Barack Obama has been criticized for planning to throw a birthday party with nearly 500 guests amid a nationwide spike in Covid-19 cases.
The former president turns 60 on August 4, and per Axios, he will be ringing in the milestone with a huge celebration at his 7,000-square-foot mansion in Martha's Vineyard next weekend.
A source told the outlet that 475 guests have been confirmed thus far - including Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, and Steven Spielberg. What's more, there will be an additional 200 staff members at the soirée.
But as reported by the CDC, Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations due to the virus, and fatalities are on the rise in the majority of US states. The Delta variant, which is far more contagious than previous variants, is partially responsible for the rise in infections.
Credit: PA Images / Alamy
While the guests will all have to be tested for Covid and must be vaccinated - and the party will be held outside, health officials have nevertheless advised against big parties.
Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told CNN:
"If you're talking about a small party like I might have at my house for six or eight people who are all fully vaccinated, I do not believe, at this point, we need to put masks on to be next to each other.
"But if there were 100 people, and, of course, how are you really going to be sure about people's vaccination status?"
And per the official CDC advice, those who want to host a large gathering should opt for a virtual gathering instead.
A "Covid coordinator" has been hired for the event in order to uphold necessary safety protocols. However, it is not clear whether guests will have to provide any proof that they have received their vaccine or proof of a negative Covid test. It is also unclear whether guests will be required to wear masks.
Needless to say, Obama's birthday plans have sparked backlash online with one person tweeting: "Let me get this straight. You couldn’t say goodbye to your dying loved ones, but Barack Obama can have a party with 700 people at his estate in Martha’s Vineyard?"
They added: "Lmao at all his brain dead supporters flocking to justify it as they wear 3 masks and a face shield alone in their car even after getting the vax."
Another said in a sarcastic tone: "The terrifying fear of breakthrough COVID infections and deaths is so high that Obama is hosting a reckless superspreader event at a home with 700 people, with a rock band and its hairdresser."
A final person shared: "So disappointed @BarackObama & @MichelleObama are hosting a party where the health of 200 low-wage servers will be put at risk.
"Is his 60th birthday any more important than every wedding, graduation, or birthday celebration that has been postponed or canceled due to COVID-19?"
Featured image credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy
Barack Obama has significantly scaled down his 60th birthday party after receiving backlash for inviting nearly 500 guests amid soaring Covid-19 cases.
The birthday plans were made in spite of reports by the CDC of a spike in Covid-19 cases and deaths. Needless to say, a number of people took umbrage with the large-scale celebration - and it appears the Democrat has now listened to the people.
Originally, the sizable guest list included Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg as well as hundreds of former Obama administration officials and Democratic donors.
Credit: PA Images / Alamy
Now, only close friends and family will be invited to Obama's home for a much smaller gathering.
Per The New York Times, Hannah Hankins, a spokeswoman for the former president, said in a statement on Wednesday, August 4: "Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends.
"He’s appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon."
Originally, the plan was that all 475 guests had to be vaccinated and had to receive a negative Covid test result. What's more, a "Covid coordinator" had been hired in order to ensure certain safety protocols were being followed.
Credit: Evan El-Amin / Alamy
According to the 60-year-old's former senior adviser David Axelrod, the Obamas were "concerned about the virus from the beginning, asking invited guests if they had been vaccinated, requesting that they get a test proximate to the event."
He added: "But when this was planned, the situation was quite different. So they responded to the changing circumstances."
Health officials are still advising against big parties, though, particularly with the rise of the Delta variant.
Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told CNN: "If you're talking about a small party like I might have at my house for six or eight people who are all fully vaccinated, I do not believe, at this point, we need to put masks on to be next to each other.
"But if there were 100 people, and, of course, how are you really going to be sure about people's vaccination status?"
Featured image credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy
Barack Obama claims that incumbent President Donald Trump is jealous of the amount of media coverage the COVID-19 pandemic has been receiving.
According to a recent report by The Guardian, the former President of the United States criticized the Republican leader, in a speech delivered to a crowd at a drive-in rally in Orlando in Florida.
Take a look at Obama's denunciation of Trump in the video below:
Supporting Democrat candidate (and former VP) Joe Biden, Obama claimed that Trump's slow response to the coronavirus was the cause of thousands of preventable deaths, and added that he was envious of the coverage the virus had received from the mainstream news media.
