The progressive authors at Blue Virginia are so upset with Gov. Ralph Northam that they are using expletives.  Less than 24 hours after advising Virginians to do their "homework" by making "plans for you and your other family members to have facial protection," in anticipation of a possible mandatory mask-wearing order, Northam was seen on the beach taking selfies and posing with fans standing inches away from him.  The governor, in defiance of his own Phase One guideline, was not wearing a mask.  When critics pounced on the obvious double standard, Northam's spokeswoman stated: "He was outside today and not expecting to be within six feet of anyone."  She then suggested we all be prepared for these types of situations.

When this "ridiculous" statement and beach photos hit the mainstream media, the optics were too much for one Blue Virginia contributor.  Maybe having to defend another neuron-deficient Democrat like Joe Biden was getting on his nerves.

From Blue Virginia (with photos):

I mean, even assuming this was just an honest f----up by Northam — and seriously, how hard is it to have a bandanna or whatever around your neck, ready to pull up and cover your face in a couple seconds?!? — the problems with behaving like this are multifold.

First, it seriously undercuts the Northam administration's messaging and policy, including a possible announcement on Tuesday about requiring Virginians to wear masks.

Second, the media *loves* stories like this and of course will jump on them.

This makes it a lot harder for Democrats and others who are positively inclined towards Northam to defend him. It also makes it harder to go after Trump for being a "sociopath," "irresponsible," etc. because *he* refuses to wear a mask in public. Now, all the Trumpster have to say is, "what about YOUR governor.["]

At the minimum, it's a distraction, off message, etc. At worst, it could undercut the administration's credibility going forward.

And finally, stuff like this gives ammo to Northam's enemies — Republicans and right wingers, particularly — who also have pounced on this[.] ... Note that most of these folks have their own agenda, namely to "reopen" immediately, regardless of the negative health — and negative economic — implications of doing so. So stuff like this just lets them say things like "double standard" and "he expects us to take him seriously?"

A day before he jaunted on down to Virginia Beach this past Saturday, Northam reminded residents once again to maintain social distancing, and "please wear face covering while you are out in public."  Last week, he said, "Wearing a mask could literally save someone's life."  Yet his spokeswoman wants Virginians to believe he was taken by surprise at the beach. 

Northam joins other Democrat governors and mayors who have been caught violating their own orders after turning their cities and counties into police states for everybody else.  True to their agenda, instead of an arrest and fine, Blue Virginia has recommended Northam own up to his "mistake," apologize, and restate the guidelines in order to keep the virus from "roaring back."

Image credit: Craig via Wikimedia Commons.