Late night hosts are skeptical Trump will urge hesitant Republicans to get COVID-19 vaccines
The U.S. has administered more than 100 million COVID-19 shots, but "there still isn't anywhere near enough vaccine to go around," Jimmy Kimmel said on Monday's Kimmel Live, "and even when there is, the worry is that people will not want it — 49 percent of Republican men say they will not get the vaccine. Suddenly they're against baring their arms."
In fairness to Republicans, they're getting starkly mixed messages, Kimmel added. "The pandemic isn't a big deal, it will wash away, it's no worse than the flu; but it was created by China to destroy us. Which is it? Is Trump not getting the credit he deserves for manufacturing the vaccine, or this how Bill Gates controls our minds? No wonder they're hesitant." Dr. Anthony Fauci "strongly urged Donald Trump to tell his followers to get vaccinated," he deadpanned, "and he probably will, he generally does the right thing."
Tooning Out the News was similarly skeptical Trump would follow Fauci's suggestion.
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"Yesterday on Fox News, Dr. Fauci urged former President Trump to speak up about the coronavirus vaccine," Jimmy Kimmel said at The Tonight Show. Not only will Trump not respond to a direct appeal, he said, but "honestly, asking Trump to give people medical advice makes me nervous because you know one day he's gonna say something crazy like Sour Patch Kids can cure asthma." Fallon made his own Trump PSA just to be safe.
"Nearly 30 percent of Americans, and half of all Republican men, say they do not intend to get one of the vaccines," Stephen Colbert said at The Late Show. "First of all, I call dibs on theirs. Second of all, why? Why, Republican men, why? Your guy's the one taking credit for the vaccine even existing. You're insulting him by not getting jabbed!" Fauci used flattery to try to get Trump to step up, he noted, "but to get everyone their shots, we need leadership from every part of the community, which is why thousands of clergy members from a cross-section of faiths — imams, rabbis, priests, and swamis — are trying to coax the hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Reminds me of the old joke: A priest, a rabbi, an imam, and a swami walk into a bar, and it's okay because they all got vaccinated."
If you want the vaccine and can't find any, Conan O'Brien had an iffy solution. Peter Weber
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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