Megyn Kelly GRILLS Trump on his COVID approach



Former President Donald Trump has rarely been challenged by mainstream conservatives on his COVID response — but Megyn Kelly is changing that.

While former President Donald Trump maintains unwavering support from many Americans, some still question his approach to COVID.

In a recent interview, Megyn Kelly addressed those concerns when she challenged Trump on COVID and his relationship with former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.

“I was not a big fan of Fauci. If you look at Ron ‘DeSanctimonius,’ he was, this guy said the greatest things, I can give articles, that Fauci’s great, he’s wonderful, we love him, we don’t do anything without Fauci,” Trump tells Kelly.

“But he didn’t listen to Fauci,” Kelly responds, before Trump quickly retorted, “He shut down Florida.”

“He also had long lines of people getting the jab, as he called it, ‘Let’s all go get the jab,’" Trump added.

Sara Gonzales notes that DeSantis’ early response was at “Trump’s encouragement.”

“That’s what he’s going to point out, in the beginning we all shut down, and that’s his story and he’s sticking to it,” Blaze Media editor in chief Matt Peterson adds.

When Kelly questions Trump on the vaccines, he responds that “I never got, I think, the credit that I deserved on COVID, and I’ll tell you, the way I look at it, it came in and nobody knew what it was.”

Trump goes on to say that he hears from Democrats all the time who tell him that he doesn’t get enough credit for the vaccine.

“If you’re telling me that a Democrat is telling you you’re not getting credit for something, I don’t want to hear it. It’s not something that I’m going to like,” Gonzales says.


Want more from The News & Why It Matters?

To enjoy more roundtable rundowns of the top stories of the day, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski defeats Trump-backed challenger Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska



Incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has defeated Trump-backed GOP challenger Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska's U.S. Senate contest.

"Thank you, Alaska. I am honored that Alaskans – of all regions, backgrounds and party affiliations – have once again granted me their confidence to continue working with them and on their behalf in the U.S. Senate. I look forward to continuing the important work ahead of us," Murkowski tweeted on Wednesday.

"It's clear from the ranked choice tabulations that Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been re-elected, and I congratulate her on that," Tshibaka said in a statement. "The new election system has been frustrating to many Alaskans, because it was indisputably designed as an incumbent-protection program, and it clearly worked as intended."

\u201cI'm proud\u00a0of the race we ran and I will always stand up for Alaskans. Read my full statement below:\u201d
— Kelly Tshibaka \u2013 Text KELLY to 20903 (@Kelly Tshibaka \u2013 Text KELLY to 20903) 1669257339

Murkowski's win in the ranked choice contest came after none of the candidates had secured more than 50% based on people's first-choice votes.

"If a candidate gets 50% + 1 vote in round one, that candidate wins and the counting stops. If not, counting goes to Round Two," the Alaska Division of Elections explains. During round two, "The candidate with the fewest votes gets eliminated. If you voted for that candidate, your vote goes to your next choice and you still have a say in who wins. If your first choice candidate was not eliminated, your vote stays with them. Votes are counted again," the Alaska Division of Elections states. "This keeps happening in rounds until two candidates are left and the one with the most votes wins."

Murkowski, who has served in the U.S. Senate for nearly two decades, was one of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict former President Donald Trump last year after the House of Representatives voted to impeach the president during the tail end of his term. The Senate vote occurred after Trump had already departed from office, and Trump was ultimately acquitted since the total number of votes to convict fell short of the threshold required for a conviction.

Murkowski was one of the three GOP senators who voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

While Trump issued a full-throated endorsement of Tshibaka last year, he had previously said that he would back anyone with a a pulse who chose to run against Murkowski.

"Few people know where they’ll be in two years from now, but I do, in the Great State of Alaska (which I love) campaigning against Senator Lisa Murkowski," Trump tweeted in June 2020. "Get any candidate ready, good or bad, I don’t care, I'm endorsing. If you have a pulse, I'm with you!"

