Current Events > 'Suddenly, Conservatives care about vaccines. Why now?'

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Bio1590
07/21/21 11:48:29 AM
#1:


https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/fox-news-conservatives-vaccines-sean-hannity/619510/

Conservatives are not necessarily vaccine-hesitant, to paraphrase John Stuart Mill, but most vaccine-hesitant Americans are conservatives. Resistance to vaccines has been concentrated among Republican voters, and led by GOP politicians and various leading lights in conservative media.

And that makes the past day or so one of the stranger stretches in recent pandemic politics.

Just like weve been saying, please take COVID seriously. Enough people have died. We dont need any more deaths. Research like crazy. Talk to your doctor, Fox Newss Sean Hannity said last night. It absolutely makes sense for many Americans to get vaccinated.

Hannitys just like weve been saying is doing a lot of work. He reportedly called the pandemic a hoax early on, and his colleague Tucker Carlson continues to cast doubt on vaccines, including on yesterdays program. But Hannity is not alone now. His statement comes as several other major conservatives are speaking up too.

Steve Doocy, one of the anchors of the networks popular morning show Fox & Friends, has been advocating for vaccines, and tangling with co-hosts over it. If you have the chance, get the shot, he said yesterday. It will save your life.

Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire, who has been a vocal proponent of vaccination all along, also told his followers today on Twitter, Get vaxxed. I did. My wife did. My parents did. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, a confidant of Donald Trump, today published a column praising the current president: Six months into his administration, President Joe Biden should be applauded for making a huge dent in the COVID pandemic. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, who had conspicuously declined to get a shot, offering dubious excuses, announced today that he finally got vaccinated this weekend.

These exhortations have often come in the service of political arguments. In the same breath as his plea for seriousness, Hannity suggested that people who have been infected do not need to be inoculated, misconstruing a scientific study. Shapiro made his point in the midst of a case against lockdowns and mask mandates. Meanwhile, plenty of other major right-wing figures remain quiet or worse.

Nonetheless: The shift in tone among these high-profile voices is sharp and sudden enough to merit notice. A few conservatives have long been outspoken in favor of vaccinations. A group of Republican members of Congress who are medical doctors produced a pro-jab PSA this spring, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been as fiery about COVID-19 precautions as he is about anything. He warned again today, These shots need to get in everybodys arm as rapidly as possible or we are going to be back in a situation in the fall, that we dont yearn for, that we were in last year.

Fox News, in particular, has been a hive of vaccine skepticism, though. Carlson, the networks leading personality, was initially a lonely voice in taking the pandemic seriously, but has since become a merchant of doubt. This editorial tack comes even though owner Rupert Murdoch was quick to get his own shot in December. Fox has also reportedly encouraged, though not mandated, employees to disclose their vaccination status, even as Carlson has likened vaccine passports to Jim Crow laws on air.

Why the shift is happening now, and so abruptly, is not clear. One possible factor is that, as CNNs Kaitlan Collins reported, there have been regular, high-level conversations between the White House & Fox News regarding pandemic & vaccine coverage. Fox quickly denied the report.

Another possibility is the emergence of a new COVID-19 surge, fueled by the Delta variant. Scalise, like some of the others, cited Delta as a reason to get vaccinated now. The more infectious strain has led to rising case numbers in the United States, overloaded hospitals in some states with low vaccination rates, and reinstated lockdowns around the world. Fear about Delta is spreading around the U.S., and it was blamed for a swoon in the stock market yesterday. The Delta variant is also spreading particularly in red states, which lag more liberal areas in vaccine uptake. Yet widespread death and suffering among conservatives and Republican voters has not inspired such a unified response.

Whatever the reason, the shift is welcome. Researchers such as Brendan Nyhan have noted that trusted messengers can be effective in breaking down vaccine hesitancy. As my colleague Daniel Engber writes, vaccination rates have tumbled because were running out of people who think vaccines will save their lives. Although the number of Americans who have received or want to receive a vaccine has risen somewhat, opinions also seem to have hardened over time. Such blunt messages might have been more influential this spring. Even if audiences heed the call now, it will take time for their vaccines to have an effect.

