On Tuesday, we did a post on columnist Damon Linker, who seemed frustrated that the Right was going to dunk on Democrats whether they kept coronavirus restrictions in place or lifted them. If they lifted them now, he noted, conservatives would just claim they were right all along and the internal polling must be terrible. And he was right.
Now, Dr. Leana Wen, former president of Planned Parenthood and current CNN medical analyst, is weighing in. Just the other day she explained why it was OK to drop mask mandates in school, because “the science has changed.” (She’d also recently admitted that the cloth masks the kids were wearing for two years were “little more than facial decoration.”) Now she has a column in the Washington Post explaining that 180-degree pivot, saying there’s now a third camp of people:
Before, there were 2 camps, for & against pandemic restrictions.
Now, there's a 3rd: pro-restrictions earlier but recognizing it's a different time now.
This group wants to move from vitriol & divisiveness to nuance & compromise. @postopinions 🧵https://t.co/YdmR2mEHmT
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) February 8, 2022
Of course, that group wants to move from vitriol to nuance and compromise because they realize they’ve been wrong all this time and don’t want to bear any responsibility for it.
You wanted to take human rights away from people for not following mandates… seems legit from someone who once led an organization that kills hundreds fo thousands of human beings every year.
— Tim Young 🚛 (@TimRunsHisMouth) February 9, 2022
We don’t negotiate with tyrants. Enjoy the next trucker convoy!
— Jason Roberge (@JasonRobergeVA) February 9, 2022
You're funny.
— Drew Berquist (@drewberquist) February 8, 2022
It's nice that you want nuance and compromise now, but your prior un-nuanced stance doesn't make you a credible ambassador for that position, absent some public reflection and acknowledgement of error on your part
— Impolitic (@impoliticaljnky) February 8, 2022
Subjective tyranny – love it.
— Anon (@Anon00492786) February 9, 2022
I think someone actually looked at the data that has been available for many months. Or enough Dems have seen the polls and told her to give them political cover.
— Dan Hellman (@danhellman) February 8, 2022
It's the polls.
This has NEVER been about "the science". It's always been about politics.
— Dwight K Schrute (@DwightKSchruteA) February 9, 2022
“The science” has always been evolving, Leana. It just that for two year if people questioned it people like you called them “anti-science” and labeled them is morally inferior to those who “followed the rules”
— jtkola™ (@jtkola) February 8, 2022
— jtkola™ (@jtkola) February 8, 2022
Nope. Still only 2 camps, but now a lot of people from the "for" camp are realizing how wrong they were and are looking to start managing the fallout.
— Rhys (@rhyswithersp00n) February 9, 2022
I can respect those who admit when they make a mistake.
I have zero respect those who deny it.— W.S. Davis (@OfficialWSDavis) February 9, 2022
Ah, yes. The ploy of presenting one's own position, which is actually at the extreme in terms of current policy decisions, as the reasonable compromise.
— aeon (@AeonCoin) February 8, 2022
Changing jerseys before the game ends.
— M “Honk Honk” H (@MartyHeflin) February 8, 2022
That third camp is "you were right, but we forced restrictions on you anyway while making you out to be the bad guys. Dont hold it against us"
— GrantMarch (@grantmarch88) February 9, 2022
Never forget what this woman advocated. No, the science has not 'changed'. pic.twitter.com/fqcBvG0vt2
— anvilishish (@LycanthropeHowl) February 9, 2022
I had natural immunity that provided superior protection compared to vaccination.
You were on national television advocating for policies that wouldn’t allow me to leave my house and would have me removed from society.
We won’t forget.
— Josh Mosier (@Dr_JMo_) February 9, 2022
So you wanted to lock people away for not getting vaxxed like an authoritarian despot and now you're back tracking because the polling has collapsed? We will never forget and we will make sure you never do as well. You're a danger to society.
— Hi (@hollis4congress) February 9, 2022
No, it's pretty much group 1 finally realizing group 2 was correct.
— Sparkling Jules (@Coolish_Breeze) February 8, 2022
This is a pretty slick way to change your tune. Will you be apologizing to the people you tried to condemn?
— AbrassiveMarineSSgt (@abrassive0193) February 9, 2022
"This group wants to move from vitriol and divisiveness to nuance & compromise"
I think what you mean is they've realized the restrictions are politically unsustainable and want to distance themselves from them.
— Jason (@Mortahn) February 9, 2022
Yeah, I don’t think so.
— Matt Brinkman (@chefbrink) February 9, 2022
You’ve advocated for all of this and it has blown up in your face. We have the receipts.
— Petite Patriot (@Pamelajn922) February 9, 2022
No.
There always was a "pro nuance" group.
— Sats collector ⚡ (@bitcoin_collect) February 9, 2022
You deserve this ratio
— Matt (@beelerz) February 9, 2022
Basically you want the people that you said were spreading dangerous misinformation to forgive and forget …. Gotcha
— Rob (@robj1028) February 8, 2022
What did you get wrong during this pandemic, Leana? Humility matters. We'll wait.
— Traveling teacher (@Travelteach4) February 9, 2022
No, you were the one not showing any 'nuance' or compromise. Take the L you deserve for enabling and encouraging tyranny.
Shame on you.
— Stephan Livera (@stephanlivera) February 9, 2022
You were wrong. The end.
— radixrat ⛏ ⛨ 🍁 (@radixrat) February 9, 2022
Or you could just admit you were wrong and deal with the consequences of your manipulation
— Cat Miller (@OffTopicCat) February 9, 2022
You are absolutely correct. It is a different time. Midterm elections are later this year.
— Chris (@Chris048) February 9, 2022
We were assured the science was settled, but now the science has changed within the past two weeks.
Related:
Columnist Damon Linker seems upset that the Right is pouncing on Democrats whether they lift COVID restrictions or not https://t.co/lezKxXJhwf
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 8, 2022
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