As the United States continues to grapple with cases of COVID-19, also known as the Wuhan coronavirus, Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have shown bipartisanship in using their social media to raise awareness about the viral pandemic and what the public can do to mitigate it — except for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Looking through her Facebook and Twitter posts from March 13, when President Trump declared a national emergency, to March 20, Pelosi has barely used her platform to have posts solely dedicated for ways to stop the spread of COVID-19, which originally started in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, and has significantly fewer social media posts that are not political in nature when compared to the rest of the party leaders. Pelosi has instead been focusing on the emergency coronavirus relief bill that failed to proceed after a cloture vote was defeated by Senate Democrats on Sunday.
In contrast, both the Republican and Democratic leadership have posted to their respective accounts on ways to stop the spread of the virus and had more posts that are apolitical.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy posted 13 informational tweets about the coronavirus on his Twitter account and 17 posts on his Facebook page. Pelosi only had five apolitical posts on both of her accounts in the same timeframe, only one of which was strictly about stopping the spread of COVID-19. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) had six tweets and seven Facebook posts that were apolitical.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) sent informational PSA tweets and 13 Facebook posts. Rep. Liz Cheney, the House Republican Conference Chair, sent one tweet from her personal account and six Facebook posts on her official page.
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The Republican Conference's Twitter and Facebook accounts had 13 and 15 posts, respectively. The Democratic Caucus' Twitter and Facebook accounts had 12 Twitter and 21 Facebook posts.
Trump meanwhile has tweeted multiple coronavirus PSAs from his personal Twitter account during the same timeframe, which include videos featuring Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams doctors Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2020
SOCIAL DISTANCING! pic.twitter.com/H2jR59wArx
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 19, 2020
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020
A call to Pelosi's press office was not returned in time for publication.
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