Meanwhile, the most trusted messenger of all for many on the right remains mostly on the sidelines. Trump has sought to claim credit for the development of the vaccines, but has not devoted the energy to boosting them that he has to (for example) spreading disinformation about the 2020 election. And though the former president did get vaccinated, he declined to take his shot publicly, a gesture that experts thought could have instilled faith among his supporters.

Thats one of many missed opportunities for a more effective COVID-19 response in the United States. But even if the effect of this weeks messaging from conservatives is small, its enough to elicit a sentiment you wont read in The Atlantic often: Sean Hannity is right.


It's because they realized they're just killing off the GOP's voter base at this point
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Umbreon
07/21/21 11:49:19 AM
#2:


Long as they're finally fucking taking them.

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Jabodie
07/21/21 11:55:53 AM
#3:


Umbreon posted...
Long as they're finally fucking taking them.
As mentioned in the article, many people's views have likely hardened in recent months. It may be too little too late for many.

We'll see though.

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LightHawKnight
07/21/21 11:58:29 AM
#4:


Bio1590 posted...


It's because they realized they're just killing off the GOP's voter base at this point

Probably not. They dont care if their voter base dies. They are probably losing money or have a lawsuit pending.

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Giant_Aspirin
07/21/21 12:00:46 PM
#5:


no matter what their motivation is, we can be sure it's completely self-serving.

but im happy to see them finally coming around

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FortuneCookie
07/21/21 12:01:47 PM
#6:


Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.

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Tyranthraxus
07/21/21 12:04:01 PM
#7:


FortuneCookie posted...
Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.

Clowns get pie thrown in their faces. If the GOP don't want pies thrown in their faces then they shouldn't be clowns.

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averagejoel
07/21/21 12:05:13 PM
#8:


FortuneCookie posted...
Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.
who's mocking them for taking the vaccine? personally, I mock them for the things they shouldn't be doing. like, for example, being conservative in the first place

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LightHawKnight
07/21/21 12:06:56 PM
#9:


FortuneCookie posted...
Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.

They already wont get the vaccine no matter what anyways. Even with Conservative leaders now telling people to get vaccinated, the idiot voters will go: RHINOS! Fuck em!

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EmbraceOfDeath
07/21/21 12:07:28 PM
#10:


FortuneCookie posted...
Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.
Yeah, this. I'm always reminded of one of my favorite ASoIaF quotes from Tywin: "When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet."

If people want someone to change their ways, then they need to not be petty bitches when those people do actually change their ways, otherwise it just encourages those people to dig in their heels instead.

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Bio1590
07/21/21 12:07:31 PM
#11:


LightHawKnight posted...


Probably not. They dont care if their voter base dies. They are probably losing money or have a lawsuit pending.

Dead people can't vote.
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LightHawKnight
07/21/21 12:09:13 PM
#12:


Bio1590 posted...
Dead people can't vote.

You think they care? If they cared they would have realized all the voter suppression hits their voters pretty hard and yet they are still doing it.

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Kolibri X
07/21/21 12:09:43 PM
#13:


Bio1590 posted...
Dead people can't vote.
Lol

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FortuneCookie
07/21/21 12:13:51 PM
#14:


EmbraceOfDeath posted...
Yeah, this. I'm always reminded of one of my favorite ASoIaF quotes from Tywin: "When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet."

If people want someone to change their ways, then they need to not be petty bitches when those people do actually change their ways, otherwise it just encourages those people to dig in their heels instead.

They don't want people to change their ways. They want to have someone to hate.
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Crescente
07/21/21 12:22:39 PM
#15:


Why do Americans always want to compete and pick sides? You all should be joining together and do some good as a unified force.
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onedarksoul
07/21/21 12:22:50 PM
#16:


One possible factor is that, as CNNs Kaitlan Collins reported, there have been regular, high-level conversations between the White House & Fox News regarding pandemic & vaccine coverage.
Great. More fascism.
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VipaGTS
07/21/21 12:24:20 PM
#17:


Fuck the GOP. But if this gets their idiotic base to get the vaccine then so be it. Its amazing how theyre always on the wrong side of everything. Every single time. What they fight for is so fuckin stupid and they always have to backtrack. Its annoying that millions of people still support this shit.

