03-18-2020, 04:59 PM
(03-18-2020, 09:42 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: “It’s a common cold” is almost a verbatim quote of Rush Limbaugh.
The same people who complain about the lame stream media reporting fake news quote Rush Limbaugh’s deliberately misleading information while dismissing the information from the director of the National Institute of Allegy and Infectious Disease because the New York Times reported it and Trump says they’re fake news.
That's what follows from damaging public trust in important, apolitical institutions because they are "Big government," "deep state" or manned by the "liberal elite" who "just hate Trump"--coupled with Trump/Limbaugh/Hannity presenting themselves as oracles who have seen through the BS for years. You have tens of millions of people unable to judge the veracity of online news sources, year after year prey to Russian/T-party propaganda--and now paralyzed with C-virus disinformation.
Even as Trump/Fox* pivots, their viewers still don't trust the sources (the science) forcing Trump/Fox to pivot. Some ease into the walk back claiming "both sides" need to set politics aside, etc. They'll consider Trump/Fox were off the mark if EVERYONE ELSE has been guilty of poor judgment and disinformation too. Like the medical authorities giving us good information and recommendations haven't been doing so from the get go.
Very difficult to totally depoliticize the issue when the president's own surrogates and agents continue to contradict the assessment of medical professionals. As with the fight to secure elections from Russian interference, states are finding they have to step into the vacuum of federal leadership and work out their own solutions.
*Even Rupert is exercising caution, placing Trish Regan on hiatus for claiming the Corona virus was just another attempt to impeach Trump.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/487577-fox-business-says-host-trisha-regan-on-hiatus-amid-controversial-coronavirus
Hannity is walking it back a bit. https://news.yahoo.com/video-shows-fox-news-rapidly-162630246.html