VICTOR JOECKS: Obama’s birthday bash a reminder that coronavirus restrictions are for the rest of us

Some high-profile liberal elites aren’t letting the coronavirus ruin their social lives. The disconnect between their actions and heightened cries for new pandemic restrictions is glaring.

Last weekend, former President Barack Obama threw himself a 60th birthday party. From the leaked photos and video, it was quite a celebration. Obama danced and hugged guests, which include A-list celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Singers John Legend and H.E.R. also performed.

Obama threw his party at his beachfront mansion in Martha’s Vineyard. An aside: For someone supposedly worried about global warming, a beachfront mansion is an odd place to sink more than $11 million. Workers set up massive tents for the occasion. That may have meant the event was technically outside, but the main tent had walls covering many of the sides.

Normally, this would be a story primarily for those interested in celebrity gossip. A rich, famous man threw an opulent party attended by rich, famous people.

But the Biden administration has halted efforts to return to normal. The CDC reversed its mask guidance last month, citing an increase in virus cases from the delta variant. It now recommends that many vaccinated Americans wear masks indoors and that children should wear masks in schools. Biden also attacked GOP governors, particularly Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Biden blames them for rising cases. It’s quite the change from the campaign, when Biden promised he had a plan to “get this virus under control.”

After news about Obama’s party leaked, even he backtracked. A spokesperson claimed he “significantly” scaled “back the event to include only family and close friends.” Right.

Maskless parties for Obama. Restrictions on visiting dying grandparents for the peasants.

He’s not the only one exhibiting a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude. Less than a day after imposing a new mask mandate, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser went maskless at a wedding reception. So did many others in the room. Hours before her mandate went into effect, she took a picture sans mask with comedian Dave Chappelle.

Over the weekend, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., attacked Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for encouraging people not to mask up. On Sunday, Tlaib danced without a mask at a wedding.

This summer, Gov. Gavin Newsom mandated masks at youth camps. Then it came out that two of his children attended a basketball camp that didn’t require masks.

These officials may be hypocrites, but they aren’t being personally reckless, assuming they’re vaccinated. That’s because the coronavirus vaccines are extraordinarily effective. Once you are fully vaccinated, your risk of dying from the coronavirus is vanishingly small. This disease has always poised little risk to children, even though they aren’t eligible for the vaccine yet.

That doesn’t mean vaccinated people face no risk, of course. But how often do you think about your chances dying when you get in your car? Accepting and managing low-level risk is a part of life.

At this point, it’s hard to not conclude that some elected and government officials are simply clinging to power. They’re living as if being vaccinated means they can get on with their lives, but they won’t tell others it’s OK to do the same.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.