Things got a little contentious between CNN's Jake Tapper and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) on Sunday's edition of State of the Union as the two discussed the state's current COVID-19 surge.
Tapper began the exchange by pointing out that if Mississippi were a country it would be second in the world, behind only Peru, in per capita coronavirus deaths. "With all due respect, governor, your way is failing," Tapper said, before repeatedly asking if Reeves would adopt an alternative approach to prevent similar waves in the future.
Reeves responded by saying that Mississippi's caseload has fallen dramatically in recent days, acknowledging that deaths will likely continue to rise since they're a lagging factor. He also reiterated that he wants his constituents to talk to their doctors about "potentially" getting vaccinated, which he said was the best way to fight the virus while noting that 89 percent of Mississippi's COVID-19 hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated. But he didn't say whether his office plans to do anything differently in the days and weeks ahead and continued to criticize President Biden's federal vaccine rules.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The back-and-forth continued, with Reeves suggesting Tapper may have been focusing on Mississippi and ignoring other states with high COVID-19 numbers because those states are led by Democrats, a remark Tapper didn't appear to take kindly to. Watch the interview below.
-
Should you downsize for retirement? Here's what to consider.The Explainer Moving to a smaller place may seem easier, but there are also some real benefits to staying put
-
What to do if you want to move but don't want to give up your low mortgage ratethe explainer 30-year mortgage rates are currently averaging 7% — and homeowners who secured rates closer to 3% during the pandemic are reluctant to sell their homes
-
Crossword: September 1, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Texas declares end to measles outbreakSpeed Read The vaccine-preventable disease is still spreading in neighboring states, Mexico and Canada
-
RFK Jr. shuts down mRNA vaccine funding at agencySpeed Read The decision canceled or modified 22 projects, primarily for work on vaccines and therapeutics for respiratory viruses
-
Measles cases surge to 33-year highSpeed Read The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy
-
Kennedy's vaccine panel signals skepticism, changeSpeed Read RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory board intends to make changes to the decades-old US immunization system
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panelspeed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kidsSpeed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sickspeed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last yearspeed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
