Mississippi GOP governor defends Covid response despite highest number of deaths per capita in US
CNN
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Sunday stood by his state's response to the coronavirus pandemic, despite having the highest number of deaths per capita from the virus and no statewide vaccine or masking mandate.
Asked by CNN 's Jake Tapper why his state mandates vaccinations for other diseases but does not approve of ordering or legislating a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for his state and whether he plans to change his approach, Reeves didn't directly answer, instead pushing back on President Joe Biden's stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff.
"It is unique to kids and their ability to go to our public schools, it's not vaccines mandated in the workplace. But the question here is not about what we do in Mississippi, it's what this President is trying to impose upon the American worker. The President very much wants you and everyone else to believe that this is a fight between politicians," Reeves said on "State of The Union," adding that he doesn't believe Biden has the authority to establish a federal vaccine mandate and is using it as a political distraction.