Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) says in a new television ad he was wrong to not wear a mask at a September White House event and he ended up in the ICU with COVID-19 because of his decision.
What they're saying: "This message isn't for everyone. It's for all those people who refuse to wear a mask. You know lying in isolation in ICU for seven days I thought about how wrong I was to remove my mask at the White House," Christie says in the ad.
- "Today, I think about how wrong it is to let mask wearing divide us, especially as we now know you're twice as likely to get COVID-19 if you don't wear a mask. Because if you don't do the right thing, we could all end up on the wrong side of history. Please wear a mask."
Context: Christie tested positive for the virus after he helped President Trump prepare for the first presidential debate and after he attended the announcement of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's formal nomination to the bench in the White House Rose Garden on Sept. 29.
- Multiple people who attended the event later tested positive for the virus, including Trump himself.
- Christie checked himself into Morristown Medical Center on Oct. 3.
I am very happy today for this ad to start to run on TV across America. I urge all Americans to learn from my experience and to, please, wear a mask and stay safe. pic.twitter.com/DGmOValDJo
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) December 16, 2020
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