Per a report by CNN, Obama stated: "More than 225,000 people in this country are dead. More than 100,000 small businesses have closed. Half a million jobs are gone in Florida alone. Think about that."
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He continued:
"What's his closing argument? That people are too focused on Covid. He said this at one of his rallies. Covid, Covid, Covid, he's complaining. He's jealous of Covid's media coverage.
"If he had been focused on Covid from the beginning, cases wouldn't be reaching new record highs across the country this week."
Obama added:
"Let me say this: I lived in the White House for a while ... it's a controlled environment. You can take some preventive measures in the White House to avoid getting sick. Except, this guy can't seem to do it. He's turned the White House into a hot zone."
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Obama went on to suggest that Trump was too busy with his own image to respond effectively to the current crisis, adding:
"Listen, you've got a President right now, he wants full credit for an economy that he inherited, he wants zero blame for the pandemic he ignored.
"But you know what, the job doesn't work that way. You've got to be responsible 24/7. You've got to pay attention 24/7. Tweeting at the TV doesn't fix things. Watching TV all day doesn't fix things. Making stuff up doesn't fix things."
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Kim Kardashian has been slammed by critics online for throwing a lavish birthday party on a private island in the Caribbean in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star celebrated her 40th with her family and husband Kanye West by renting out a private island for a week, and went kayaking, swam with whales, and drank of cocktails.
British morning talk show host Piers Morgan recently labeled the Kardashians "bimbos":
The controversy began earlier this week, when the reality TV personality took to her official Instagram account and shared a picture of herself with her 190 million Instagram followers.
"40 and feeling so humbled and blessed. There is not a single day that I take for granted, especially during these times when we are all reminded of the things that truly matter.
"For my birthday this year, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than with some of the people who have helped shaped me into the woman I am today."
"Before COVID, I don’t think any of us truly appreciated what a simple luxury it was to be able to travel and be together with family and friends in a safe environment.
"After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time.
"We danced, rode bikes, swam near whales, kayaked, watched a movie on the beach and so much more. I realize that for most people, this is something that is so far out of reach right now, so in moments like these, I am humbly reminded of how privileged my life is."
However, a number of social media commentators were less-than-impressed by Kim's post, and took to Twitter to criticize her for enjoying such opulence during a global crisis.
One Twitter user wrote: "Kim Kardashian evidences the class divide that persists via showing off wealth whilst aware that the majority can't enjoy in a lifetime the luxuries she affords daily? [sic]"
A number of other Twitter users have since created image macros satirizing Kim's post:
But regardless of the tone of her birthday post, Kim Kardashian certainly has had her life negatively affected by the pandemic. Indeed, in an emotional recent interview, she opened up about how frightening it was for her when Kanye West tested positive for COVID.
Kylie Jenner has been slammed for ignoring Covid-19 lockdown restrictions to throw her daughter Stormi a lavish birthday party.
According to The Daily Mail, the model and influencer took to her official Instagram on Monday, January 1, to share a post with her 213 million followers, to tell them that she'd curtailed her plans for the birthday bash, which she'd dubbed "Stormi World Three."
Speaking in a video on her Instagram stories, Kylie stated:
"Stormiworld 3 is canceled for obvious reasons, but I still went all out for Stormi at my house and we're doing a cousin party for her and all her cousins and my family which will be amazing."
Kylie later shared a picture of her three-year-old daughter playing at the beach, and captioned it:
"Thank you God for sending this little soul to me. Crying today because I can’t stop the time ... it’s all the little things i’ll miss like your cute voice and our long talks on the potty.
"Watching you experience everything for the very first time has been the best part of these last few years but on the other side I’m excited to watch you grow into the most special girl I know you will be and all the amazing things I know you will do.
"Happy birthday to my baby forever!!!! [sic]."
Buzzfeed reports that a number of social media users have since criticized Jenner after she shared a number of pictures of the extravagant party, which included a bouncy castle with her face on it, and a miniature candy shop.
For instance, one disgruntled Twitter user wrote: "Is Kylie actually doing a stormiworld for her child’s 3rd birthday? someone is dying from covid every 10 min in LA [sic]."
Meanwhile, someone else wrote: "It's coronavirus's one year anniversary soon and Kylie still doesn't know what this virus can do and how it can actually harm people. [sic]."
