President Biden on Wednesday welcomed Fox News anchors now changing their rhetoric on COVID-19 vaccinations, joking that the networks’ stars had “altar call.”
Mr. Biden, speaking at a CNN town hall event, said, “One of those other networks — they’re not a big fan of mine, one you talk about a lot — but if you notice as they say in the southern part of my state, they’ve had an altar call, some of those guys.”
An altar call is a religious tradition where those who wish to make a spiritual commitment come forward.
“All of a sudden they’re out there saying, ‘Let’s get vaccinated, let’s get vaccinated.’ The very people before this were saying — I shouldn’t make fun of it,” Mr. Biden continued. “That’s good. It’s good. You just have to keep telling your truth.”
Mr. Biden didn’t mention a specific Fox host, but his remarks came the same week Fox stars Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy pleaded with viewers to get vaccinated.
“If you have the chance, get the shot. It’ll save your life,” Mr. Doocy said on air.
However other Fox hosts, including Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, have questioned vaccine mandates while insisting people have the right not to get vaccinated.
A Fox News spokeswoman disputed Mr. Biden‘s claim that network personalities had an abrupt about-face on vaccinations.
In an email to The Washington Times, the spokeswoman noted the network began airing vaccine public service announcements in February and that Mr. Doocy and Mr. Hannity have made the case to get vaccines for months along with hosts and anchors posting “vaccine selfies” on social media.
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