\u201c...Unrelated, I gave Alaska ANWR, major highways, and more. Get any candidate ready, good or bad, I don\u2019t care, I\u2019m endorsing. If you have a pulse, I\u2019m with you!\u201d
— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1591313768

Nanny state: Canadian government to prohibit single-use plastic items such as cutlery, straws, and grocery bags



The Canadian government is cracking down on the manufacture, importation, and sale of various single-use plastic items such as checkout bags, cutlery, and more.

The ban will be implemented in phases, with the prohibition against manufacturing and importing many of the plastic products slated to take effect later this year.

"The ban on the manufacture and import of these harmful single-use plastics, barring a few targeted exceptions to recognize specific cases, will come into effect in December 2022," according to a government press release. "To provide businesses in Canada with enough time to transition and to deplete their existing stocks, the sale of these items will be prohibited as of December 2023. The Government will also prohibit the export of plastics in the six categories by the end of 2025, making Canada the first among peer jurisdictions to do so internationally."

Plastic straws are on the chopping block, with some exceptions. Retail stores will be permitted to sell flexible plastic straws bundled in a pack of 20 or more upon request, but they must keep the product out of sight. Medical institutions will not be blocked from giving patients flexible plastic straws.

"Manufacture and import of [single-use plastic] flexible straws are not prohibited under the Regulations, but sale of SUP flexible straws is only permitted in specific circumstances," according to guidelines about the regulations. "These flexible straws are considered more accessible than straight straws as they can bend and maintain their position."

"By the end of the year, you won’t be able to manufacture or import these harmful plastics. After that, businesses will begin offering the sustainable solutions Canadians want, whether that’s paper straws or reusable bags. With these new regulations, we're taking a historic step forward in reducing plastic pollution, and keeping our communities and the places we love clean," Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault said, according to the press release.

In response to a tweet from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the regulations, Keean Bexte declared, "All you've done is convinced me to import a lifetime supply of straws (enough of every kind). You can peel them out of my cold dead hands."

"How are you going to jet across the world polluting the air more than any other person in Canada and then ban us peasants from using grocery bags," someone else tweeted.

"@JustinTrudeau how about you ban them for your family and leave the rest of canada out if it. Have you ever drank a slurpee with a paper straw?? It's the worst!! #JustinTrudeau ruiner of slurpees in canada!!" someone else tweeted.

\u201c@JustinTrudeau how about you ban them for your family and leave the rest of canada out if it.\nHave you ever drank a slurpee with a paper straw?? It's the worst!! \n#JustinTrudeau ruiner of slurpees in canada!!\u201d
— Kelly (@Kelly) 1655852942

ESPN interrupts coverage of NCAA women's basketball tournament to hold moment of silence to protest Parental Rights in Education bill



During the NCAA women's basketball tournament on Friday, ESPN sports announcers interrupted the broadcast on two different occasions to protest Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill and other bills like it across the country.

Background on Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill

The Parental Rights in Education bill prohibits Florida school employees from engage in classroom discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity grades kindergarten through third grade. Florida HB 1557 has been inaccurately dubbed as the "Don't Say Gay" bill by Democrats, legacy media, and LGBTQ activists.

Some Disney employees were outraged by the bill protecting young children against sexual discussions that are not age-appropriate.

Some Disney employees have reportedly been organizing 15-minute daily walkouts and "sickouts," according to the Guardian. Disney workers will allegedly stage a full-day walkout on March 22.

The small faction of displeased workers put pressure on Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek to take action.

During a conversation with shareholders earlier this month, Chapek said Disney executives were "opposed to the bill from the outset" but chose to work "behind the scenes" with Florida lawmakers to address their concerns and "disappointment."

Florida's governor defends the bill

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded with a statement, "Governor DeSantis has always been open to hearing from Floridians and having conversations about legislation — as long as those discussions are grounded in facts, not false media narratives."

"Anyone who has questions or concerns about the Parental Rights in Education bill is encouraged to read the bill, rather than the distorted coverage in the mainstream media, which regurgitates false partisan talking points," the statement declared.

"Disney is a family-friendly company that creates wholesome entertainment for kids," DeSantis said. "The same Florida parents who take their families to Disney also support parental rights in education, because they do not want their young children exposed to inappropriate content about sex and gender theory at school."

