The Republican party sure hates Dr. Anthony Fauci, don’t they, folks? The nation’s top infectious disease expert helped make a once-in-a-century public health crisis less cataclysmic than it could have been. But he often contradicted a president who alternately downplayed it and didn’t seem to care, even after he himself got sick. So the GOP has tried to turn a hero into a monster. And when one Trump loyalist tried to own the good doctor on social media, it only succeeded in backfiring.
That Trumpist was Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, one of the lawmakers who spread lies about the 2020 election, even refusing to formally certify the results on Jan. 6…until later that day, after a mob of whipped-up Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. But her belief system hasn’t changed, and on Monday she tried to make hay out of the fact that he took some time to write a book.
While Americans suffered, Fauci wrote a book.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) June 7, 2021
“While Americans suffered, Fauci wrote a book,” Blackburn tweeted. Nevermind that the book, entitled Expect the Unexpected: Ten Lessons on Truth, Service, and the Way Forward, is only 80 pages long. The bigger problem is the senator’s tweet seemed to imply that he’s to blame for the over half a million Americans who have died from COVID-19. But people thought other people deserved some of that ire. Like, say, Dr. Fauci’s top boss.
https://twitter.com/Lydiad1957/status/1402026454137806853
While Americans died, Trump went golfing. https://t.co/UtPUAbHME6
— Chris DiMedio (@chrisdimedio) June 7, 2021
While Americans suffered & OVER HALF A MILLION DIED, Trump held rallies, went golfing, lied about the risks, sabotaged our response, refused to follow science, suggested lethal “treatments” like injecting bleach, & you and the rest of the @GOP enabled him.https://t.co/Dowq5jh9ZM https://t.co/pFPdAMiBtw
— Andrew—Author of America Rises On Substack—Wortman (@AmoneyResists) June 7, 2021
While Americans suffered your führer called it a hoax, held super spreader rallies, got vaccine in secret and played golf.
— NickT (@hstoorg) June 7, 2021
Some pointed out that Matt Gaetz certainly profited far more while not doing his job to help people.
While Americans suffered, Matt Gaetz paid to rape a minor and nobody in the GOP cares. So save me the self-righteous moralizing, Marsha.
— A.J. (@Trust_Progress) June 7, 2021
Same with the entire GOP.
https://twitter.com/Judson4Congress/status/1402039581285961728
While Americans were trying to figure out who is accountable for a violent insurrection, Republicans proved over and over to be a bunch of cowards and traitors https://t.co/jZs97p2XU6
— Ann Lindsay (@AnnLindsay73) June 7, 2021
And many pointed the finger back at Blackburn, asking what she was doing while people suffered.
https://twitter.com/lix564_liz/status/1402041753188782080
While Americans suffered, Senator Blackburn voted against the second stimulus check and the COVID Relief plan; supported traitors to our democracy, and lied to the American People about it.
I’ll take the book.
— jeanrenoir1936 (@jeanrenoir1936) June 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/MightyRockLight/status/1402029937238810624
https://twitter.com/very_actually/status/1402032204201529347
https://twitter.com/MilaxTurn/status/1402032067974778881
https://twitter.com/hnmcd42/status/1402020494409404416
While Americans suffered. Marsha and the GOP ignore a failed insurrection against our country
— Warren (@Warren77641532) June 7, 2021
Again, Republicans sure hate the people who keep them alive, don’t they, folks?