took the question in stride and thanked Pitts for talking about “one American at a time.”
Pence, the head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, has warned that the next few weeks in the U.S. will be very challenging. By Monday afternoon, the U.S. has seen a total of 362,000 cases and 10,500 deaths.
“We are beginning to see the glimmers of progress,” Pence said at a White House news conference Sunday. “The experts will tell me not to jump to any conclusions, and I’m not, but like your president, I’m an optimistic person and I’m hopeful.”
Deborah Brix, the State Department immunologist, told the press conference that an “independent” model still projects 100,000 deaths in the U.S., Bloomberg reported.
Health officials have maintained that keeping an appropriate level of social distancing and frequent handwashing are two of the best ways to suppress the virus’ spread.
Pence told ABC News in the interview that the future is in the American public’s hands.
“If every one of us will do and put into practice the Guidelines for America that we can bring those numbers down. I, I really do believe we’ll get through this and we’ll come out stronger than ever before,” Pence said.
LifeNews.com slammed the network on Twitter, claiming that the question was “bigoted.”
Another Twitter user wrote, “ABC should be ashamed of themselves” and said Pence was unfairly mocked “due to his faith.”