CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      Media

      Fauci Blasts Ron Johnson for Saying He ‘Overhyped’ AIDS: ‘Preposterous!’

      BIZARRE

      “Overhyping AIDS? It killed over 750,000 Americans and 36 million people worldwide,” Fauci exclaimed, adding: “I don’t have any clue what he’s talking about.”

      Justin Baragona

      Media Reporter

      Published Dec. 05, 2021 11:47AM ET 
      CNN

      Dr. Anthony Fauci fired back at Sen. Ron Johnson on Sunday, calling the Wisconsin Republican “preposterous” for recently claiming that he “overhyped” the AIDS epidemic during the 1980s.

      A frequent critic of COVID-19 mitigation efforts who has repeatedly questioned the efficacy of vaccines, Johnson complained to Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade last week that public health experts were trying to “create a state of fear” to “maintain control” amid concerns over the Omicron variant.

      Specifically taking aim at the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Johnson likened Fauci’s groundbreaking research into AIDS and HIV decades ago with how the chief White House medical adviser has handled the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

      “By the way, Fauci did the same exact thing with AIDS,” Johnson exclaimed last week. “He overhyped it. He created all kinds of fear, saying it could infect the entire population when it couldn’t, and he’s doing, he’s using the exact same playbook with COVID: ignoring therapy, pushing a vaccine.”

        Asked by CNN anchor Jake Tapper to respond to Johnson’s “bizarre and false assertion,” Fauci didn’t mince words.

        “You know, Jake, how do you respond to something as preposterous as that?!” Fauci sighed. “Overhyping AIDS? It killed over 750,000 Americans and 36 million people worldwide.”

        He added: “How do you overhype that? Overhyping COVID? It’s already killed 780,000 Americans and over 5 million people worldwide, so I don’t have any clue what he’s talking about.”

        Tapper, without missing a beat, drolly quipped: “I don’t think he does either.”

        This isn’t the first time that Fauci has been forced to respond to conservative attacks against him, which have reached a fever pitch in recent weeks as the nation approaches yet another COVID-19 variant and an uncertain winter.

        Fox Nation host Lara Logan, for instance, sparked intense backlash last week for directly comparing Fauci to infamous Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele—an analogy she’s doubled down on following outcries by Jewish groups and Holocaust remembrance organizations.

        READ THIS LIST

        DAILY BEAST
        • Cheat Sheet
        • Politics
        • Entertainment
        • Media
        • World
        • Innovation
        • U.S. News
        • Scouted
        • Travel
        • Subscription
        • Crossword
        • Newsletters
        • Podcasts
        • About
        • Contact
        • Tips
        • Jobs
        • Advertise
        • Help
        • Privacy
        • Code of Ethics & Standards
        • Diversity
        • Terms & Conditions
        • Copyright & Trademark
        • Sitemap
        • Best Picks
        • Coupons
        • Coupons:
        • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
        • HP Coupon Codes
        • Chewy Promo Codes
        • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
        • NordVPN Coupons
        • JCPenny Coupons
        • Nordstrom Coupons
        • Samsung Promo Coupons
        • Home Depot Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • eBay Coupons
        • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
        © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC