Dr. Fauci Responds To “Almost Frightening” Anti-Vax Cheer At CPAC

BY Steph Bazzle July 11, 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared on CNN to discuss the nation’s progress against COVID-19, and was asked to respond to a CPAC clip. He expressed sincere concern over the effects of the attitude displayed toward the innoculation program.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 21: Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a White House press briefing, conducted by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House January 21, 2021 in Washington, DC. Psaki held her second press briefing since President Joe Biden took office yesterday. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

In the video below, Jake Tapper shares a short clip from the Conservative Political Action Conference. It shows a speaker discussing the Biden Administration’s goals for vaccination levels in the United States, and the recent failure to reach desired levels (which has spurred new programs that conservatives are also disparaging). When he declared that the country hadn’t reached the level desired, he he paused for a moment and the crowd cheered, clapped, and whistled.

Jake Tapper asks Dr. Anthony Fauci to react to the CPAC Texas crowd cheering that the government has been unable to reach its vaccine goals so far.

Fauci: "It’s horrifying… I just don’t get that. I mean, and I don’t think that anybody who is thinking clearly can get that." pic.twitter.com/4nY7CMor5i

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 11, 2021

Fauci’s response is to echo what he was already saying about the anti-vax divide, that it’s “very unfortunate” that people are scared of a simple process that is saving lives. In this case, he says he can’t understand why people are cheering for this, and that nobody “who is thinking clearly” would be able to understand such a reaction, either.

“It’s horrifying. I mean, they are cheering about someone saying that it’s a good thing for people to not try and save their lives. If you just unpack that for a second, Jake, it’s almost frightening.”

Meanwhile, the Biden Administration has announced a plan that would include, in some communities, going door-to-door to encourage residents, and offer assistance in accessing the vaccine for those who want it. Conservatives hate it, including Representative Matt Gaetz, who even praised a virtually identical effort in his own home state of Florida.