CNN condemns Ted Cruz for refusing to wear a mask at presser despite being vaccinated

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Ted Cruz reacts to Biden appointing Harris to lead border crisis

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticizes the Biden administration and their handling of the border crisis on ‘America’s Newsroom.’

CNN attempted to COVID-shame Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, after he clashed with a reporter who requested that the lawmaker put on a mask during a press conference despite already being vaccinated. 

Cruz stepped up to the microphones Wednesday, but was stopped before he could speak by the unidentified reporter asking, "Would you mind putting on a mask for us?"

"Yeah, when I’m talking to the TV camera, I’m not going to wear a mask," Cruz responded. "All of us have been immunized, so..."

When the report responded that Cruz wearing a mask would "make us feel better," Cruz responded: "You’re welcome to step away if you’d like."

CRUZ SWATS AWAY REPORTER'S REQUEST FOR HIM TO WEAR A MASK: 'YOU'RE WELCOME TO STEP AWAY IF YOU'D LIKE'

"The whole point of the vaccine -- CDC guidance is what we're following," the senator added with a chuckle.

On Thursday's broadcast of "New Day," CNN anchor John Berman began by asking chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta to give a "diagnosis" to the "curious case of Ted Cruz" before playing a clip of the exchange. 

"So charming, right?" Gupta snarkily reacted.

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Gupta rejected Cruz's claim that he was following CDC guidance, quoting the agency, "Even if you've been fully vaccinated, you need to keep taking precautions in public places- wearing a mask, staying six feet apart, avoiding crowds."

"I realize this mirrors the conversation that most of society is having right now in terms of what can you do if you've been fully vaccinated," the CNN doctor acknowledged. "The concern is that for him, he's pretty well-protected, admittedly ... but [the vaccines] are not perfect, so he could still get sick. Also, the big wild card here, as we've talked about, are these variants. Even though he should be very well-protected against severe illness and hospitalization from the variants, he may not be as well-protected against moderate illness, mild illness, and the possibility that he could still transmit the virus to somebody else."

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"So when he's not wearing a mask, he's potentially putting other people in that room at risk. It's as simple as that ... When enough people have been vaccinated, when we've reduced viral transmission rates low, that's when we can start to probably pull back on this," Gupta concluded. 

There was no mention during the segment of the fact that neither President Biden, who has also been vaccinated, nor White House press secretary Jen Psaki wear masks whenever they speak publicly.