During a campaign stop in Boca Raton earlier this month, DeSantis proclaimed, "In the state of Florida, we are not going to allow them to inject transgenderism into kindergarten."

In a video exclusively obtained by @FoxNews Digital. @GovRonDeSantis slams #Disney saying \u201cIn Florida, our policies got to be based on the best interest of Florida citizens, not on the musing of woke corporations.\u201dpic.twitter.com/Op87xgsLzB
— Kelly Laco (@Kelly Laco) 1646947906

ESPN announcers protest bill with a moment of silence

Disney is the parent company of ESPN. In solidarity with the Disney employees protesting, three ESPN announcers interrupted the broadcast of the NCAA women's basketball tournament to hold a moment of silence to protest the Parental Rights in Education bill.

During the broadcast of the tournament matchup between South Carolina and Howard University, ESPN announcers Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck protested the legislation with a two-minute moment of silence to start the second half.

"There are things bigger than basketball that need to be addressed at this time," Lyle said after halftime. "Our friends, our family, our coworkers, the players, and coaches in this community are hurting right now. At 3 o'clock, about eight minutes ago, our LGBTQIA+ teammates at Disney asked for our solidarity and support, including our company's support in opposition to the Parental Rights in Education bill in the state of Florida and similar legislature across the United States.

“A threat to any human rights is a threat to all human rights," Peck said, before telling the basketball audience they would be taking a "pause" during the broadcast to "show our love and support for our friends, our families, and our colleagues."

Today during the Women's NCAA Tournament, ESPN's Carolyn Peck and Courtney Lyle remained silent for two minutes in opposition of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.\n\n"There are things bigger than basketball ... Our LGBTQIA+ teammates at Disney asked for our solidarity and support."pic.twitter.com/d0xISZvNUh
— The Recount Alt (@The Recount Alt) 1647633512

During the ESPN halftime show of the same tournament game, sports anchor Elle Duncan also participated in a moment of silence in the middle of the broadcast.

"Because of legislation happening in Florida and across other states as well that are targeting our LGBTQI+ communities, many of our colleagues here at ESPN have planned and organized a walkout that will be happening at 3 p.m. Eastern today," Duncan said during the halftime show.

"And to be honest with you, we thought we were gonna come here today and really celebrate a sport that has meant so much and done so much, including for so many in the LGBTQI+ communities, but we understand the gravity of this legislation and also how it is affecting so many families across this country and because of that, our allyship is going to take a front seat and with that, we're going to pause in solidarity," Duncan said before having a moment of silence.

ESPN interrupted its coverage of women\u2019s NCAA tournament for a moment of silence to protest the \u201cdon\u2019t say gay,\u201d bill. So is @espn\u2019s official policy as a company that public schools need to teach kindergarten through 3rd grade kids about sex?! Insanity:pic.twitter.com/cJjQAMQVZL
— Clay Travis (@Clay Travis) 1647639343

Florida will never bow to 'woke corporations,' DeSantis promises — then he knocks Disney for China relationship



Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) unequivocally promised Thursday that policies in the Sunshine State will not be determined by "the musings of woke corporations."

What is the background?

The promise was made one day after Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek capitulated to pressure from the outrage mob over legislation protecting parental rights in public education.

The Parental Rights in Education bill — falsely called the "Don't Say Gay" bill — protects Florida students in kindergarten through third grade from receiving classroom instruction on "sexual orientation or gender identity," topics better suited for parents.

But Chapek said Disney has "opposed" the bill from its inception, claiming "it could be unfairly used to target gay, lesbian, nonbinary and transgender kids and families." Chapek even spoke with DeSantis to express Disney's "disappointment" with the bill.

What did DeSantis promise?

Speaking with supporters in Boca Raton, DeSantis vowed he will not cave under the pressure of LGBT activists, Democrats, and "woke corporations" like Disney.

"In the state of Florida, we are not going to allow them to inject transgenderism into kindergarten," DeSantis said, triggering a raucous applause.

