Read on Twitter
Out of curiosity, I checked to see how many stories filed under coronavirus/COVID-19 we have over at @mmfa, and the number is... 864. Paging through it, it& #39;s just honestly hard to believe some of the misinformation right-wing outlets have put out there over the months.
Just looking back on this, there& #39;s a lot of really wild stuff, especially from Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc. types. They really, right from the start, did everything they could to do whatever was politically helpful for the president.
February 24: Tucker Carlson blamed "diversity" and "wokeness" for the virus https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-carlson/tucker-carlson-blames-diversity-and-wokeness-spread-coronavirus">https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-ca...
February 24: Rush Limbaugh calls the virus "an effort to get Trump" https://www.mediamatters.org/rush-limbaugh/rush-limbaugh-coronavirus-effort-get-trump">https://www.mediamatters.org/rush-limb...
February 28: Fox& #39;s "straight news" anchor Sandra Smith echoed Trump& #39;s claim that the virus might just "miraculously disappear." https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/fox-anchor-coronavirus-obviously-theres-speculation-it-could-get-worse-some-say-president">https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/...
February and March: Mainstream news outlets uncritically amplify the Trump administration& #39;s wild claims, putting additional lives at risk. (Bad journalism puts people in danger) https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/trump-puts-lives-risk-coronavirus-misinformation-and-mainstream-media-rush">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
March 6: Fox News medical expert Marc Siegel says that the "worst case scenario" for COVID-19 is that it& #39;d turn out to be like the flu (he was wrong) https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/foxs-dr-marc-siegel-says-worse-case-scenario-coronavirus-it-could-be-flu">https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hann...
March 10: a Fox anchor starts pushing the argument that because the people who died were older that it doesn& #39;t really count https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-anchor-florida-coronavirus-deaths-were-elderly-people-who-traveled-so-when">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
March 9: Sean Hannity calls the virus Democrats& #39; "new hoax" https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/sean-hannity-claims-people-are-faking-concern-about-coronavirus-bludgeon-trump-new">https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hann...
March 11: (This is the one I& #39;ve been trying to find) Hannity thinks Trump should get credit for "the number of Americans that did *not* contract" the virus. https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/sean-hannity-praises-trump-number-americans-did-not-contract-coronavirus">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
Also March 11: Hannity gets "philosophical a minute" and points out that in a sense, we& #39;re all dying, so what& #39;s the big deal? https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/sean-hannity-isnt-concerned-about-coronavirus-because-were-all-dying-anyway">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
March 13: Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt says it& #39;s a great time to do a little traveling https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/during-coronavirus-pandemic-ainsley-earhardt-says-its-actually-safest-time-fly">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
March 15: the woman who started the "death panel" lie wants to make sure people don& #39;t panic https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-nation-flu-documentary-betsy-mccaughey-says-political-venom-over-trumps">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
March 16: Hannity calls Trump& #39;s travel restrictions on China, which 2 dozen+ other countries had already implemented by the time he did, "the single most consequential decision in history" https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/sean-hannity-declares-trump-travel-ban-without-doubt-single-most-consequential">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
(Alright, let& #39;s skip around a bit, but basically, the point here is that there& #39;s at least one completely bonkers COVID-19 narrative that& #39;s put people& #39;s lives at risk every single day)
April 16: Lou Dobbs pushes the idea that the virus was a biological weapon, a conspiracy theory that Fox had been promoting on and off since the start https://www.mediamatters.org/lou-dobbs/lou-dobbs-suggests-coronavirus-biological-warfare-china-against-united-states">https://www.mediamatters.org/lou-dobbs...
