Dem Sen Refers to Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham as ‘Anti-Vax Quacks’

The second highest ranked Democratic U.S. Sen Dick Durbin (IL) spent time today on the Senate Floor lecturing about Fox News, essentially blaming them for some who might not want to get the COVID vaccine and blamed them for potential deaths of those who might not have gotten it.

In a tweet with the video of his speech, Durbin wrote, “Congress has a lot of important work to do this summer. I’m live on the Senate floor, discussing my priorities for the next few weeks.”

During the speech, Durbin brought up Fox News and commended those on the network who have shared their experience with getting the vaccine.

After praising Sean Hannity for his testimonial, Durbin then attacked the two other prime time network show hosts. Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham.

“There are two hosts of programs on Fox primetime that can only be characterized as anti-vax quacks. I’m referring of course to Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham,” Durbin claimed.

Sen. Dick Durbin: “There are two hosts of programs on Fox primetime that can only be characterized as anti-vax quacks. I’m referring of course to Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham…” pic.twitter.com/aC7XdN5Q35

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 12, 2021

Durbin encouraged people to read titles to articles written by mainstream and liberal media sources in reference to Fox News and the various messages regarding vaccinations.

It appeared that Durbin was trying to suggest that perhaps first amendment rights shouldn’t be extended to those who question the vaccine ultimately.

As Mediaite noted, Carlson has said he is pro-vaccine, stating in April, “We are not against it on principle. Like every American, we are grateful.”

Ingraham, Mediate explained, has also lauded the development of the vaccine, but also routinely slammed vaccine mandates, calling mandates for children “disgusting” in one instance.

Newsweek recently reported that MSNBC’s Chris Hayes had taken aim at Tucker Carlson and even former President Donald Trump, suggesting that he should offer vaccinations at his rally, like some places have been doing during large events.

From Newsweek:

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes criticized Fox News‘ Tucker Carlson again on Friday because of his comments on COVID-19 vaccines, calling Carlson’s remarks about the safety of vaccinations “despicable.”

The host of All In With Chris Hayes spoke with Media Matters President & CEO Angelo Carusone on Friday and discussed some of Carlson’s commentary on COVID vaccines.

Carusone highlighted Carlson’s comments suggesting a higher-than-normal number of Americans had died after receiving the vaccine.https://www.dianomi.com/smartads.epl?id=3533

He said: “There was a switch in May where Tucker Carlson really started pushing the idea that the vaccine was killing tens of thousands of people.

“A very, very minor conspiracy theory that was circulating online in the fever swamps.

“And he plucked it out of there and gave it a lot of push and that was really when things started to shift over at Fox News. And since then, it’s just intensified and amplified,” Carusone said

Hayes said: “I should just be clear here about what he did, because I think it’s worth taking a second to just talk about how dishonest and despicable it was.”

“There’s a public record of vaccine outcomes that’s traced, and millions of people are getting the vaccine, so some percentage of those people die after getting the vaccine in the same way that some percentage of all people, particularly when you’re vaccinating seniors, die or get sick,” Hayes went on.

“This started online. People taking those examples and saying, ‘Look. Two plus two equals four. The vaccine is killing people.’ It’s just, like, obviously deeply, deeply stupid, like aggressively stupid, to misunderstand that intentionally or not,” he said.

Friday was the second night in a row that Hayes had taken aim at Carlson on the issue of vaccines. On Thursday, Hayes had called the Fox News personality and former President Donald Trump “cowards.”

“All of them, from Donald Trump to Tucker Carlson, are cowards when it comes down to it,” Hayes said. “They’re just chasing after the base. They’re not leading. They’re not telling them things they don’t want to hear.

“They should be telling everyone that the vaccines were the greatest achievement of the Trump presidency,” he said. “And you know what, that would be closer to being true than 95 percent of the things Donald Trump says.

“They should be hosting MAGA rallies with mass vaccinations and a free hat with a shot,” Hayes added.