Fox News is going through some things when it comes to the COVID vaccine. Despite the Delta variant spiking numbers across the country by ravaging the unvaccinated, the network has been extremely disjointed when it comes to its stance on the vaccine, which has unfortunately been politicized. While Tucker Carlson has been pushing anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories on the network, other hosts have been twisting themselves into knots by attempting to “both sides” the issue by not encouraging vaccination, and instead, suggesting that viewers talk to doctors. This approach was particularly evident when Sean Hannity walked back his vaccine endorsement and told his radio listeners that he’s “not urging people to get the COVID vaccine because I’m not a doctor.”
It’s exactly that sort of wishy-washy approach that led to a confrontation between Fox & Friends hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade on Thursday morning. For his part, Doocy has been one of the Fox News hosts who has openly encouraged viewers to get vaccinated, and he defended that approach despite objections from Kilmeade and Ainsley Earhardt, who think anchors shouldn’t give medical advice.
You can see the relevant portion of the argument around the 9:00 mark above, and here’s what they said, via Mediaite:
Kilmeade then echoed comments made last month by Tucker Carlson, saying “I don’t think anchors should be recommending medical advice,” to which Earhardt agreed with “yeah, I agree.”
“But a lot of people have been tuning in to the show for 25 years to see what we think about different things,” Doocy gracefully replied. “I think if you have the opportunity, get the shot.”
“Right. But shouldn’t you see a doctor to give you expertise to what they are seeing?” Kilmeade stubbornly replied.
Kilmeade and Doocy have disagreed on a lot lately regarding the pandemic, so the fireworks should continue.
(Via Mediaite)