May 2: Right-wing media push the idea that CDC revised the death toll down by half... turns out they just didn& #39;t read the chart correctly. https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/no-cdc-did-not-revise-coronavirus-deaths-half-even-right-wing-media-claim-it">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
May 5: Alex Jones... is Alex Jones... this is how he& #39;s been all pandemic: https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/alex-jones-claims-frontline-coronavirus-health-care-workers-are-killing">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
May 21: Fox starts promoting the group that a couple months later would release that nutty video with the doctor who believed in demon sperm or whatever https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/after-report-trump-campaign-push-organize-anti-lockdown-doctors-fox-news">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
Late May: Right-wing media mocks Biden for wearing a mask in public while laying a wreath at a veterans& #39; memorial in Delaware https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/right-wing-media-attack-joe-biden-wearing-mask">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
May 27: as the U.S. passes 100,000 dead from the virus, Fox stops mentioning the death toll altogether. https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/america-approaches-100000-covid-19-deaths-national-death-toll-absent-fox-0">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
May 27: Fox News says Biden is "virtue signaling" when he wears a mask, mocks him for it https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-news-contributor-says-biden-wearing-required-mask-memorial-day-ceremony">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
June 30: Sarah Sanders thinks Trump should be praised for his COVID-19 response because he "got government out of the way." (Seems like that& #39;s part of the problem, Sarah) https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/sarah-sanders-says-trump-doesnt-get-credit-his-covid-19-response-he-got">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
Here& #39;s a then-extensive round-up of Fox attacking the idea of wearing masks: https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/how-fox-news-helped-turn-masks-another-culture-war-flashpoint">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
July 1: Fox host says Trump has always been pro-mask (he hadn& #39;t been) https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-host-trump-has-always-been-pro-mask-maybe-didnt-say-it-right-way">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
July 2: Fox host wonders how masks got political? (Truly a mystery...) https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-friends-host-some-reason-masks-have-become-political">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
(And this entire time, Trump had just been livetweeting his TV) https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/study-trump-live-tweeted-his-television-nearly-300-times-first-six-months-2020">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
July 10: Fox host says that the rise in cases is actually a good thing... somehow https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-news-host-sharp-rise-coronavirus-cases-actually-good-news">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
July 22: Trump calls Marc Siegel, the guy who earlier in this thread said the virus would be "at worst" like the flu, his "guide" on vaccines. https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/trump-called-fox-news-quack-medical-contributor-his-guide-covid-19-vaccines">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
July 23: Sinclair invited on some conspiracy theorists who legitimately asked whether Fauci "created" the virus. You know, normal stuff. https://www.mediamatters.org/sinclair-broadcast-group/sinclair-gives-plandemic-conspiracy-theorists-platform-spread-their-lies">https://www.mediamatters.org/sinclair-...
July 27: Rush Limbaugh claims that lockdowns are part of a plot to create a new world order/global government https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/rush-limbaugh-covid-19-lockdowns-are-attempt-establish-global-world-government">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
August 3: Fox "straight news" anchor Sandra Smith promises doctor who& #39;d spread misinformation that he& #39;d be invited back "because people want to believe what you& #39;re saying. Parents of college students want their kids to go back to campus" https://www.mediamatters.org/sandra-smith/fox-host-says-fox-will-continue-booking-doctor-making-dubious-claims-because-people">https://www.mediamatters.org/sandra-sm...
... after which Trump hired him. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-coronavirus-scott-atlas-herd-immunity/2020/08/30/925e68fe-e93b-11ea-970a-64c73a1c2392_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...
August 3: Ron Paul, who I keep forgetting is still alive, goes on Fox and shares his conspiracy theories about the vaccines and Bill Gates because sure, why not https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/ron-paul-uses-fox-appearance-push-conspiracy-theory-about-covid-19-vaccine-and">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
August 12: Tucker Carlson spreads conspiracy theory that Kamala Harris somehow wants to prevent white people from getting the COVID vaccine? https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-carlson/tucker-carlson-kamala-harris-only-wants-people-certain-color-get-coronavirus-vaccine">https://www.mediamatters.org/tucker-ca...
August 5: Rush Limbaugh praises Trump& #39;s honesty about people dying from the virus https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/rush-limbaugh-thank-god-weve-got-somebody-power-who-will-say-it-what-it">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
September 9: Sean Hannity praises Trump& #39;s dishonesty about the virus https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/sean-hannity-praises-donald-trump-misleading-public-about-covid-19-he-wasnt-going">https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hann...
And then there was a lot of "here& #39;s why Trump was right to mislead the public" stuff from Fox and others on the right https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-host-says-trump-downplaying-covid-19-publicly-was-part-his-role-leader">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
A lot https://www.mediamatters.org/bret-baier/fox-contributor-defends-trump-misleading-public-covid-19-claiming-its-much-less-serious">https://www.mediamatters.org/bret-baie...
A lot a lot https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/foxs-steve-doocy-invokes-911-defend-tape-trump-admitting-he-wants-downplay">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
And also, what about Obama! https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-host-tape-trump-admitting-he-wants-downplay-coronavirus-what-about-obama">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
A lot https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-friends-likens-trump-downplaying-risk-covid-19-fdrs-fireside-chats-during">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
In fact, it was "fine and dandy" https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/fox-host-trumps-admission-he-intentionally-downplayed-covid-19-i-thought-was">https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavir...
