“I have lost confidence in the CDC and the FDA and I actually believe a lot of Americans—a significant part of America—now have lost confidence in you, Dr. Fauci,” Hewitt began. “Is there a point where you will say, ‘I do more harm than good because people don’t listen to me anymore,’ and step aside?”
“No. Absolutely, unequivocally no, Hugh. Sorry,” Fauci replied.
“When you have an evolving situation and data are rapidly evolving in something that is unprecedented and unknown, you have to evolve with it and look at the data as it exists now and make to the best of your ability a decision, a recommendation, all the kinds of things that go into the evolution,” he added.
Hewitt responded, arguing that Fauci’s public image is ultimately detrimental to public health.
“It’s just a fact that Tony Fauci… is now an impediment to public health because people won’t listen to you,” Hewitt said.
Americans “actively reject what Tony Fauci says for reasons which are complicated,” he continued. “… But can you accept that—if that’s just the fact—you ought to respond to it and say ‘Mr. President, I think my time is up as a successful and effective spokesperson?’”
Fauci defended himself by appealing to the popular support that he believes he has attained.
“You know, with all due respect … I just completely disagree with that premise because there are an awful lot of people who do listen, who do the right thing from a public health standpoint,” Fauci responded.
He then proceeded to tone-deaf mockery of Hewitt’s question.
“So people are saying, ‘I’m not getting the vaccine because Dr. Fauci is in the government.’ Are you kidding me?” Fauci said, laughing.
