Crazy Like a Fox

Sean Hannity did something shocking Monday night.  He urged his viewers to get the COVID vaccine.

This is a game changer, as Fox News "personalities" have largely been responsible for spreading misinformation about the COVID vaccine since it was first made available in December 2020.  This is likely due to something else that emerged that same month - the Delta variant, first in India, and later in the rest of the world.  Hannity, who must have seen the latest COVID case and death numbers, finally saw the light.  He made it a point not to urge people to listen to President Biden - there are some prejudices that the right will never abandon - but he did tell his viewers to do the research and look at the the results of the different versions of the vaccine to see how effective they are. 

"Please take COVID seriously," he said. "I can’t say it enough. Enough people have died. We don't need any more death. Research like crazy. Talk to your doctor, your doctors, medical professionals you trust based on your unique medical history, your current medical condition, and you and your doctor make a very important decision for your own safety."

Oh yeah, it's not just Hannity saying this.  Two hosts of Fox News' morning show "Fox & Friends," Brian Kilmeade and the unfortunately surnamed Steve Doocy also urged viewers to get the jab, with Kilmeade comparing resistance to the COVID vaccine to diving off a cliff and Doocy being more to the point on the consequences.  "If you have the chance, get the shot. It will save your life,"' Doocy said.

And if that's not enough, another Fox News star, Geraldo Rivera, lashed out at those who won't get the vaccine out of personal freedom, saying they disregard those getting the shot and exercising their personal right not to die. 

Well, all right.  All right.  Good for them.

It doesn't take much for vaccine-resistant folks to change their minds.  Just a dangerous viral mutation.   President Biden wasn't going to go after Fox News commentators for spreading misinformation about the COVID vaccine - he would only stir up a hornet's nest of anti-Biden rhetoric at a time when he doesn't need it - but he obviously didn't have to.  I think we can expect Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham to follow suit . . . and they'll find some Orwellian method of convincing their viewers that they had faith in the vaccine all along and never meant to suggest otherwise.  Especially Carlson.  He's good at those Jedi-style mind tricks.