Originally Posted by
Gordie H
I’ve written about the examples you’ve cited in previous posts but really it just doesn’t matter – if not these things then it’d be something else (the short of it is he was in line with then CDC guidance). When Fauci wasn’t going to go along with Trump it was over. I guess that’s sorta what pis*es me off…he’s demonized for being a liar when the truth is BECAUSE he wouldn’t lie he was demonized. He wouldn’t go around last summer saying we’re “rounding the corner” or “more testing is bad” or other outrageously ridiculous crap.
I can't speak to what others think of Fauci; only my personal opinion.
He's a medical doctor and scientist. Scientists by training tend to not speak in absolutes and equivocate alot about things they cannot be CERTAIN of. They don't tend to be "optimistic" people in their words, not because they don't feel or believe something but because they are careful to not mislead with things that have not or cannot be proven scientifically.
Perhaps Fauci didn't use any of Trump's overly rosy language to reassure and calm the American people. Perhaps that got him cross with Trump and Trump supporters. That can all be 100% true...but it does not change the objective reality that he
purposefully misled the American people with regards to mask usage in March and April. If some people feel his misleading public statements were somehow okay or justified because of the righteousness behind his decision (avoiding a public rush on scarce medical PPE) then that's a fair debate to be had.
Frankly I don't see how anybody with a shred of objectivity can listen to the man's own statements in full context of interviews available on Youtube, combined with printed interviews, and not conclude he purposefully misled the American public in March and April on the topic of facial coverings.
What did HE stand to gain from misleading the public? My opinion is nothing - he made what he felt was the best decision at the time with regards to the PPE situation. When the PPE situation changed due to Project Airbridge, so did government guidance and Fauci's own public messaging. Just own that decision - its benefits AND its downsides.
I wish people who are so quick to point to Trump's resistance to promoting mask usage would
also acknowledge that shifting guidance on this issue, especially when initial statements by the scientific figurehead of that messaging campaign were later contradicted and self-admitted to be purposeful, also contributed to public skepticism.
This isn't an anti-Fauci or anti-Trump thing, this is a public buy-in for a public health initiative thing and both errors can and should be acknowledged and discussed.
If we're going to "build back better" as a nation once we enter a post-pandemic phase, we have to fairly evaluate the good AND bad actions and messages from all involved players, fairly assign credit were due, and fairly assign blame where due.