Chris Cuomo Spars with GOP Congressman on Anti-Vax Republicans: ‘You’re OK With This Kind of Jackassery?’
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) appeared on CNN Wednesday where Chris Cuomo grilled him for nearly 10 minutes about why more Republicans, including Donald Trump, don’t publicly encourage Americans to get the Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccination rate among Republicans has lagged behind Democrats.
“Imagine where we would be,” said Cuomo, “if the designer of Operation Warp Speed in a way – certainly at the top of the food chain, President Trump – had told people to take the vaccine, had told people he had taken it, and that he had given it to his family, and that he pushed it robustly. And people like you had been on him to do so when he wasn’t.”
“I think he did,” replied Burgess, who is also a physician and has encouraged people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. “Yes, he went on television and said he had taken the vaccine.”
“He did as little as he could,” said the CNN host.
“People need to do their own research, figure things out,” said Burgess. “You don’t have to be told by your government whether it’s a good or a bad thing. Figure it out. Look at the disease rates and what has happened since January 1st of this year and it is nothing short of stunning.”
Later in the segment, Cuomo played a montage of right-wing media clips, featuring Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and others casting doubt on the vaccine.
“You’re OK with this kind of jackassery that has absolutely led to a deficiency among Republican people in this country taking the vaccine? asked Cuomo. He continued, “And now they’re getting sick, and now we’re seeing what we see at the hospitals? And now the age is reducing? And the variant is spreading? You’re OK with this?”
Burgess replied that Cuomo was “conflating a number of things” and eventually they had this exchange:
CUOMO: Why don’t you call out the people who are giving an opposite, ignorant, and toxic message on why not to take it?
BURGESS: I have discussions with people all the time.
CUOMO: But say it now. Say that what I just showed you in that video is wrong for people to be doing on TV, that members of Congress from your party that are saying, “Don’t take the vaccine” are wrong.
BURGESS: Don’t listen to me. Talk to your doctor. Talk to a trusted person. Get the straight information… Don’t listen to people on political talking shows. That’s not where you should get your medical information.
CUOMO: But what about from members of Congress who say, “Don’t take the vaccine. I don’t buy it.”
BURGESS: Well I’m telling you to take it. So buy that.
CUOMO: What about the people who say otherwise?
BURGESS: Well, they’re wrong. Take the vaccine if you’re in the age group where you could be devastated by the illness.
Watch above via CNN.
