DeSantis Defends Maskless Super Bowl Moment: ‘How the Hell Am I Going to Be Able to Drink a Beer with a Mask On?’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) defended himself after critics condemned him for taking his mask off at the Super Bowl, asking “how the Hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on?”

A photo circulated on social media showing the Florida governor — who has opened his state, allowing people to work and earn a living during the coronavirus pandemic — enjoying himself at Sunday’s Super Bowl in Tampa without a mask on:

According to Politico’s Marc Caputo, DeSantis casually defended his maskless moment, reminding critics of the impossibility of wearing a mask and drinking beer simultaneously.

“Someone said, ‘hey, you were at the Super Bowl without a mask’ … but how the Hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on?” the Republican governor quipped.  “Come on. I had to watch the Bucs win”:

DeSantis was hardly the only prominent figure to feel the wrath of vehement pro-maskers. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady also found himself on the receiving end of criticism after he arrived at Raymond James Stadium without a mask over his face. The niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, Meena Harris, led the criticism as other leftists joined in, lambasting the GOAT.

DeSantis, a consistent target of leftist rage throughout the pandemic, is one of the few governors who has refused to implement a statewide mask mandate and other draconian lockdown orders.

According to Worldometers data, Florida has reported roughly 260,000 more coronavirus cases than New York, which has a similar population size. Although New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has embraced stringent lockdown orders, business restrictions, and mask mandates, New York has reported over 17,000 more deaths than the Sunshine State, despite Florida having one of the largest elderly populations. Unlike Cuomo, DeSantis barred hospitals from discharging coronavirus positive patients into nursing homes early in the pandemic, likely saving countless lives.

Based on the figures, it would seem Florida is faring just as well as blue states — if not better — while simultaneously allowing its residents to enjoy as much personal freedom as possible.

“Every Floridian has the right to earn a living. Florida is open, and we’ve got your back,” the governor emphasized last week, reminding his critics that “lockdowns do not work.”

A Danish study released last year cast doubt on the efficacy of surgical masks, which many across the United States and globe wear. It found no statistically significant difference in the level of infections between mask-wearers and non-mask wearers in areas where other public health measures, including social distancing, were in effect. Similarly, a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last year found that “85 percent of the COVID-19 [Chinese coronavirus] study participants contracted the virus even after either always (71 percent) or often (14 percent) wearing a face covering or mask, suggesting the masks are not entirely effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus,” as Breitbart News reported.

“I’m opposed to mandates, period. I don’t think they work,” DeSantis said. “People in Florida wear them when they go out. I don’t think you have to be strung up by a bayonet to do it.”

A November analysis from Breitbart News found coronavirus infection rates rose to record levels in the U.S. in the fall despite the majority of states implementing mask mandates, some of which were already in place for months.