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Dr. Anthony Fauci has two main jobs; one is to mitigate an aggressive, deadly, and unpredictable force, and the other is to fight COVID-19.
As Fauci walks the tightrope balance between getting his health message out and maintaining his boss’s ego, conservative media outlets try to shift blame to the good doctor, twisting his early statements and trying to get him to criticize the president.
Flickr/White House
Fauci’s skills as an epidemiologist and a tactical speaker were on full display in an interview with Jake Tapper, when the CNN host asked Dr. Fauci if earlier action could have saved lives.
“It’s very difficult to go back and say that,” replied Fauci. “I mean, obviously, you could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives. Obviously, no one is going to deny that. But what goes into those kinds of decisions is complicated.”
“We make a recommendation,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, when asked by @JakeTapper about reports that he and other top officials called for social distancing in February. “Often the recommendation is taken. Sometimes it’s not. But it is what it is. We are where we are right now.” pic.twitter.com/sw8xYZILB4
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 12, 2020
Screenshot/YouTube
After a Trump donned a robin’s egg blue tie and delivered his brief Happy Easter message via Twitter, he fired his usual hate storm right back up, including hopping on board with his new favorite, OAN, with a retweet of their call for Dr. Fauci to be fired.
Sorry Fake News, it’s all on tape. I banned China long before people spoke up. Thank you @OANN https://t.co/d40JQkUZg5
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2020
Canva/Fox News
Trump then showed off Fox News doing its part, as Jesse Watters tried to get Tony Fauci to blame the World Health Organization for our delay in response.
When that failed, Watters asked if the “full scale economic lockdown” was the only option, asking each question as if Fauci were solely responsible.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2020
Screenshot / YouTube
Now that OAN has chummed the waters, the hashtag is getting a predictable flow of hate giffing.
Drain the swamp and #FireFauci pic.twitter.com/8TpSYQuDXI
— Kate (@kateworks_me) April 13, 2020
Pixabay
Happily, there are plenty of people who know Fauci’s value:
When you wake up and ask yourself, “What’s the dumbest thing someone could do today?” Then check Twitter and see that @realDonaldTrump is doing it. Between #FireFauci and the 10th Amendment trending on twitter I would call it a regular Monday in Trumplandia. pic.twitter.com/GNS6pIPVrh
— FrogLabLLC (@FrogLabLLC) April 13, 2020
For Trump, or any to consider removing Fauci at this time shows that they are more concerned about money rather than human lives … one can always regain wealth … death is permanent …
— Arron I M Brown (@ArronIMBrown1) April 13, 2020
Stating facts is not a reason to fire someone and to fire the only hope we have is unthinkable.
— Kelli Stretesky (@KelliStretesky) April 13, 2020
Screenshot/YouTube
Hopefully, the president’s attention will be taken up by going back and forth between telling the States that they are in charge, and then telling them he is.
“I DON’T TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING BUT I AM THE ONLY ONE IN CHARGE!!” pic.twitter.com/x8PFmYqdPS
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 13, 2020
