Thousands Packed Mostly-Maskless DC ‘Prayer March’ Speech Hours Before Rose Garden Super-Spreader Event

Hours before the Rose Garden event that was attended by a long list of people who have now become infected with COVID-19, thousands of people packed together for a “Prayer March” speech at which few masks were in evidence.

Since President Donald Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19 late Thursday night, a growing list of Republicans and individuals from the White House has also tested positive — many of whom attended or covered a Rose Garden event announcing the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, at which most did not wear masks.

The event has become a flashpoint, but as New York Magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi pointed out on Twitter Saturday, there was a much larger event hours before that was attended by at least two people who would later be in the Rose Garden: Vice President Mike Pence and Rev. Franklin Graham.

A few hours before the Amy Coney Barrett superspreader event in the Rose Garden, thousands of people descended on the National Mall for a prayer march with Franklin Graham and Pence, both of whom also attended the White House confab.

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 3, 2020

If you thought pictures of the Rose Garden event were bad, look at pictures from the march. pic.twitter.com/1EusJ0EJCV

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 3, 2020

Video of the event showed sparse mask compliance behind the lectern at which VP Pence spoke.

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Most of the crowd shots were from behind, but those that weren’t also showed very scant mask-wearing.

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Since Trump was diagnosed, Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence have been tested and found negative for COVID-19.

Watch above via Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.