Mike Pence will keep campaigning after FIVE aides test positive for COVID

Mike Pence will continue to campaign this week, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows asserted Sunday after several of the vice president’s top aides have tested positive for coronavirus.

‘Essential personnel, whether it’s the Vice President of the United States or anyone else, has to continue on,’ Meadows told Jake Tapper on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ Sunday morning.

Tapper excoriated Meadows on that claim, insisting it’s not a valid excuse that Pence is an ‘essential worker’ because him campaigning isn’t doing anything to stop the spread of coronavirus.

After another interview Sunday morning with Fox News, Meadows briefly spoke with reporters in the driveway of the White House.

When asked about Pence’s Chief of Staff Marc Short testing positive for COVID-19, Meadows said, ‘We wish him well – he’s been quarantining these last few days.’

‘Why is Pence traveling – that seems insane?’ a reporter shouted to Meadows, as another asked, ‘Should anyone who is in close contact with the vice president be quarantining?’

Meadows ignored those questions, but later when asked whether Pence should be traveling, he said, ‘He was cleared by the doctors to travel.’

Vice President Mike Pence (left) will continue to campaign  this week after his Chief of Staff Marc Short (right) tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN's Jake Tapper of Pence continuing campaigning: 'Essential personnel, whether it's the Vice President of the United States or anyone else, has to continue on'

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN’s Jake Tapper of Pence continuing campaigning: ‘Essential personnel, whether it’s the Vice President of the United States or anyone else, has to continue on’

While speaking briefly to reporters on the White House driveway, Meadows said, 'He (Pence) was cleared by the doctors to travel'

While speaking briefly to reporters on the White House driveway, Meadows said, ‘He (Pence) was cleared by the doctors to travel’

President Donald Trump’s chief of staff told CNN during his interview that Pence will be wearing a mask now during his travel, and only take it off while speaking, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Short, along with a senior political adviser and three other members of the vice president’s staff have tested positive for coronavirus.

Short’s diagnosis was first reported on Saturday night by Bloomberg – the same outlet that broke the news of Hope Hicks’ infection on September 29.

Pence’s office later confirmed Short’s diagnosis – with the fact that the White House did not announce the news raising eyebrows.

On Saturday night the New York Times reported that two people briefed on the matter said that the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, had sought to keep news of the outbreak from becoming public.  

From left: Marc Short, Mike Pence, Scott Walker and Pence adviser Marty Obst on October 7

From left: Marc Short, Mike Pence, Scott Walker and Pence adviser Marty Obst on October 7

Marty Obst, pictured in June with Mike Pence, has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19

Marty Obst, pictured in June with Mike Pence, has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19

‘Today, Marc Short, Chief of Staff to the Vice President, tested positive for COVID-19, began quarantine and assisting in the contact tracing process,’ said Devin O’Malley, Pence’s press secretary.

‘Vice President Pence and Mrs Pence both tested negative for COVID-19 today, and remain in good health.

‘While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr Short, in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the Vice President will maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel.’  

On Saturday Pence held two campaign rallies in Florida – one in Tallahassee, and another in Jacksonville. 

Short, 50, did not travel with Pence. 

On Sunday Pence will be in Kinston, North Carolina, for a MAGA event in the evening. 

Senior political advisor Marty Obst tested positive on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported. Two sources confirmed Obst’s test to CNN.  

Obst is an outside adviser and not a government employee, and his infection has not been officially confirmed. 

Obst has worked with Pence since 2016

Obst has worked with Pence since 2016

The New York Times then reported that three more people were infected, taking the total to five. 

Pence’s speechwriter Katie Miller became infected in May. 

She returned to work three weeks later.

A significant number of White House staff have fallen ill since a September 26 ‘super-spreader event’ at the Rose Garden, to announce Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

Among those to subsequently test positive were the president and first lady, their 14-year-old son Barron, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany plus several members of her team, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, and adviser Chris Christie.

It was unclear whether Short or Obst or the other three were suffering from any symptoms.

Short, who like his boss is an evangelical Christian, first worked in the White House as the Director of Legislative Affairs.

He left in the summer of 2018, but then returned to the administration as Pence’s chief of staff in the spring of 2019.

He is considered one of Pence’s most important aides, regularly appearing on camera to defend the vice president’s positions. 

Obst first worked for Pence in the spring of 2016, during his re-election campaign for governor of Indiana.

When, in July 2016, Trump named Pence as his running mate, Obst became his campaign manager and director of operations.  

 

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