United States President Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force, now led by Vice President Mike Pence, is under heavy criticism.
A White House photo of Vice President Mike Pence praying with his coronavirus task force team has sparked a heated debate on social media about religion, politics and the efficacy of prayer.
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The photo, taken on 26 February was released by the White House, and began circulating on social media on Monday.
The simple photo shows Pence sitting in a chair and bowing in prayer as more than 15 others in the room also pray.
“Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying for a solution. We are so screwed,” tweeted Thomas Chatterton Williams, a writer for New York Magazine and Harper’s Magazine. His tweet attracted over 5,000 retweets and 18,000 likes and helped start the debate.
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Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying for a solution. We are so screwed. pic.twitter.com/p020FBIK9J
— Thomas Chatterton Williams 🌍 🎧 (@thomaschattwill) March 1, 2020
Virologist at Columbia University Dr Angela Rasmussen described the photo of the taskforce praying as unsettling.
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“I have yet to attend a scientific meeting that begins with a Christian prayer,” she said in a message posted on Twitter.
I have yet to attend a scientific meeting that begins with a Christian prayer. https://t.co/DyfGhUpPJp
— Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) March 1, 2020
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“Mike Pence can pray whenever he likes, but I do find it odd to see him leading a prayer during a meeting of the coronavirus task force with people like the head of the CDC and Dr. [Anthony S.] Fauci,” Matt Novak, an editor for Gizmodo, tweeted.
Mike Pence can pray whenever he likes, but I do find it odd to see him leading a prayer during a meeting of the coronavirus task force with people like the head of the CDC and Dr. Fauci. pic.twitter.com/t9swo47aw6
— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) March 1, 2020
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Evangelist Franklin Graham however, praised the image as “touching and powerful”.
A touching & powerful photo of @VP @Mike_Pence & the President’s Coronavirus Taskforce praying when they met last week in his office. Thank you VP Pence and each one who is serving. Let’s join them in asking God for His wisdom, direction, & help in the response to this virus. pic.twitter.com/9tbMhSWe7d
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) March 2, 2020
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Writer Jonathan Merritt tweeted, “Criticize Mike Pence all you want for being inept in his strategy to dealing with this. But mocking him for praying – like 79 percent of Americans have done in the past 3 months – is why so many regular Americans despise wine-and-cheese liberals.”
Criticize Mike Pence all you want for being inept in his strategy to dealing with this. But mocking him for praying—like 79% of Americans have done in the past 3 months—is why so many regular Americans despise wine-and-cheese liberals. ✔️ https://t.co/LCHG5MhFxg
— Jonathan Merritt (@JonathanMerritt) March 2, 2020
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