Some Republicans have made efforts to fight back against the vaccine misinformation broadcast by right-wing networks such as Fox News, especially as their states are getting hit hard by the delta variant of the novel coronavirus.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged his constituents to get vaccinated on Wednesday.
"These vaccines are saving lives," DeSantis noted.
But a clip posted to social media shows the difficulty Republicans will experience trying to pivot on vaccines after months of disinformation by right-wing media.
Right-wing podcaster Stew Peters, who has pushed unhinged conspiracy theories about coronavirus vaccines, interviewed Carlos Cortez about the shift in messaging by DeSantis.
"It was all about bribery," Cortz alleged. "And that's what we're seeing right now."
Cortez said he loved the GOP governor and didn't want to speak poorly of him, but then proceeded to accuse him of being corrupt.
"And then, more importantly, how do we know or who do we know who is in Ron DeSantis' pockets? You know, I love the guy, he's a great leadership (sic), I look up to him in many ways, but we he have to give him the opportunity to speak, but there has to be something here," he argued. "And I think it's more of a spiritual thing, everybody has a number."
"Everybody has a number and it doesn't matter who it is. Everybody has a number," he repeated.
The Press: Now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has spoken out, maybe that'll convince MAGA cultists to get vaccinated. MAG… https://t.co/k5aNZlEEp1— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1627078064.0