"First-graders shouldn’t have woke gender ideology imposed in their curriculums, and that is what we’re standing for because we’re standing for the kids and we’re standing for the parents," he continued. "And I can tell you this: The chance that I am going to back down from my commitment to students and back down from my commitment to parents’ rights simply because of fraudulent media narratives or pressure from woke corporations— the chances of that are zero."

After reaffirming that parents do not want their young children taught progressive sexual and gender ideology in schools, DeSantis turned to Disney and invoked the company's relationship with China.

"You have companies like a Disney that are going to say and criticize parents’ rights, they’re going to criticize the fact that we don’t want transgenderism in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms," DeSantis began.

"If that’s the hill that they’re going to die on, then how do they possibly explain lining their pockets with their relationship from the Communist Party of China?" he continued. "Because that’s what they do and they make a fortune, and they don’t say a word about the really brutal practices that you see over there at the hands of the CCP.

"And so in Florida, our policy’s got to be based on the best interest of Florida citizens, not on the musing of woke corporations," DeSantis declared.

In a video exclusively obtained by @FoxNews Digital. @GovRonDeSantis slams #Disney saying \u201cIn Florida, our policies got to be based on the best interest of Florida citizens, not on the musing of woke corporations.\u201dpic.twitter.com/Op87xgsLzB
— Kelly Laco (@Kelly Laco) 1646947906

After being approved by the Florida legislature, the Parental Rights in Education bill is headed to DeSantis' desk, where is expected to sign it into law sometime soon.

The White House has condemned the bill as "horrific" and a form of "bullying."

Black Lives Matter activist threatens 'all hell is gonna break loose' if 'George Floyd's murderer is not sentenced'



A Black Lives Matter activist with a huge social media following threatened that "all hell is gonna break loose" if former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin "is not sentenced" for the death of George Floyd, the Daily Wire reported.

Maya Echols — a model with nearly a half-million TikTok followers — made her statement in video that she apparently took down, the outlet said. But the clip has been preserved for posterity:

“Justice” apparently now means people riot in the street if they don’t get the conviction that they want...😳 https://t.co/yeZ62Y6fWN
— Kelly Campagna (@Kelly Campagna)1617628753.0

"If George Floyd's murderer is not sentenced, just know that all hell is gonna break loose," Echols said. "Don't be surprised when buildings are on fire. Just sayin'."

What's the background?

Chauvin's high-profile murder trial began last week and is expected to last a month.

He's accused of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter in connection with Floyd's death. Video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes during the course of his arrest went viral last May, resulting in nationwide outrage, protests, rioting, and destruction that lasted all summer.

According to the Associated Press, there is concern as to whether Chauvin can get a fair trial with pressure on jurors and "with some potentially fearing the consequences to the city and country should they reach a verdict others oppose."

More from the AP:

A high fence installed around the courthouse for the trial is a daily reminder for jurors of security concerns. On some days, protesters gathered just beyond it, holding signs that read, "Convict Derek Chauvin" and "The World Is Watching."

Jurors are well aware that Floyd's death led to months of protests in Minneapolis and cities nationwide. They're aware, too, that thieves took advantage of demonstrations to break into, ransack and sometimes burn down stores. [...]

Numerous people expressed unease about serving on the panel for Chauvin's trial during the more than two weeks of jury selection. At least one who became teary-eyed was excused, as were others who were visibly unnerved.

Others displayed no such apprehension. A Black man in his 30s who was ultimately put on the jury wrote on a questionnaire that the Chauvin trial was the biggest case of his lifetime. And he added: "I would love to be a part of it."

'I don't care if the whole city burned down'

Echols certainly isn't alone in her sentiments. Days after Floyd's death — when nationwide riots were in full swing — Ashley Gantt, a Black Lives Matter leader in Rochester, New York, spoke in front of a crowd and the media and declared she didn't "care if the whole city burned down."

"If there was looting, if there was things on fire, that is not what is important. What is important is why these things happen," Gantt said, before telling reporters that they're responsible "to make sure that's the story that's heard."

