When Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona used his time on Fox News on Thursday night to attack Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, host Neil Cavuto attacked him.
Biggs argued that the two medical health experts, who have helped steer the administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, have left their usefulness behind. Both Birx and Fauci, along with all the other public health experts, have been warning of the massive increase in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the United States and arguing strongly for the government’s response.
But it seems Biggs would prefer that they simply embrace Trump’s strategy of hoping it would all go away.
“He is the policy maker,” Biggs said of Trump. “When they go out and make the statements they make, they create panic and hysteria and undermine what the president is doing.”
Cavuto responded, suggesting that Trump should defer to health experts, which is the goal of having them in government.
“Isn’t that what doctors do? Taking care of people’s lives?” he said.
“Doctors do, they treat people and meet with them daily,” Biggs said. “And I speak to those doctors regularly. When was the last time Dr. Fauci met and treated a patient individually? Or Dr. Birx?”
It was a strange line of attack because, as public health experts, Fauci and Birx have no need to meet with patients. This is not reflected at all in their ability to understand the best ways to fight and cope with a pandemic.
“When is the last time you have [met with patients]Cavuto replied again.
“I am not a trained doctor!” Biggs said.
“But you’re saying to the ones to go out!” Cavuto said.
“What I am saying is that the task force may no longer be needed. And what I am saying is that Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx have undermined what this President is trying to do,” Biggs replied.
“Are you saying that, in the midst of these cases, do you think it’s a good idea to dissolve this commission? Now, in the midst of this?” Cavuto asked, raising his voice to be heard by Biggs.
“Yes, I think it is a good idea,” said Biggs.
Essentially, he seemed to be arguing that Birx (who has sometimes stretched out the truth to better align himself with the president’s messages) and Fauci should stop openly discussing their views on the data because they don’t fit the president’s whimsical narrative that the virus is just going to go away on its own.
Check out the clip below:
“Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx have undermined what this President is trying to do” – @RepAndyBiggsAZ is not even trying to hide his desire to suppress politically inconvenient facts pic.twitter.com/iJlUtNkCYB
– Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 2, 2020