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ZevLoveDOOM
07/21/21 12:24:21 PM
#18:


there has to be an ulterior motive for this. hard to believe they suddenly gained a conscience... lol
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onedarksoul
07/21/21 12:25:29 PM
#19:


ZevLoveDOOM posted...
there has to be an ulterior motive for this. hard to believe they suddenly gained a conscience... lol
No conscience. They're being steered by the government.
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Webmaster4531
07/21/21 12:27:57 PM
#20:


onedarksoul posted...
Great. More fascism.
Congratulations on the stupidest post of the week.
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Bio1590
07/21/21 12:29:16 PM
#21:


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FortuneCookie
07/21/21 12:29:26 PM
#22:


Crescente posted...
Why do Americans always want to compete and pick sides? You all should be joining together and do some good as a unified force.

If members of either political party had access to nuclear launch codes, we wouldn't have a country.
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Boombam99
07/21/21 12:32:36 PM
#23:


How much you wanna bet they're encouraging them now because they found out that it was affecting their bottom line money wise somehow.
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ViewtifulGrave
07/21/21 12:34:29 PM
#24:


Bio1590 posted...
Dead people can't vote.
Are you sure about that?

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Webmaster4531
07/21/21 12:37:49 PM
#25:


ViewtifulGrave posted...
Are you sure about that?
Is that a joke on your username or stop-the-"steal" bullshit?
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LightHawKnight
07/21/21 12:38:28 PM
#26:


Webmaster4531 posted...
Is that a joke on your username or stop-the-"steal" bullshit?

How many republicans were caught committing voter fraud for their dead relatives now?

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Demon1050
07/21/21 1:14:19 PM
#27:


FortuneCookie posted...
Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.



I agree with this 100% people need to grow the hell up stop picking at each other for having opposing views and start getting along. I see families falling apart over who they voted for and that's insane.

Want to slowly make a difference in our broken world? Spread some unconditional love to everyone you can. :)
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ViewtifulGrave
07/21/21 3:00:45 PM
#28:


Webmaster4531 posted...
Is that a joke on your username or stop-the-"steal" bullshit?
I was making fun of the right saying dead people voted in the 2020 election.

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Unsugarized_Foo
07/21/21 3:22:26 PM
#29:


Shaprio's been hitting the vaccine drum harder than some Libs I listen to

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VipaGTS
07/21/21 5:51:38 PM
#30:


FortuneCookie posted...
Do not fucking mock them for doing what they should be doing.

If you sneer at conservatives for getting vaccines later rather than sooner, you're just going to encourage them to stubbornly refuse to get them at all. I know this is politics, but you're literally putting lives at risk to squeeze in one more middle finger.

Pick your battles. I'd rather win the "I'm alive" battle than the "nyeh-nyeh, you caved in it and got the vaccine" battle.
Nah this is a battle we need to pick. Im glad theyre choosing the vaccine now but we need to hold them accountable for how they acted before this. How theyve extended this pandemic and didnt care about the lives of others. They dont just get to say oops you guys were rightthis isnt a small disagreement. They fucked this nation up significantly (in more ways than just this) and them finally deciding to push the vaccine isnt going to fix all that. We let the GOP get away with shit like this too often. Its time for accountability for their hypocrisy. Good on them for waking up and doing the right thing for whatever reason, but people need to know what they did before this. We cant keep sweeping their bull shit under the rug for them.

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Umbreon
07/21/21 6:41:49 PM
#31:


Don't mock those finally taking the vaccine, but also don't let them forget what their energy was prior to this moment.

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Unclover028
07/21/21 6:54:19 PM
#32:


Webmaster4531 posted...
Congratulations on the stupidest post of the week.
@onedarksoul
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FortuneCookie
07/21/21 10:14:22 PM
#33:


VipaGTS posted...
Nah this is a battle we need to pick. Im glad theyre choosing the vaccine now but we need to hold them accountable for how they acted before this

If you kick a downed opponent, you get a rematch.

Call it the World War II rule.
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Dark_SilverX
07/21/21 10:23:55 PM
#34:


Hannity need all the jabs.

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DarkChozoGhost
07/22/21 2:54:24 PM
#35:


Yeah don't forgive them

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DarthAragorn
07/22/21 3:12:39 PM
#36:


Bio1590 posted...
Conservatives are not necessarily vaccine-hesitant
Lol.

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berlyman101
07/22/21 3:16:08 PM
#37:


they're losing money in the stock market and in their small businesses probably.

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