Dr. Anthony Fauci was at today’s White House COVID19 press briefing, where he didn’t waste much time busting media narratives.
Dr. Fauci says the first time he and Dr. Birx made a shutdown/mitigation recommendation to POTUS, Trump accepted it — and has accepted their recommendations ever since.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 13, 2020
Dr. Fauci says at today’s WH Covid 19 briefing that the first and only time he recommended strong mitigation, the president accepted the recommendation. And he said when he recommended the mitigation be extended an extra 30 days, the president accepted that too.
— Brit Hume (@brithume) April 13, 2020
Dr. Fauci: "Discussions were ongoing mostly among the medical people…
"The FIRST and ONLY time that Dr. Birx and I went in and formally made a recommendation to the President…the President listened to the recommendation and went to the mitigation." pic.twitter.com/PHPEqrx9B5
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) April 13, 2020
Well, shoot. Puts a bit of a hole in one of the media’s favorite narratives, doesn’t it?
The people who claim that Trump “acted too late” while praising Fauci’s strategy have yet to realize Fauci, Birx and others have advised Trump from day one, and he’s acting on their recommendations. https://t.co/FlaLMUlKor
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 13, 2020
But wait! There’s more:
Fauci, being asked whether he was being pushed into cleaning up his comments from yesterday: "Everything I do is voluntary. Please. Don't even imply that."
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) April 13, 2020
"Everything I do is voluntary. Please. Don't even imply that.”
Don’t think I’ve ever seen Fauci get prickly like that https://t.co/bc2vMjYxVd
— Sam Stein (@samstein) April 13, 2020
Next the press asks if Fauci said this “voluntary” to which he replies, “please. Everything I do is voluntary” He glares at the reporter who asked.
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) April 13, 2020
Fauci basically vouching for Trump taking direction from Birx & him. Paula Reid from CBS asks if he is being forced to make this statement, as though he is a hostage. Fauci fires back that no one tells him what to do.
We live in insane times.
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 13, 2020
"Don't even imply that" Fauci admonishes reporter who asks if he was clarifying yesterday's comment voluntarily.
A million palace intrigue narratives crashing into a wall.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 13, 2020
You hate to see it.
I've never seen a death stare quite like the one Dr. Fauci just gave this reporter. https://t.co/zgcOMxkOxv
— Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@MattWolking) April 13, 2020
Here it is, in case you missed it:
After Dr. Fauci clarifies his remarks from Sunday about how earlier mitigation efforts would have saved lives, @PaulaReidCBS asks if he's doing so "voluntarily."
Fauci: "Everything I do is voluntarily. Please. Don't even imply that." https://t.co/9T8aUPjUrs pic.twitter.com/NHqBbOUQ77
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 13, 2020
Fauci is officially fed up with journalists. pic.twitter.com/L4wDnmcciU
— Kate Hyde (@KateHydeNY) April 13, 2020
Can you blame him?
He’s not alone…
They are desperate for a particular narrative because drama sells, but the attempts to promote it make Fauci’s job significantly harder and put Americans at risk. It’s irresponsible. https://t.co/beKMkeiZ7x
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) April 13, 2020
Another tough break for media firefighters.
Well the love affair is over. https://t.co/OiKYtAHHVu
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 13, 2020
And just like that, Dr. Fauci has fallen out of favor with the press…again.
— TWZig (@twzig) April 13, 2020