She appeared to justify violence given that civil rights laws were passed after the rioting that broke out after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

"I am just tired of you guys not putting the correct narrative out there," Gantt added. "I don't care if the whole city burned down. We need justice. And that is the story that needs to be told."

Ashley Gantt: 'I don't care if the whole city burned down. We need justice.'youtu.be

The Daily Wire said Gantt later tried to soften her words, saying that "of course" she does not want the city set on fire, but she does want people to understand that when it comes to "sustainable change, sometimes we have to do whatever it takes to get it."

Conservative group at Texas university receives threats after placing Bible verses in Easter eggs around campus



A conservative student group at the University of North Texas said the group received threats after distributing Easter eggs filled with Bible verses around the university campus.

What are the details?

On Sunday, members of the Young Conservatives of Texas UNT placed approximately 250 plastic Easter eggs filled with biblical messages of hope around the campus.

Kelly Neidert, the group's chairman, told the Christian Post that the group hid the eggs to celebrate Easter amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"My group decided we wanted to do this event because our school has really strict COVID guidelines right now, and we just thought that putting some Easter eggs out with some Bible verses would be kind of fun for everybody and a good way to celebrate Eater without breaking our COVID guidelines," Neidert explained.

According to the College Fix, the backlash was swift and intense from students, parents, and UNT alumni.

"They're obsessed with harassing us just because that's what they like to do," she told the Christian Post. "They don't like that we're conservative, but I think that this probably was a little more inflammatory in their minds because of the religious aspect. And they don't feel included somehow ... [since] it's a Christian holiday. I think that was a lot of the problem they're having with this."

The majority of the abuse, Neidert said, focused on what was inside the eggs.

From the Christian Post:

Neidert retweeted screenshots of some of the students slamming the Easter eggs hunt. Some students accused them of littering, while others called for the student body to stomp on or trash the eggs. In reference to the Bible verses inside the eggs, one student wrote on Twitter: "Awesome! I was low on toilet paper."

Some eggs were found around campus with the Bible verse removed and condoms left inside.
After my fellow students destroyed my org’s abortion memorial, I should have known they would go out and destroy ou… https://t.co/VllCnsOuc2
— Kelly (@Kelly)1617046218.0

She continued, "Once the eggs were out, we got a lot more backlash from more students. They were trying to go stomp them. They said they would go throw them away, and they just sent some nasty messages to me and about the event."

Neidert said that at least one student told her to kill herself over the Easter eggs.

"Honestly, it happens a lot more than it should," she said. "I was upset like anyone would be, but I had to understand they are mean people and they don't know how to handle someone who has a different opinion than them. Their first instinct is to be violent and make threats. The only reaction is to be nice to them and don't let them get to you."

Neidert said that she and the rest of the group plan to remove any remaining eggs from the campus over this week.

“There is no way to separate celebrating Easter and Jesus, those things go hand in hand," she said in a statement to the College Fix, and admitted that she's "very disappointed" over the outcome.

"We were all super excited when we brainstormed the idea and picked verses together, we thought everyone can appreciate it, you don't even have to be Christian to read a [Bible] verse and appreciate it," she said. "We are very disappointed this is how it's gone down."

Kelly Loeffler launches conservative voter drive organization in Georgia to rival Stacey Abrams' liberal group



Former Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler has launched a conservative version of Stacey Abrams' Democratic get-out-the-vote group in the state, in a push to encourage Republicans to register and show up at the polls after the formerly red state flipped blue during the Jan. 5 runoffs.

What are the details?

On Monday, Loeffler unveiled Greater Georgia, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit with a mission to register more voters, reach more communities, and strengthen election transparency in the state.

In an ad posted to her Twitter feed, Loeffler noted that the state saw record high voter turnout in both the 2020 general election and in the runoff elections earlier this year, but that there were roughly 500,000 Georgians who cast their vote on Nov. 3 that did not show up for the Senate races in January — "a majority of whom were Republicans."

