We Are Still In The Shadow Of Covid

BASH: You have been placing nearly all the blame for how the US handled covid on Dr Fauci. But he worked for President Trump. Does Trump also deserve some of the blame?

RFK Jr: Well, President Trump wanted to end the lockdowns. Lockdowns did the most damage pic.twitter.com/mU93lOM3nL

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

And the government still wants to have the same pointless arguments. 

Follow the bouncing non sequiturs:

RFK Jr: We had the highest death rate from covid of any nation on earth

BASH: That's not accurate

RFK Jr: What I said was accurate

BASH: There are other countries that had higher

RFK Jr: When Fauci was mismanaging the pandemic, he was doing it under the Biden administration pic.twitter.com/MB0aZbE9S8

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

The Secretary is still fighting the previous topic. Because what he said was not accurate. And the only reason the death toll from Covid started declining was: a vaccine.

BASH: How do you prepare for the next pandemic? That's part of your job now

RFK Jr: We did almost everything wrong

BASH: But what about now?

RFK Jr: We need to protect our constitutional rights

BASH: What does that mean?

RFK Jr: During covid we completely dismantled our… pic.twitter.com/DDwFGYLEvZ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

BASH: How do you prepare for the next pandemic? That's part of your job now

RFK Jr: We did almost everything wrong

BASH: But what about now?

RFK Jr: We need to protect our constitutional rights

BASH: What does that mean?

RFK Jr: During covid we completely dismantled our rights

BASH: But I'm asking what *to* do during a public health crisis

RFK Jr: You were part of the problem

BASH: You want to sit here and attack me?

We suspended habeas corpus? The First Amendment? (Freedom of worship and freedom to engage in dangerous activities are two different things. Endangering others is not overriden by being part of a religious service. Freedom to assemble is always regulated and subject to public health concerns.) The 4th, 5th, and 14th amendments?

I’m still looking for the constitutional right to endanger public health. Quarantines have long been accepted public health measures in America.

And the cherry on top: when you got nothin’, attack the interviewer.

Then he descends into raw Trumpism, playing to the Audience of One.

"You were scaring people. That was the job of CNN" -- RFK Jr attacks Dana Bash over her claim that the covid vaccine worked. Bash ends up telling him to stop and tries to pivot to measles. pic.twitter.com/S1Ly9SixSy

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

BASH: You have been one of the leading voices questioning the efficacy of vaccines. Do you accept some responsibility for this measles outbreak?

RFK Jr: Absolutely not pic.twitter.com/JcCmAOG0Qr

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

If you listen carefully, you can almost hear Trump applauding.

BASH: The WSJ reported the president is pressuring you to conduct studies probing the link between vaccines and autism. Is that true?

RFK Jr: Did you say 'probing the link'?

BASH: I'm just quoting the Wall Street Journal

RFK Jr: He certainly does pic.twitter.com/479un4rshI

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

Who does he think he is he talking to?

RFK Jr: Dana, you probably don't understand this because you're not a scientist

BASH: Well you're not either!

RFK Jr: I know you're flustered now pic.twitter.com/h8c95Scsq7

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

I’ve seen more intelligible conversations among bickering 5 year olds. To be fair, I’ve never seen a 5 year old be such a consistently condescending prick.

RFK Jr: President Trump wanted to end the lockdowns. In Fauci's diary, he talks about how President Trump was calling him every day trying to get him to reopen the country

BASH: The lockdowns were down by governors

RFK Jr: They were doing it citing Fauci

BASH: Governors were… pic.twitter.com/yr78I3W9JZ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2026

RFK Jr: President Trump wanted to end the lockdowns. In Fauci's diary, he talks about how President Trump was calling him every day trying to get him to reopen the country

BASH: The lockdowns were down by governors

RFK Jr: They were doing it citing Fauci

BASH: Governors were hearing from hospitals that their ICUs were overrun

RFK Jr: That's not true

"History is bunk.”

“Who you gonna believe? Me, or your lying memory?”

Genuinely looks like a scene from a Batman movie where a cartoonishly evil villain somehow makes it onto the airwaves to rant against the establishment. https://t.co/Kuw0aefU1Q

— Adam Schwarz (@AdamJSchwarz) August 2, 2026

The difference between RFK, Jr. and a rabid dog is… RFK, Jr. wears a suit. And doesn’t believe in the rabies vaccine.

Lagniappe:
 

“You actually gave Dr. Fauci a presidential commendation before you left office.”

TRUMP: “Uhhh… I don’t know who gave him the commendation.” 🤷🏼 pic.twitter.com/ot0mzXaWcd

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) August 2, 2026

I have to add this, because of my respect for Dr. Hotez.

It was absolutely true. The governors had no choice. ICUs were being overwhelmed and mortality was climbing rapidly as a result. This was never a federal decision. The governors did the right thing. The revisionist history is depressing https://t.co/Wt1kQO5l9Z

— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) (@PeterHotez) August 2, 2026