Journo Steve Krakauer weeks ago started shining a light on the story of a frequent guest of NBC News and MSNBC who said he had contracted COVID-19 and had even been hospitalized.
The catch? NBC News’ medical expert and virologist, Dr. Joseph Fair, never tested positive:
NBC's viewers were left with two alarming, false, impressions – that a 42-year-old "virus hunter" caught COVID-19 through his eyes and that he had it despite at least 5 "false negative” tests.
The strange, anti-science saga of Dr. Fair, in @FourthWatch: https://t.co/ZTLJ611tZV
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 11, 2020
.@ChuckTodd introduced virologist Dr. Joseph Fair to his millions of viewers 6/14 as "recently recovered from COVID-19.” Fair described coronavirus as "the worst I've ever felt.”
One big problem – he never had it.
My @FourthWatch newsletter has details: https://t.co/ZTLJ611tZV
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 10, 2020
In a book published last year, Dr. Fair described how he "asked a priest…to give him his final confession and the last rites” on his deathbed while fighting Ebola.
This year he says battling COVID-19 (that he didn’t have) was “the worst I’ve ever felt.” https://t.co/ZTLJ61j4Rt
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 10, 2020
This is pretty bad. From @SteveKrak 'NBC tracked their medical expert's "coronavirus battle" – but he never had it.' https://t.co/zXs4QobzmQ pic.twitter.com/q4G12itL7u
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 11, 2020
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On the ‘Today Show,’ the negative tests were mentioned, but host Hoda Kotb said “you clearly have it” and another host waved it off as “false negatives”:
On the Today show, Dr. Fair described his COVID experience. @HodaKotb told the millions of viewers "every time it came back negative, but clearly you have it” & @CraigMelvin described them as "false negative tests.”
But Fair never actually had COVID-19.https://t.co/ZTLJ611tZV
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) July 10, 2020
NBC News’ medical expert Dr. Joseph Fair tweeted about the “undiagnosed mystery” a few days ago:
My undiagnosed/suspected COVID illness from nearly 2 months ago remains an undiagnosed mystery as a recent antibody test was negative. I had myriad COVID symptoms, was hospitalized in a COVID ward & treated for COVID-related co-morbidities, despite testing negative by nasal swab.
— Dr. Joseph Fair (@curefinder) July 7, 2020
I was severely ill for 2 weeks, 4 days of it in critical condition, resulting in pneumonia, diffuse lung injury & 18lbs of weight loss. My path forward is a 2nd AB test, & follow-up with a pulmonologist & tropical medicine specialist in an effort to diagnose what made me so ill.
— Dr. Joseph Fair (@curefinder) July 7, 2020
I am so grateful to you all for the ongoing support in my recovery. I am feeling back to normal & am thankful for my health, & to my caregivers for getting me through it. I hope the same outcome for those in care for COVID, about which we have yet so much to learn.
— Dr. Joseph Fair (@curefinder) July 7, 2020
But in spite of never actually having the disease, NBC News and MSNBC were nevertheless all over the story, and according to Newsbusters MSNBC really pushed it:
NEW from me: MSNBC evening shows gave 137 mins to expert who said he had coronavirus (he didn’t) https://t.co/7eWArngp6j
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 11, 2020
This is a whole lotta fake news:
NewsBusters found that Fair was a guest 38 times on MSNBC’s weekday evening shows between March 1 and July 10 for a total of 137 minutes with another five minutes covering his now-debunked coronavirus bout. MTP Daily led the way with 12 Fair appearances in this span with the 7:00 p.m. Eastern MSNBC Live in second at ten hits.
In other words, NewsBusters readers, we have on our hands another Brian Williams who happens to have a doctorate and studies virology instead of war games.
From the same “news” outlet that helped Dems push their “Russia collusion” BS 24/7 we can’t say we’re surprised.
Why they are part of the #FakeNews!
— Lord of the Fleas (@tlschrades) July 11, 2020
The best part of this is that the almost always get caught. They are frightfully stupid.
— Sam (@SamCaudell) July 11, 2020
This makes me sick. How can anyone lie like this?? https://t.co/NWHv355nyH
— Lois Goodwin (@LoisLjgood) July 11, 2020
They aren’t news, it’s propaganda
— Parler: @CTpatriot1776 (@niveknaelo) July 11, 2020
And yet the MSM continually wonder why Trump calling them the “fake news media” resonates with so many people.
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