Nobel laureate Paul Krugman quickly racked up more than 10,000 “likes” Saturday afternoon for his tweet placing the blame for a cholera outbreak in Puerto Rico squarely on “Trumpie,” i.e., President Donald Trump.
Cholera. In a US territory. Among US citizens. In the 21st century. Heckuva job, Trumpie.
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 30, 2017
He is the worst example of leadership ever in this country ever he could care less what happens to those people they're brown https://t.co/t8Rk2jPFMy
— helena collins/resist cult45 (@helenaissarcast) September 30, 2017
Trump is making 19th Century diseases great again. https://t.co/4kFaPMaYDY
— Brando (@Brandossius) September 30, 2017
Can he be held criminally liable for his negligence? https://t.co/7IOftdl5Hr
— (((Jennifer G))) (@jengrimman) September 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/IndivisibleOX/status/914229711152336896
Message heard and received. Those who stuck around for around six hours, though, were treated to a follow-up tweet in which the New York Times columnist admitted the cholera outbreak was, um, “not confirmed” and “not certain.” Heckuva fact-check, Kruggie.
OK, cholera not confirmed. Conjunctivitis yes; lack of clean water (situation worsening, not improving) makes it a risk. But not certain
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 30, 2017
It’s true that magazines like Wired and The Daily Beast, along with left-wing blogs like The Daily Kos, have published pieces about a cholera outbreak being possible, but for now it’s fake news. Not fake enough for Krugman to delete his tweet or apologize, though.
CDC does not anticipate cholera cases in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands b/c of #Maria. #MariaPR https://t.co/dzSnsaj50u
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 30, 2017
Cholera is rare in the U.S. and is not widespread to Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. #MariaPR
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 30, 2017
There was no evidence of cholera in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands before Hurricane #Maria made landfall. #MariaPR
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 30, 2017
Steve Inskeep of NPR hasn’t been able to confirm any cases of cholera.
This would be horrific if it happened – but searches of NYT, NPR, and Google at 2:40 ET showed no report of it. Source? https://t.co/R0n7UlB88d
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) September 30, 2017
Be aware of misinformation from all sides. THIS IS NOT TRUE! https://t.co/RWfZRjvQNH
— Miguel Ríos-Berríos (@miguelrios) September 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/JoThoHalloran/status/914168503023828993
This is actual fake news. There's zero evidence of this. Stop tweeting without sources, or you're the same as Trump. https://t.co/6iaqDdNvhV
— Dr24hours (@Dr24hours) September 30, 2017
There are NO reported cases of cholera in Puerto Rico so far. Don't spread this rumor when neither reputable media nor CDC have reported it. https://t.co/G5vIJ04LpU
— Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) September 30, 2017
Please do not post without a source. The conditions – the miasma – do not make a disease. Bacteria do – and they can be easily lab confirmed https://t.co/Vo3mMofArp
— Infectious Diseases (@InfectiousDz) September 30, 2017
I've seen this retweeted as truth many times on my timeline.
So grossly irresponsible.
Fake news makes it harder to hold Trump accountable. https://t.co/MEMp7V28Xa— Roger Pielke Jr. (@RogerPielkeJr) September 30, 2017
Actually, there are as yet no confirmed reports of cholera that I have been able to find using reliable sources. It's been Twitter rumors. https://t.co/LzXyXcwNKY
— David Gorski, MD, PhD (@gorskon) September 30, 2017
7731 retweets. The retraction tweet (if there is one) will get 16. https://t.co/t7lty5hZ5K
— Carl Gustav (@CaptYonah) September 30, 2017
Fake News. On Twitter. With 8,000 RTs & 17,000 Likes. Heckuva job, Paulie. https://t.co/1rs1XZe5WM
— Becca H (@LadyOnTheRight1) September 30, 2017
It doesn’t matter; those who hate Trump will believe he somehow caused a cholera epidemic by ignoring the crisis in Puerto Rico because of all the brown people. Right, Kruggie?
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