Chris Wallace obliviously asked Dr. Fauci about political attacks against him — which have come from Fox News
Written by Eric Kleefeld
Published
Demonstrating the absurdity of Fox News’ purported “straight news” side, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace asked Dr. Anthony Fauci about his having become a “polarizing” figure — with zero acknowledgement on Wallace’s part that his own network was responsible for the various political attacks and conspiracy theories against the infectious disease expert.
Citation From the October 17, 2021, edition of Fox News Sunday
CHRIS WALLACE (HOST): Finally, when this pandemic started, I think it’s fair to say you were the — generally regarded as the authority on infectious disease. But as time has gone on, you have become a polarizing figure. Critics accuse you of sending mixed messages, there's allegations that you helped fund dangerous research at the Wuhan lab.
Two questions. Why do you think you’ve become so controversial? And honestly, do you think there's anything you have done that has contributed to that?
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI: Well, I’m not so sure I could answer the latter, because I can’t think of anything, but I’m sure some people will. But you know, Chris, I have stood for always making science, data, and evidence be what we guide ourselves by. And I think people who feel differently, who have conspiracy theories, who deny reality that’s looking them straight in the eye, those are people that don’t particularly care for me. And that's understandable, because what I do, and I try very hard, is to be guided by the truth. And sometimes, the truth becomes inconvenient for some people, so they react against me. That just is what it is. There’s not much I can do about that, Chris.
Wallace conveniently ignored the reality that the attacks on Fauci began last year on right-wing media outlets — especially coming from Fox News personalities, who called him an “elderly, power-drunk epidemiologist” and part of the “medical deep state” and suggested that he should have been fired and should never work again in public policy. The calls from Fox News to fire Fauci have continued into 2021.
The conspiracy theory that Fauci was himself responsible for the creation of COVID-19 has also been spread by Fox News hosts including Steve Hilton and Tucker Carlson, along with Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett, who has called for “a criminal investigation of Fauci.”
In addition, the network has undermined vaccines nearly every day for the past six months — while at the same time instituting a strict set of vaccination and testing requirements for its own offices.
Later on Sunday, Fox News’ website led with Fauci’s answer – and suggested on its front page that this would lead to “more backlash.”
The article also linked to another piece promoting a book by Sharri Markson, a reporter for Murdoch outlets in Australia, spreading the theory that Fauci was linked to the creation of COVID-19.
Thus another Fauci outrage cycle started on Fox – and Wallace did his part.