After angering Donald Trump for the last time over the weekend with a brutally honest interview in The New York Times (and the accompanying episode of The diary podcast) Dr. Anthony Fauci seemed genuinely ready to act on Monday when he appeared as a guest on Fox News’ magazine America Newsroom hour.
At the end of this appearance, co-anchor Dana Perino noted her frustration that about 24 of the 28 minutes of the interview with The diary focused not on the COVID-19 pandemic itself, but on Fauci’s contentious relationship with Trump. “I know these questions are irresistible to reporters,” she said. “But is there a law of diminishing returns to continue to answer questions about this relationship if the crisis is as acute as you say?”
Fauci readily agreed with his assessment, explaining that after that interview, he “told myself, we really have to look back and forth and leave it behind” and that he “really is not at all excited about the review what happened at that time, instead of waiting for what we need to do now. ”
But that was not good enough for Bill Hemmer, who interrupted Fauci to complain about the tone of the chief physician’s highly critical remarks. “It seems that there is this aggressiveness towards the Trump administration,” he said. “I mean, you are the most respected man in America in this matter. Why do you feel obliged to answer these questions? “
As Fauci tried to answer, Hemmer added, “And by the way, when you were at the White House, no one stopped you from speaking, did they?”
“No, that’s why I got in trouble,” replied Fauci, repeating a phrase he said at his first meeting with the Biden government last week. But then he called on Hemmer for doing exactly what he and his Fox co-anchor seemed to be criticizing other media for doing.
“We are starting to reshape it again,” added Fauci. “I think we should do what Dana just suggested, that is, leave it behind and take a look at the problems that lie ahead.”
A little chastised, Hemmer replied: “At 9:37 am this Tuesday, January 26, we will mark this moment, doctor. I’m ready to move on with you too. “