CNN’s Jim Acosta Catches Hell for Calling Delta the “DeSantis” Variant
CNN’s Jim Acosta is taking heat from friend and foe alike, including his own viewers, for recently suggesting that at least one of the new variants of the coronavirus be named the “DeSantis variant,” claiming Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has prolonged the pandemic for not enforcing mask mandates and other restrictive measures.
“People should not have to die so some people can own the libs,” Acosta said on Saturday. “But they may end up owning the pandemic because they’re prolonging it.”
Acosta declared it was time to rename the delta variant after the Florida governor.
“Instead of the delta variant, why not call it the DeSantis variant?” Acosta asked. “We could sell beer koozies that say, ‘Don’t Florida My Fauci,’ and use the money to help pay for all of the funerals in the days to come.”
Reached for comment, DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw replied that Acosta’s attacks showed CNN was “afraid” of the governor.
“It’s clear that CNN, which apparently functions as a PR firm for the Democratic Party, is afraid of Gov. DeSantis,” Pushaw said, speaking to Fox News. “Why? Because he’s leading our state through the challenges of this pandemic while respecting parents’ rights to raise their kids, workers’ rights to earn a living, and everyone’s right to make their own informed decisions.”
“DeSantis,” Pushaw added, “always made data-driven decisions and worked tirelessly to prioritize seniors and other vulnerable Floridians for the vaccines instead of relying on the ever-changing, poorly sourced ‘guidance’ of federal bureaucrats.”
His leadership, she argued, is “inconvenient for CNN’s narrative of fear over facts, and that’s why CNN is attacking him.”
Fox News contributor Joe Concha, often a foil for the hosts and anchors on CNN, like Acosta and his embattled colleague, Chris Cuomo, said it was another embarrassing chapter for the slipping network.
“Why does Acosta spend infinitely more time talking about Trump and other Republicans than he does the current president and House speaker in power?” Concha asked. “A look at transcripts of his ‘news’ program shows he’s truly state TV serving at the pleasure of the Democratic Party in attacking Republicans while barely touching the blue team. He’s an embarrassment and nothing more.”
More critics on social media ripped Acosta for making the comparison, calling it “performance art.”
“Using CNN’s ‘logic’ from last year, shouldn’t the new strain be called the Biden variant?” asked writer Doug Powers, flipping the script on Acosta.
National Review’s Isaac Schoor pointed out how Acosta criticized former President Trump when he called COVID-19 the “Chinese virus.”
Acosta is one of many media personalities at CNN to target DeSantis in recent months for his handling of the pandemic. Brianna Keilar called the governor an “ass” in January after he publicly sparred with CNN reporter Rosa Flores when she appeared to accuse him of not having a plan to cut down on long lines for seniors who needed to get vaccinated. She also asked what had “gone wrong with the rollout of the vaccine that we’ve seen phone lines jammed, websites crashing.”
“So you’re going to give a speech, or are you going to ask a question?” DeSantis asked her. “You asked a question, and I’m going to answer it.”
The White House has also singled out DeSantis, with President Biden recently suggesting that the governor had abandoned his duty after he and other states like Texas lifted mask mandates. DeSantis pushed back at the Biden administration in a press conference last week, suggesting that the president has no right to criticize him until he secures the southern border. Reports have shown that illegal immigrants who have contracted COVID are being released into border communities, in some cases without notifying local law enforcement.
The media and leading Democrats have it out for DeSantis, some analysts have suggested, because he is a rising star in the GOP, who may be laying the groundwork for a 2024 bid for the White House.
Let’s call fake news acosta news from now on.
great idea
WTF cares what lil jimmie the fag says. That POS should have been fired so long ago for all his lies
A much better name for the virus should be “Fauci Virus” because he lives and breathes the virus to the point that he can do nothing else and say nothing else.
Hey Idiot – Fauci is the guy in charge of fighting the virus… What else do you expect him to talk about? His morning shit? Chatting about his lunch plans? Sex with your wife?
Sorry you don’t think it’s important enough to merit your attention. Maybe if you pay just a little attention to Fauci you might not die of COVID.
