Either MSNBC host Joy Reid comes out on the losing end of a mini-firestorm she ignited on Twitter yesterday, or fellow libs, including Salon’s Joan Walsh, do.
To most observers, it seemed as though Reid was trying to excuse the Obama administration both for its bizarre decision to send members of the U.S. military to West Africa to combat the disease and for the confusion here at home about who’s leading the containment efforts.
Yesterday Reid tweeted:
To the anti-government wingers in my thread: so far, the only “spread of Ebola” in the U.S. was caused by a private hospital in a red state.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) October 12, 2014
Walsh tweeted a simple thank you, and other tweeters praised Reid for what they must have perceived as a “gotcha!”
@JoyAnnReid thank you! — Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) October 12, 2014
@JoyAnnReid @joanwalsh A red state who’s governor blocked federal dollars for health care improvements. — Nobody’s Business (@ocularnervosa) October 12, 2014
The “anti-government wingers,” meanwhile, fired back critiques:
@JoyAnnReid that makes no sense…I mean is that supposed to prove something? Only a loon makes that connection.
— Chris Cornwell (@jccornwell) October 12, 2014
@JoyAnnReid You should have some shame. Quite a bit in fact. — Hugo Hackenbush (@MangyLover) October 12, 2014
@JoyAnnReid omg… Are u really that low?
— Stephanie King (@txstk) October 12, 2014
Today, Reid added this “context” to her previous tweet:
Context to my prior Ebola tweet: I was trying to make the point that politics – red or blue – is irrelevant to the “spread of Ebola.” — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) October 13, 2014
It looks to me like she’s trying to walk back a silly and divisive comment, but if she can be taken at her word, then she is throwing her supporters under the bus. Bad day in Liberal Land.
(h/r Evan McMurry, Mediaite)