Dr Fauci quotes The Godfather after Trump branded him ‘an idiot’ in blistering attack
DR ANTHONY Fauci quoted The Godfather on Monday after President Donald Trump branded him as “an idiot” in a blistering attack.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, reproduced the famed movie lines in an interview with AM radio station KNX1070.
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The coronavirus expert dubbed the Trump’s recent comments as a “distraction” and revealed he didn’t want to get tangled in a “me against the president.”
He told the Southern California radio station: “I would prefer not to comment on that and just get on with what we are really trying to do and what we are trying to do is to protect the health and welfare and safety of the American people predominantly, and ultimately, of the world.
“We are seeing an uptick in cases… higher than they’ve ever been.
“Many, many states that had been doing reasonably well are now showing upticks, that’s what we should be concentrating on.”
Before quoting The GodFather, Fauci insisted that talking about coronavirus issues is “the only things he really cares about.”
Fauci then stated: “That other stuff, it’s like in ‘The Godfather’: Nothing personal, strictly business as far as I’m concerned.
“I just want to do my job and take care of the people of this country.”
The famous line was said by the fictional character Michael Corleone in the movie.
“It’s nothing personal, Sonny – it’s strictly business,” Corleone’s says in The GodFather.
Fauci’s interview came after Trump called him “an idiot” and said that people are “tired of hearing about Covid.”
The president made the comments during a call with his campaign staff on Monday morning that reporters got on.
“People are saying whatever. Just leave us alone,” Trump said, according to Politico.
“They’re tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots…”
Despite slamming the coronavirus expert, the president went on to say “Fauci is a nice guy” before saying “he’s been here for 500 years.”
During the call, Trump also insisted that if he had listened to Fauci’s advice there would be “700,000, 800,000 deaths.”
America has suffered at least 220,000 deaths from the coronavirus.
Trump also called Fauci a “disaster,” who is a “bomb” when he goes on TV, but a “bigger bomb if you fire him.”
“If there’s a reporter on, you can have it just the way I said it. I couldn’t care less,” the president said following the heated comments.
Shortly after the phone call, Trump took to Twitter to complain about the doctor.
“Dr.Tony Fauci says we don’t allow him to do television, and yet I saw him last night on @60Minutes, and he seems to get more airtime than anybody since the late, great, Bob Hope. All I ask of Tony is that he make better decisions. He said “no masks & let China in”. Also, Bad arm!
“…P.S. Tony should stop wearing the Washington Nationals’ Mask for two reasons. Number one, it is not up to the high standards that he should be exposing. Number two, it keeps reminding me that Tony threw out perhaps the worst first pitch in the history of Baseball!”
The president and the doctor have appeared to be feuding in recent weeks since Trump was diagnosed with Covid.
Speaking on Sunday night’s CBS “60 Minutes,” Fauci revealed his reaction to the moment he learned Trump was battling Covid.
Fauci admitted that he was “absolutely not surprised” by the diagnosis.
Fauci said “oh my goodness,” when he saw the lack of masks and social distancing during a “superspreader event” at the White House.
At least ten people in Trump’s inner circle became infected with coronavirus following the event, which was held to officially nominate his Supreme Court pick Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
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The doctor called the event “a completely precarious situation” and said he was “worried” that the president would become sick after seeing the event.
Now, 34 people in Trump’s orbit are known to have become infected since the event, according to a leaked FEMA tally.
The disease ravaged the White House in just a matter of days and rocked campaigning for the election on November 3.