Vile partisan Stephen Colbert took the opportunity on Tuesday's show to snarl that Dr. Anthony Fauci "jackslapped" Rand Paul during a Senate hearing. He also joked about the Kentucky Senator's death, mocking, "Okay. It's time to call it. Time of death 11:41 P.M." This is beyond poor taste, given that Paul has been the victim of actual violence from an unhinged neighbor and was on the softball field where a deranged leftist shot at Republicans, hitting Rep. Steve Scalise.
The Late Show host began by teeing up a video of the two at Tuesday's Senate hearing, "Earlier today, Senator Paul got in a bit of a tussle with Dr. Anthony Fauci. I'm going to show you a clip, and you don't need to understand what Rand Paul is saying ‘cause clearly he doesn't. All you need to know is, he tried to call Dr. Fauci a liar, and the good doctor jackslapped him back to his Old Kentucky Home."
Colbert's claim that you don't need to know what Paul is talking about is nonsensical as the two men were arguing over the definition of gain-of-function and if you don't know what that is, you can't possibly say who is right.
After Fauci declined to retract his statement saying the NIH never funded GOF, the two continued:
RAND PAUL: You take an animal virus and you increase its transmissibility to humans, you're saying that's not gain of function?
ANTHONY FAUCI: That is correct and Senator Paul, you do not know what you are talking about, quite frankly. And I want to say that officially. You do not know what you are talking about.
Colbert then returned to declare, "Okay. It's time to call it. Time of death 11:41 P.M. Physician on call: Tony Fauci. Cause of death: Tony Fauci."
This is the same Paul that had his lung pierced in an attack by his neighbor in 2017. That same year, Paul was a part of the Republican baseball team that was shot in Alexandria.
But, Paul is correct. As the Washington Post's Josh Rogin noted on Twitter, "Hey guys, [Rand Paul] was right and Fauci was wrong. The NIH was funding gain of function research in Wuhan but NIH pretended it didn't meet their 'gain of function' definition to avoid their own oversight mechanism. SorryNotSorry if that doesn't fit your favorite narrative."
Indeed, the NIH's own website has warned "Certain gain-of-function studies with the potential to enhance the pathogenicity or transmissibility of potential pandemic pathogens [emphasis added] (PPPs) have raised biosafety and biosecurity concerns, including the potential dual use risks associated with the misuse of the information or products resulting from such research."
So, Colbert was wrong and Fauci was wrong, but at least Colbert got some cheap laughs.
This segment was sponsored by Crest.
Here is a transcript for the July 20 show:
CBS
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert11:41 PM ET
STEPHEN COLBERT: Earlier today, Senator Paul got in a bit of a tussle with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
I'm going to show you a clip, and you don't need to understand what Rand Paul is saying ‘cause clearly he doesn't. All you need to know is, he tried to call Dr. Fauci a liar, and the good doctor jackslapped him back to his Old Kentucky Home.
BEGIN CLIPRAND PAUL: Dr. Fauci, knowing it is a crime to lie to Congress, do you wish to retract your statement of May 11 where you claim that the NIH Never funded gain of function research in Wuhan?
ANTHONY FAUCI: Senator Paul, I have never lied before the Congress and I do not retract that statement. This paper that you're referring to was judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain of function.PAUL: So you're saying --
FAUCI: Let me finish...
PAUL: You take an animal virus and you increase its transmissibility to humans, you're saying that's not gain of function?
FAUCI: That is correct and Senator Paul, you do not know what you are talking about, quite frankly. ( Cheers and applause ) And I want to say that officially. You do not know what you are talking about.END CLIP
COLBERT: Okay. It's time to call it. Time of death 11:41 P.M. ( Cheers and applause ) Physician on call: Tony Fauci. Cause of death: Tony Fauci. ( Laughter )