Another person chimed in: "I know you canceled Stormiworld but you still held a big *ss party. Even if it was a party for her, it's still a party in a pandemic and I didn't see any masks. Even if you're a millionaire, you can still catch the virus and give it to people."
A fourth person wrote: "I ask why do people feel the need to follow Kylie Jenner after she keeps breaking COVID protocols! She doesn't give a damn about you! Why care about her or her siblings?!! [sic]"
This is far from the first time that a member of the Keeping Up With The Kardashians cast has been criticized for flouting pandemic guidelines.
Twitter has erupted after it was announced that 17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg would a special guest alongside a panel of medical experts to discuss the coronavirus pandemic in an upcoming town hall.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, 52, will host the show - titled 'Coronavirus - Facts and Fears' - alongside CNN broadcaster Sanjay Gupta, 50, former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, 71, and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Richard Besser, 60.
However, after the announcement was made on CNN's official Twitter account, social media users were majorly divided over the decision to feature the teenager on a panel of public health experts.
Famed American conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro slammed the news network, tweeting to his 2.6 million followers: "Is there anyone at CNN with any level of self-awareness? Featuring Greta Thunberg on a covid-19 expert panel is just beyond words. I actually cannot believe they are this insane/stupid.
"From now on, CNN just needs to feature her on every expert panel. Just to f*** with everybody. 'TONIGHT ON CNN: EXPERT PANEL ON PARTICLE PHYSICS, FEATURING CHILD WHO YELLS AT ADULTS GRETA THUNBERG!'"
Political scientist and author Ian Bremmer joked to his half a million Twitter followers: "Greta Thunberg is appearing on a CNN Townhall on Climate Ch... No, it’s on Coronavirus. Okay, now I’m confused."
Chuck Callesto tweeted out his criticism over CNN's decision, writing to his 250,000+ followers: "CNN's Expert Coronavirus Panel will Include GRETA THUNBERG.. IS CNN TABLOID NEWS AT THIS POINT?"
Radio and podcast host Neal Boortz also slammed CNN, tweeting to his 215K followers: "Sorry, CNN. I just don’t get it. Your ratings continue to slide, and your response is to put Greta Thunberg on an expert Coronavirus panel? [You're] playing a joke on us, right? Did you lose a bet?"
However, there were those who took to the social media platform to voice their support for Thunberg's inclusion on the panel.
Twitter-user Ann-Marie Poli wrote: "Greta Thunberg is not appearing on CNN as an expert on coronovirus. She is someone who both had covid and is dedicating her life to awareness of another global threat. But I know I am wasting my time. People filled with that much hate have no room for anything else. [sic]"
The wife of one of the Krassenstein Brothers - the progressive political activists who were permanently banned from Twitter last year - also shared her support for the teenager with the 45K followers.
Ms. Krassenstein tweeted: "Why do people just love attacking Greta Thunberg so much? Who cares if she's on CNN's CoronaVirus town hall? No one is claiming she's an expert on the matter so stop putting words in people's mouths. 'Special guest' doesn't mean 'expert,' no matter how you want to spin it!"
Last month, UNICEF announced that Thunberg had launched a children-first campaign to help protect young lives against COVID-19, pledging a grant of €92,000 ($100,000), awarded to her by Danish NGO Human Act, toward the effort.
Speaking about the campaign, the 17-year-old said:
"Like the climate crisis, the coronavirus pandemic is a child-rights crisis. It will affect all children, now and in the long-term, but vulnerable groups will be impacted the most. I’m asking everyone to step up and join me in support of UNICEF’s vital work to save children’s lives, to protect health and continue education."
Back in March, Thunberg also took to social media to announce that she had been self-isolating after fearing she had become infected with the novel coronavirus. She wrote:
"The last two weeks I’ve stayed inside. When I returned from my trip around Central Europe I isolated myself (in a borrowed apartment away from my mother and sister) since the number of cases of COVID-19 (in Germany for instance) were similar to Italy in the beginning. Around ten days ago I started feeling some symptoms, exactly the same time as my father - who traveled with me from Brussels."
She added: "We who don’t belong to a risk group have an enormous responsibility, our actions can be the difference between life and death for many others.
"Please keep that in mind, follow the advice from experts and your local authorities and #StayAtHome to slow the spread of the virus. And remember to always take care of each other and help those in need. #COVID #flattenthecurve"
Coronavirus - Facts and Fears, will air tonight at 8:00pm ET.
