Biden calls Trump 'absolute fool' for mocking mask use

Joe Biden attacked President Donald Trump as an "absolute fool" Tuesday for belittling his election rival over recently wearing a mask, an issue that has become a partisan flashpoint during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Democratic Party's presumptive 2020 presidential nominee had a series of choice words for the Republican incumbent, telling CNN in his first in-person interview since March that Trump has become increasingly erratic.

The interview, conducted in Mr Biden's garden and with social distancing measures in place, followed Memorial Day ceremonies Monday in which Mr Biden wore a mask and Mr Trump was bare-faced.

Mr Trump retweeted a photograph of Mr Biden and an accompanying message that mocked the former vice president for wearing a mask.

"He's a fool, an absolute fool, to talk that way," Mr Biden said. "Every leading doc in the world is saying you should wear a mask when you're in a crowd."

Asked whether wearing a mask projected weakness or strength, Mr Biden chose a different description.

"It presents and projects as leadership," Mr Biden said. "Presidents are supposed to lead, not engage in folly and be falsely masculine."

Mr Trump, who is 73, and Mr Biden, 77, are both at high risk from Covid-19 because of their age.

Mr Trump has refused to appear in public wearing a mask, and many of the Americans who are bare-faced at demonstrations calling for states to immediately reopen are supporters of the president.

"This macho stuff," Mr Biden added, has "cost people's lives."

An hour before the interview aired, Mr Trump questioned why Mr Biden would wear a mask outdoors, in "perfect conditions, perfect weather," while he does not wear a mask in his home with his wife.

"So I thought it was very unusual that he had one on," Mr Trump said at the White House.

Mr Trump has repeatedly mocked Mr Biden as too old or gaffe-prone to wrest the White House from him in November's election.

Mr Biden said he did not want to engage in name-calling with a president who is all-too-willing to do so, but he did not hesitate to point out Mr Trump's apparent anxiety over slippage in the polls.

"He seems to get more erratic, the more he feels like he's behind the curve," Mr Biden said.

On Tuesday Biden changed the profile image on his Twitter feed to a photograph of him wearing a black mask.

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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

India squads

T20: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur

Test: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Company%20Profile

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INFO

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ARGYLLE

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Moonfall

Director: Rolan Emmerich

Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry

Rating: 3/5

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries

Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
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Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet

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%3Cp%3EThe%20Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research%20is%20a%20partnership%20between%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%2C%20University%20College%20London%20and%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%20Children%E2%80%99s%20Charity%20and%20was%20made%20possible%20thanks%20to%20a%20generous%20%C2%A360%20million%20gift%20in%202014%20from%20Sheikha%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%2C%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20General%20Women's%20Union%2C%20President%20of%20the%20Supreme%20Council%20for%20Motherhood%20and%20Childhood%2C%20and%20Supreme%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20Family%20Development%20Foundation.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)