Anatomy of a viral lie

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by PaulS

He didn't claim Fauci was a liar.


Fauci gets frank about Trump: ‘I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down’

Amid the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, Anthony S. Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been charged with a herculean task: trying to keep President Trump’s public statements about the novel virus rooted in fact.

Now it appears that Fauci’s frustration is showing.

When asked Sunday by Science magazine’s Jon Cohen about having to stand in front of the nation as “the representative of truth and facts” when “things are being said that aren’t true and aren’t factual,” the 79-year-old said there is only so much he can do.

“I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down,” Fauci said, referencing Trump. “OK, he said it. Let’s try and get it corrected for the next time.”

The frank comment was just one part of a remarkable Q&A published Sunday night in which Fauci shed light on his relationship with Trump, how the pair handles their differences and what happens before each coronavirus task force news conference.

On more than one occasion, Fauci, described by The Washington Post’s Ellen McCarthy and Ben Terris as “the grandfatherly captain of the corona#^&virus crisis,” has found himself in the uncomfortable position of having to publicly contradict the president — a risky action that could conceivably jeopardize the scientist’s job.

Fauci acknowledged as much on Sunday.

“To my knowledge, I haven’t been fired,” he told Cohen, laughing.

Most recently, Fauci has sought to temper Trump’s comments touting an old anti-malarial drug as a potential treatment for covid-19. At a news conference Friday, one day after Trump called the medicine a possible “game-changer,” Fauci said the only evidence of the drug’s promise so far has been “anecdotal,” adding, “So you really can’t make any definitive statement about it.”

In an appearance on “Face the Nation” Sunday, Fauci downplayed the disagreement, telling CBS’s Margaret Brennan that “there isn’t, fundamentally, a difference” between his view and Trump’s on fighting the virus.

“I was taking a purely medical, scientific standpoint and the president was trying to bring hope to the people,” he said.

CNN LFauci attempted to strike the same diplomatic approach in his interview with Science magazine, saying that though he and Trump sometimes disagree, the president does listen to him “on substantive issues.”

But Fauci admitted that the two stray when it comes to Trump’s delivery of the critical messages.

“It is expressed in a way that I would not express it, because it could lead to some misunderstanding about what the facts are about a given subject,” he said.

Never, for example, has Fauci used “China virus” or " Chinese virus” to refer to covid-19, despite Trump’s repeated usage and defense of such labels. Critics have slammed the language as racist and diversionary, warning that it could lead to an uptick of anti-Asian sentiment in the United States.

“And you never will, will you?” Cohen asked.

“No,” Fauci answered.

Cohen also pressed Fauci on Trump making statements that don’t “comport with facts,” calling attention to the president’s recent misleading suggestion that China could have revealed details of the outbreak “three or four months” earlier.

“I know, but what do you want me to do?,” Fauci responded. “I mean, seriously Jon, let’s get real, what do you want me to do?”

After Trump made the remark about China at Saturday’s briefing, Fauci said he informed “the appropriate people” of the inaccuracy.

“The next time they sit down with him and talk about what he’s going to say, they will say, by the way, Mr. President, be careful about this and don’t say that,” he said.

Fauci later provided a behind-the-scenes look at how the task force advises Trump ahead of his daily news conferences.

“We sit down for an hour and a half, go over all the issues on the agenda,” Fauci said, adding that the group also discusses what they want to emphasize to the public that day before meeting with Trump.

“Then we go in to see the president, we present [our consensus] to him and somebody writes a speech,” he explained. “Then he gets up and ad-libs on his speech. And then we’re up there to try and answer questions.”

Fauci appeared to make his qualms with Trump’s ad-libs known at Friday’s news conference when he was seen covering his face and struggling to maintain his composure after the president mentioned the “Deep State Department.”


Asked if he was criticized for the gesture, Fauci said “no comment.”

The scientist also took issue with Trump’s decision to continue shaking hands at public events and the lack of physical separation at the daily briefings.

While Fauci credited Vice President Pence with keeping people apart during task force meetings, the situation onstage in the press briefing room, where officials are often standing in close quarters, “is a bit more problematic.”

“I keep saying, is there any way we can get a virtual press conference,” he said. “Thus far, no. But when you’re dealing with the White House, sometimes you have to say things 1,2,3,4 times, and then it happens. So I’m going to keep pushing.”

By early Monday, Fauci’s comments were circulating widely on social media with many remarking on his candor.

The Q&A with Science magazine came on the heels of two other illuminating interviews Fauci did that came out over the weekend, prompting some to worry that he might endangering his position.

“Fauci’s going to get fired,” tweeted journalist Joe Nocera. “He’s been way too honest in interviews this weekend.”

But, in a recent interview with the Atlantic published Sunday, Fauci said he didn’t anticipate losing his position.

“I don’t think they’re going to try to silence me. I think that would be foolish on their part,” he said. “I think, in some respects, they welcome my voice out there telling the truth. I’m going to keep doing it. And no matter what happens to me, I’m going to keep doing it.”

I read that article today. It didn't address the timeliness of testing kits issue--which was one of the key reasons for this thread. On that issue, Fauci unequivocally said that Trump was not responsible for the delay and did not correct Trump's version of why, basically agreeing with him.

Trump should try to cut down on his "ad libs." Probably won't happen. So long as the experts on his team, such as Fauci, make any necessary corrections or clarifications, it shouldn't be a problem.

