Biden Makes a Direct and Heartfelt Call for Common Sense After Trump Tests Positive

Tom Williams/ZUMA

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In his first appearance after President Donald Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden made a forceful call for unity and common sense.

“It’s not about being a tough guy,” the former vice president said during the speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan—a Friday afternoon appearance only made possible by his own negative result. “It’s about playing your part. Wearing a mask is not only gonna protect you, but it will also protect those around you.”

His appearance was billed as a rallying call for economic recovery—and delivered on that promise by focussing mainly on his jobs plan—but given the timing, it was also bound to be an instantly historic reaction to the day’s events. Biden took the opportunity to wish the president a speedy recovery, and as if to underscore the significance of the moment, he donned a light blue mask throughout his entire speech.

Take a look:

DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And we need your support like never before, to fight back against the existential threats American democracy faces. Fundraising for nonprofit media is always a challenge, and we need all hands on deck right now. We have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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