Do you feel like your voice was heard in the 2020 election? Do you feel your vote was secure?For too many the ans… https://t.co/8lfBQrB3z2
— Kelly Loeffler (@Kelly Loeffler)1614015388.0


Loeffler and fellow Republican Sen. David Perdue both lost to their respective Democratic challengers Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the runoffs, flipping control of the U.S. Senate to Democrats who now run the White House and both chambers of Congress.

Loeffler appears to be taking a page out of Abrams' playbook — and taking the Democrat on.

Abrams, who lost to Gov. Brian Kemp (R) in the 2018 gubernatorial race, has blamed widespread voter suppression on her loss. The Democrat, who never conceded the race, launched a liberal group called Fair Fight in the aftermath of her defeat — and many credit Abrams' efforts with Democratic victories in the state in 2020 and 2021.

After Georgia was called for now-President Joe Biden in the general election, then-President Donald Trump lambasted Kemp and Georgia's Republican election officials, insisting that the election was rigged and that the integrity of the system was compromised.

The issues were litigated in court and several recounts were conducted, but many Trump supporters and the president himself remained soured. Some high-profile Trump allies, including attorneys Lin Wood and Sidney Powell, led a push for Republican Georgians to boycott the January runoffs in protest.

What's next?

Loeffler wants to build back the confidence lost by conservative voters and bring more into the ring, and she's thrown her own money into the Greater Georgia cause.

The Washington Examiner reported that "Loeffler, who has a background in finance and an estimated net worth of around $800 million, put seven figures into the organization and will be its chairwoman."

"Elections at every level have consequences — and we're already seeing the consequences of recent elections play out in Georgia and across the country," Loeffler says. "Conservatives have a winning message, we just need to go out and share it with more people."

House officially delivers impeachment article to Senate for second trial against Trump



The nine House Democrats tapped as prosecutors in the second Senate trial against former President Donald Trump have officially delivered an article of impeachment to the upper chamber.

What are the details?

The managers put on a somber display marching ceremoniously through the U.S. Capitol on Monday to present the Senate with its single article that alleges Trump incited an insurrection through his actions surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the very same building by a mob of Trump supporters.

The Hill reported that the lower chamber "impeached Trump 12 days ago and Senate leaders have agreed to postpone the start of the public trial until the week of Feb. 8." The longest-serving Democrat in the upper chamber, Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy of Vermont, announced Monday that he would preside over the trial rather than Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts.

Ten House Republicans joined Democrats in voting for impeaching Trump, making the condemnation a bipartisan effort as opposed to the first impeachment of the then-president last year when no GOP members cast a vote in favor of his ouster.

The initial impeachment attempt by House Democrats failed in the GOP-led Senate, but the upper chamber is now split 50-50 with Democrats in control. Only Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah voted to convict Trump in the first trial, and while Democrats have more leverage in this second go-round, several conservative members have expressed reservations about convicting the former president now that he is out of office.

The New York Times reported that the 50 Republican senators "for now appear reluctant to convict him," and Democrats need 17 GOP members to join them — which could be a tall order.

According to The Washington Post:

While no final decisions on trial strategy have been made, House impeachment managers are concentrating on building their case around Trump personally — both what he said in the run-up to the Jan. 6 attack and at a rally that day, and how his words were interpreted within the White House and outside of it, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

President Joe Biden told CNN Monday that the impeachment trial against Trump "has to happen." The Associated Press reported that while the Democrat acknowledged "the effect it could have on his agenda, he said there would be 'a worse effect if it didn't happen.'"

Anything else?

NBC News White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell reported that "former President Trump chose the time of the second impeachment being presented to the Senate to announce of post presidency office," tweeting out a public statement by Trump.

It reads:

Today, the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, formally opened the Office of the Former President.

The Office will be responsible for managing President Trump's correspondence, public statements, appearances, and official activities to advance the interests of the United States and to carry on the agenda of the Trump Administration through advocacy, organizing, and public activism.

President Trump will always and forever be a champion for the American people.
Former President Trump chose the time of the second impeachment being presented to the Senate to announce of post p… https://t.co/lD6wWsVjrA
— Kelly O'Donnell (@Kelly O'Donnell)1611620145.0

Gov. Cuomo tells Dr. Fauci, 'We're like the modern-day De Niro and Pacino.' Social media erupts with derision.