I know how these interviews w/agenda go. Ask only questions that might bias heavily toward making Trump look bad. And then further edit in that direction and use slanted words, etc.

[PaulS]

Originally Posted by detbuch

I know how these interviews w/agenda go. Ask only questions that might bias heavily toward making Trump look bad. And then further edit in that direction and use slanted words, etc.

Any chief executive (never mind the Pres. of the US) should be able to turn any question around and come up with a positive response.

Unfortunately, Pres Trump can't hold his temper and responds like a little child and resorts to insults. Can't even craft a response to "what do you tell the people who are afraid". A question that Bush and Obama answered dozens of times.

I don't want a Pres. where we have to expect the experts on his team to clarify his remarks or make corrections. If he doesn't know the answers any good manager would turn to the expert and say "can you address that question" instead of saying something that is incorrect.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by PaulS

Any chief executive (never mind the Pres. of the US) should be able to turn any question around and come up with a positive response.

Unfortunately, Pres Trump can't hold his temper and responds like a little child and resorts to insults. Can't even craft a response to "what do you tell the people who are afraid". A question that Bush and Obama answered dozens of times.

I don't want a Pres. where we have to expect the experts on his team to clarify his remarks or make corrections. If he doesn't know the answers any good manager would turn to the expert and say "can you address that question" instead of saying something that is incorrect.

totally agree that his immediate response will
be that of a vindictive baby.

how about his policies, do those matter at all, or is delivery all that matters now. He restricted travel from china which obviously helped, and got called a xenophobe.

And even CNNs Jake Tapper
explicitly said that Trump didn’t call the virus a hoax, he was talking about the media response.

i agree Trump is a vindictive baby, but maybe if the media could
stop lying and be accurate for two consecutive seconds where he’s concerned, that would help.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[PaulS]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

if the media could stop lying and be accurate for two consecutive seconds where he’s concerned, that would help.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

So he didn't down play the virus for a few weeks until he then said he knew it was a pandemic all along?

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by PaulS

So he didn't down play the virus for a few weeks until he then said he knew it was a pandemic all along?

I never got, from his words, that the virus was not a serious threat. I got that he tried to calm fears. But we were constantly being bombarded by experts and media of what precautions we should take and that Trump agreed with. And that we could mitigate the effects of the virus if we took them. I don't recall the Dems playing it up from the start. They criticized Trump, as Jim keeps reminding us, for so quickly making a travel ban from China. That criticism downplayed the threat. How was Trump's ban down playing? Sounded like a defense against a serious threat.

[spence]

Originally Posted by detbuch

I never got, from his words, that the virus was not a serious threat.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by spence

Wasn't difficult.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by PaulS

So he didn't down play the virus for a few weeks until he then said he knew it was a pandemic all along?

He took the bold step of restricting travel from China on day one. And his thanks for that, is that the guy you're going to vote for, called him a xenophobe for doing so.

So Biden (who you will vote for) claims Trump went too far, you say he didn't go far enough...which is it?

I have hated much of what Trump has said (going after a reporter, no matter how big a clown he may be, has no place right now), I like the actions he is taking.

[PaulS]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

He took the bold step of restricting travel from China on day one. And his thanks for that, is that the guy you're going to vote for, called him a xenophobe for doing so.

So Biden (who you will vote for) claims Trump went too far, you say he didn't go far enough...which is it?

I have hated much of what Trump has said (going after a reporter, no matter how big a clown he may be, has no place right now), I like the actions he is taking.

and then he didn't do a thing but down play it.

So you will vote for Trump who cost people's lives by downplaying it and then said he knew it was going to be a pandemic? Why do say it bothers you when he lies but you continue to support him? What do you say to the people who didn't do anything based on his words and his lies caused people to die?

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by PaulS

So you will vote for Trump who cost people's lives by downplaying it and then said he knew it was going to be a pandemic? Why do say it bothers you when he lies but you continue to support him? What do you say to the people who didn't do anything based on his words and his lies caused people to die?

Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by PaulS

and then he didn't do a thing but down play it.

So you will vote for Trump who cost people's lives by downplaying it and then said he knew it was going to be a pandemic? Why do say it bothers you when he lies but you continue to support him? What do you say to the people who didn't do anything based on his words and his lies caused people to die?

Not a syllable about Biden's reaction to the Trump travel ban. Not. A. Syllable.

I see zero evidence that Trump will have caused deaths. If the media and democrats in Congress called him a nationalist xenophobe for restricting travel from China, what would they have done if he put the country in lockdown on day one? Or declared martial law, the liberals would have just loved that.

No matter what he does, no matter what, it's wrong, sinister, and bigoted.

I don't have to avoid answering your questions, because I have thought about my positions, they aren't a thoughtless reflex to love anybody or to hate anybody.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

totally agree that his immediate response will be that of a vindictive baby.

Really? His responses seem to be calculated for effect. Even you say that Trump's lives in the Dems head, or something like that.

if the media could
stop lying and be accurate for two consecutive seconds where he’s concerned, that would help.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

And that is the germ that breeds his calculated responses.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by detbuch

And that is the germ that breeds his calculated responses.

I don't like him calling out a specific reporter in a briefing about a pandemic. I have no problem with him calmly and correctly pointing out the laughable media bias.

Let them go berserk. It would be more presidential, if could rise above it for two weeks. I know it's not his style, and often being non-presidential has been exactly what we need.