*Deathsantis
Little Benny. Go cry to mama
Looks like the 3 Stooges (Joe, Ben and Frank) all got into the act this time. Although the biggest Stooge is sleeping, I mean sitting, in the Oval Office as we speak. The ONLY good thing to come from The Great Demented One is the rising stock market, but that will crash as we fall behind the world in energy production, inflation rises, we witness the continued rise of rogue nations with nuclear capabilities, we continue overspending on every social program the Dems can think of, we continue to be played by bad actors such as Russia and China…need I go on.
I did a search on “acosta uproar desantis virus” and got 3 results – one said “Acosta got torched”, one called it “distasteful mockery”, and the third said that “#DeSantisVariant” was trending. I think that DeSantis is taking WAY more heat over his failed COVID policies than any little insult from a news reporter.
” jimmie the fag.” Really? Where do these people come from, this was old in the 70’s? It’s like watching reruns of Archie Bunker….. You name calling genius’ need to revamp your game. Even Russian bots do better than that….
I don’t normally watch CNN but I caught this one live, it was brutal. The outtakes above don’t bear the naked truth of that rant.
While I can understand where he was coming from, especially in context versus the out-of-context bites shown above, no, I don’t like stooping to the level of Desantis by calling it the Desantis Variant or Deathsantis. Even though I have done it, being cute just misses the mark. May make you feel better, but does harm to advancing the truth. What’s important are the facts on the ground. Statistically, numerically, the policies of Desantis are sickening and killing more Floridians than most other states in our Union. This is State’s rights run amuck by a guy who desires the national stage and is willing to sacrifice citizens in his responsibility to garner the ragged right’s approval. The facts show he has failed and Floridan’s pay the price. California doing better, New York, New Jersey, and even Texas. There is no need to lose focus on the facts by giving supporters something else to focus on like calling it the Desantis Variant or Deathsantis. Focus on the facts and Desantis will come up failing in his policies, actions, and words. Miserably. One of the worst in the nation.
Florida is number three in all time covid cases in the US; it has more cases than many industrialized countries. It recently eclipsed New York, the previous epicenter of the disease. For the Delta Surge, Florida is number one in cases and death. For Long Term Care, Florida does worse than New York and New Jersey, combined. We don’t need to call names, the track record of Desantis speaks volumes.
One adder. For all media outlets, I tire of opinion hiding as news and news hiding as opinion. I wish they would put a sticker in the corner when opinionating.
biden variant is the exact name for this virus he allows alot of positive covid illegals at the borders.
Hey idiot Acosta – Biden Variant is the exact name forr thi virus He allows alot of covid positive illegal immigrant at the borders.
Frank,
I’ve become disheartened in the enlightened discussion promised by this site. The slurs and bigotry get old quick. The mods seem to endorse this type of speech. Well except , saying J*ngle B*nny. Evidently, Larry draws the line at that.
But the comments here are truly is a microcosm of trump’s Republican Party. I’m not sure if he was the end product of such discourse, or the cause of it. Regardless , this is the result.
Wow, Mr Moral Outrage speaks. Gosh, I seem to remember you boldly saying “F*** you, Republicans” on a different feed.
So, I’m not really sure you’ve earned the right to lecture anyone.
Dick,
“When in Rome…”
I didn’t realize you were such a snowflake.
Sorry Dick, I must have forgotten to take my medicine that day.. it happens
LOL! It’s more like a micro-microcosm!
Fun Fact; 1out of every 5 COVID hospitalizations Nation wide are in Florida.
COVID stats are being overblown by commie liberal pricks.
More Florida sad facts. I would love to joke but Desantis is just not funny. From AARP’s database:
Florida LTC staff vaccination rate: 45%. NY:65%, NJ: 69%
Florida % of LTC facilities with 75% staff vax: 5%. NY: 25%, NJH: 35%
Florida %/100 LTC facility death rate: .02 NY:.01, NJ:.01
Florida %/100 LTC case rate: .74, NY:.04, NJ:.05
Yup, Desantis has done a bang up job protecting Long Term Care residents while lambasting New York and New Jersey’s record. He’s basically rejecting the need for masking, vaccinations, through weakly supporting vaccines, but stressing the personal choice aspect which is paying off in the highest case rates and deaths in this Delta surge.
Fact is Florida could be suffering a minor fraction of the hell his leadership has led Floridians to. Especially the less mobile older generation that Florida used to cater to. Not sure they are the best bet now.