Stephen Curry's Wednesday Instagram interview of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gave viewers a break from "fake news" on COVID-19, writes Mark Medina of USA Today Sports. President Donald Trump is the alleged source of that fake news, and the Golden State Warriors all-star guard gave former President Barack Obama and other viewers "actual information."
Medina says the interview was the "most significant play" of Curry's 11-year NBA career.
Nearly 50,000 people watched the broadcast. Among them were Obama, singer Justin Bieber, rapper Common and Curry's former NBA teammates Andre Iguodala and Leandro Barbosa. Overlooking the current president's daily leadership on fighting the pandemic, Medina boasted that Curry's interview of Dr. Fauci may flatten the COVID-19 curve and save lives:
"They digested actual information instead of fake news. They watched something substantial on a platform that often highlights the day-to-day minutia. They became informed about an issue that could either help calm their anxieties or realize they should take this virus and the subsequent social distancing rules seriously. Though there are already a reported 82,404 cases and 1,100 deaths involving COVID-19 in the United States, Curry’s interview with Dr. Fauci could lead more people to help flatten the curve and save lives."
Enamored with Curry's preparation and leadership, Medina commented:
"Viewers walked away much more informed about the COVID-19 than they could have by witnessing any White House briefing. There, President Donald Trump has either misstated the severity of COVID-19 or what he has done to address the problem. He has often contradicted Fauci’s advice on the use of certain untested drugs or when it is safe for businesses to open."
Medina says Curry deliberately focused on the issues "instead of Trump. Even when Curry said publicly in 2017 that he would decline a White House invite that Trump soon rescinded, the reasons had nothing to do with Trump’s policies. It had everything to do with Curry taking offense to Trump’s divisive rhetoric about minorities, women, the disabled, white supremacists and athletes that protest racial inequality."
Curry, the "leader" who also professes to be a Christian, had previously called Trump an "ass."
Talk about laying it on thick, Medina urged the general public to thank Curry for what he did — "nothing more than committing the most impactful act he ever performed."
Lydia O'Connor of Huffington Post also attacked President Trump in her story on the Curry interview. She said Dr. Fauci "has repeatedly found himself having to correct dangerously misleading things Trump says, like his habit of comparing the two diseases and depicting the flu as deadlier."
O'Connor quoted President Trump saying Tuesday on Fox News: “We’ve never closed down the country for the flu. So you say to yourself, ‘What is this all about?’”
HuffPost additionally focused on Trump pushing for an end to social distancing guidelines by Easter (April 12) — "despite warnings from public health experts that the policies may need to be in place for much longer."
While Trump got digs from the writers, Obama received his customarily favorable press from the media. O'Connor portrayed him as a do-gooder along with Curry: "Thursday’s livestream included a cameo from former President Barack Obama, who commented on the video: 'Listen to the science. Do your part and take care of each other.' ”
