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Liam O'Dell
Nov 28, 2021
In the latest instance of Republicans spouting bizarre political fantasies, hosts of Saturday’s edition of Fox and Friends appeared to make the case that the Democrats are behind coronavirus variants.
The comments came a day after the World Health Organisation labelled the B.1.1.529 strain, first identified in South Africa, a “variant of concern” and gave it the name omicron – the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.
Presenter Rachel Campos-Duffy started the discussion by saying Pete Buttigieg, the transport secretary, warned the “supply chain problem” can’t be fixed “until the pandemic is over”.
“And now we see these new variants,” she continued. “So that’s the answer: more lockdowns, more lockdowns, more fear and therefore [Buttigieg] doesn’t have to do his job of fixing the supply chain because ‘we’ll keep this whole thing going’.”
“Always a new variant,” added co-host Will Cain, while Pete Hegseth said “you can count on a variant about every October”.
Following up on Michael Flynn’s comments that “global elites” will be releasing a new variant soon, Fox hosts now s… https://t.co/fTKNK7Ms1X— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1638020491
Needless to say that the comments are a load of nonsense.
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The only harmful thing we’ve seen former presidential candidate Buttigieg release into the world is a cringeworthy campaign dance to Panic! At the Disco.
We still haven’t recovered.
Meanwhile, Twitter users have reacted with shock to the broadcasters’ “grotesque” insinuation:
@RonFilipkowski The idea that these people are some of the most viewed “journalists” not just terrifying. It shows… https://t.co/PHo2u8YCPn— Steven Arxer (@Steven Arxer) 1638021382
@RonFilipkowski Fox! https://t.co/t1P58yEw22— Northern Happy Camper. (@Northern Happy Camper.) 1638022320
Fox News scares and controls viewers by telling them that Democrats are using covid variants to scare and control them.— 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓪𝓻𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓡𝓪𝓶 (@𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓪𝓻𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓡𝓪𝓶) 1638030288
@HeartlandSignal Wut— Dr. Sarah T. Roberts (@Dr. Sarah T. Roberts) 1638042358
@HeartlandSignal @JoeMyGod Still boggles the mind that they’re allowed to do this…— Doris the Freakasaurus 〽️ (@Doris the Freakasaurus 〽️) 1638041988
This is grotesque. https://t.co/BhpNF09jDm— Anshel Sag (@Anshel Sag) 1638064437
This is the kind of Fox News propaganda that deeply damages public health efforts against the virus. It seems to me… https://t.co/dkQiUwiqoN— Nicholas Kristof (@Nicholas Kristof) 1638064217
Fox News — where stupidity reaches infinity nightly. JFC. https://t.co/W67gaxkz3g— Mikko Alanne (@Mikko Alanne) 1638063723
To reiterate, it's hard for me to understand how any @FoxNews employee with kids doesn't wake up in an icy sweat ev… https://t.co/dZBta0BQ2x— Steve Silberman (@Steve Silberman) 1638059226
Sloppiness like this undercuts Fox’ claim to be news more than its propaganda Its hosts and guests are almost nev… https://t.co/TGHvI6QnUc— Robert E Kelly (@Robert E Kelly) 1638063907
It isn’t the only wild comment made by a Republican about coronavirus in recent days, with ex-Trump aide Stephen Miller claiming the US would “already have modified vaccines” for new variants if the businessman remained president.