Former President Barack Obama scaled back his 60th birthday celebrations after critics bashed the move as hypocritical amid new health guidance due to the spread of the Delta variant, according to Fox News.
As Democrat-run cities and states revert to quasi-lockdowns, the former president was expected to host a lavish birthday party at his Martha’s Vineyard mansion with up to 475 guests, served by at least 200 staff despite new warnings about a worsening pandemic.
Two days after we first reported that Obama was forging ahead with his celeb-packed 60th birthday party.
A spokeswoman for Obama, Hannah Hankins, released a statement that read, “the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to scale back the event significantly.”
“Due to the new spread of the delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends. President Obama is appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon.”
Hankins also wrote the party was “planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with covid safeguards in place.”
The announcement to scale back the party to just family and close friends comes one day after Biden warned against the Delta variant:
“This is a very different variant than what we’ve dealt with previously,” he said Tuesday.
We also noted that Biden had made no plans to attend the birthday party.
Much of the criticism came from the Republican camp.
GOP congressman Jim Jordan tweeted that “if this was President Trump’s birthday,” Democrats would crying up a storm:
“How can someone be so reckless?” or “They’re killing people.”
“Is there an exception for parties attended by rich liberal celebrities?” said Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chairwoman.
“Will Democrats demand he require all of his guests wear masks?” said Republican congressman Lance Gooden.
