President Joe Biden was asked by NBC News White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell on Thursday about Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) using the president's words against him. Biden responded with a "governor who?" The president appeared to be joking, as he and others in the background are heard laughing. Such a response has gone viral, with "#GovernorWho" trending on Twitter.
Here is the president responding to my question about ?@GovRonDeSantis? using Biden's words against him to say DeSantis is "getting in the way" over COVID rules. President Biden: "Governor who?" Watch. pic.twitter.com/mmjznTsLcf
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) August 5, 2021
In a separate tweet, O'Donnell pointed out that Biden drove an "electric vehicle" onto the south lawn where he took questions from reporters. Earlier in the day he had signed an executive order for making 50 percent of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles.
Many users on Twitter also considered it quite the hilarious joke to poke fun at DeSantis in such a way. Others pointed out that though that when it comes to Biden, one never knows if he's joking or is just that confused and forgetful.
Second option: Biden was confused. Hard to tell.
— Disclose.tv ?? (@disclosetv) August 5, 2021
Hilarious watching the Left coping for their senile god. #GovernorWho
— The Columbia Bugle ???? (@ColumbiaBugle) August 5, 2021
"It would be more convincing if he hadn’t spent the previous two days attacking DeSantis. Guess he realized DeSantis isn’t the guy he wants to pick a fight with," said Desantis' press secretary, Christina Pushaw, in a statement for Townhall.
"After several days of unprovoked attacks from President Biden and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, one thing is clear: Biden, like his corporate media cheerleaders, is intimidated by Governor DeSantis. There’s no reason for that. Governor DeSantis doesn’t have time for political slap fights; he just wants to keep Florida free. Whether Washington DC likes it or not, Governor DeSantis will continue to defend the rights of all Floridians," Pushaw continued.
She especially wished to emphasize that "all Biden’s attacks on DeSantis were totally unprovoked."
Gov. DeSantis and the White House have engaged in a newsworthy back-and-forth about the handling of the pandemic.
"At a certain point, leaders are going to have to choose whether they're going to follow public health guidelines or whether they're going to follow politics," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said about DeSantis on Monday.
Gov. DeSantis has consistently taken against a vocal stance on mask mandates and school closures. Last Friday he announced he was signing an executive order which he said "directs the Florida Department of Education and Department of Health to issue emergency rules protecting the rights of parents to make this decision about wearing masks for their children."
"He wants to have the government force kindergarteners to wear masks in school...In Florida, the parents are gonna be the ones in charge of that decision."
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 4, 2021
DeSantis BLASTS Biden after president tells him to ‘get out of the way’ on COVID | Full Video >> https://t.co/FfNvhlRcm4 pic.twitter.com/4SVyO0MC0H
On Wednesday, DeSantis responded during a press conference saying "I am standing in your way. I am standing for the people of Florida." He also went on to say. "Why don't you do your job? Why don't you get this border secure? Until you do that, I don't want to hear a blip about COVID from you."
Ron DeSantis has done such a great job, and the media seething only affirms that
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) August 5, 2021
Some have pointed out that the mainstream media targeting the governor in such a way actually points to how well he is doing.