New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said this week that he and Dr. Anthony Fauci are "modern-day" versions of actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

Social media responded to the Democratic governor's remarks with a mix of scornful glee and derision.

What are the details?

During a Monday press conference, Cuomo and Fauci discussed the ongoing COVID-19 response across the country.

At the time of this reporting, researchers at Johns Hopkins University estimate that there have been 15 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, with more than 1.5 million deaths worldwide attributed to the virus.

As the two spoke, Cuomo went on to compare himself and Fauci to revered Italian-American actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

"Doctor," Cuomo said about New York state's infection rate, "on the question of this state's infection rate versus other states, we're lower than all states besides Vermont, Maine, and Hawaii. Does that surprise you, and how do you explain that?"

Fauci began his response by virtually clapping Cuomo on the back for how the state recovered from its early pandemic surge.

"I have to say, being a New Yorker, Governor, it doesn't surprise me," he said. "You guys, as you and I have discussed on many phone calls that we've had, you got hit with a sucker-punch right from the beginning, when the cases came in from Europe, the Northeastern corridor — particularly New York state, particularly the metropolitan — got hit really, really badly."

He continued, "You recovered from that, was after you got hit badly, your baseline level went way, way, way down and very, very low, and then you did things which were the appropriate way to avoid getting re-surging [cases]. So, the bad news, and it's painful for me to see it from a distance to my place of birth, but you guys really got slammed."

Fauci went on and lauded the governor for keeping test positives across the state low.

"[T]hen you rebounded and you rebounded in a way that you kept your test positivity low, because you did the prudent things that you need to do," he explained. "And I was following it from here in Washington, and I was seeing that whenever it looked like things were getting a little out of hand, you tightened the rope a little bit. And then when things went back, you eased up a little bit. So I'm not surprised that your infection rate is really low, because I think you were doing the right things after you had a really bad serious hit in the beginning when you were there in the late winter, early spring."

Cuomo, appearing to soak up the praise, responded by telling the infectious diseases expert that the two should take the COVID-19 vaccine together as a show of unity.

"I think you have tremendous credibility, not just across the country, but across this state," he said. "And I think your voice on saying that vaccines are safe would be important. I said that as soon as the vaccine is deemed ready and safe, I'll be the first one to take a vaccine. Maybe we enlist you, I'll do it with you. We'll do an ad telling New Yorkers it's safe to take the vaccine, to put us together. We're like the modern-day De Niro and Pacino. You can be whichever you want, you can be the De Niro or Pacino. Fauci and Cuomo, I'll give you ... who do you want to be? De Niro or Pacino? Which one do you want to be?"

Fauci, laughing, responded that he is partial to both actors.

"I don't want to insult one or the other," he reasoned. "If I say one, I don't want to hurt the feelings of the other."

What did social media say?

Film critic Sean Burns quipped, "This makes sense because at the ends of their movies usually everyone is dead."

This makes sense because at the ends of their movies usually everyone is dead. https://t.co/toSqnDB56w
— Sean Burns (@Sean Burns)1607372039.0

Writer Kelly Jane Torrance added, "Gov. Cuomo enjoys the pandemic like no one else."

Gov. Cuomo enjoys the pandemic like no one else. https://t.co/5bFgURrOgs
— Kelly Jane Torrance (@Kelly Jane Torrance)1607395111.0

Journalist Lisa Myers chimed in, "Really? His modesty is overwhelming."

Really? His modesty is overwhelming. https://t.co/QCYs0ssrmQ
— Lisa Myers (@Lisa Myers)1607370982.0

Journalist Matt Binder joked, "Is Cuomo basing his own personal comparison on the total number of people dead at the hands of Pacino and De Niro's characters in their respective movies combined[?]"

is Cuomo basing his own personal comparison on the total number of people dead at the hands of Pacino and De Niro's… https://t.co/tHF9JLs40W
— Matt Binder (@Matt Binder)1607372779.0

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds a news conference on coronavirus — 12/7/2020www.youtube.com

(H/T: New York Post)