Outlier outs liars.
Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera put himself at odds with colleagues at the increasingly unhinged media outlet that promotes vaccine hesitancy amid an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 Americans.
“Nothing is more contemptible than vaccinated commentators urging their unvaccinated followers to fight (and die) for their freedom,” Rivera tweeted Tuesday night. “It’s like the punk — safe on the street — urging the guy in the ledge to jump.”
The tweet reportedly echoed sentiments Rivera expressed on the network Tuesday night.
Fox pundits — and other right-wing entertainers — frequently push the notion that vaccine mandates are an intrusion of personal freedom, though more than 90% of Fox staffers have been vaccinated and daily testing is required for those who are not, according to an internal memo obtained by The Guardian. The network also uses its sizable platform to push unproven COVID remedies.
While he didn’t name names, Rivera, a broadcaster with more than 50 years’ experience, is known to take exception to positions adopted by his co-workers.
Most recently, he heeded Republican Sen. Adam Kinzinger’s call for people at Fox News to challenge host Tucker Carlson’s unfounded suggestion that right-wing extremists were victims rather than instigators of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the nation’s Capitol.
In May, he clashed with Fox News personality Dan Bongino, whom Rivera called a “punk” during a very spirited debate over violence in the Middle East.
Following the 2020 election, Rivera urged former President Donald Trump to accept the will of the majority, which was unpopular with many Fox News viewers and challenged by some of the network’s hosts.
His Tuesday tweet regarding vaccines were met with both praise and criticism by Fox fans — as were several other surprising social media posts from the 78-year-old Brooklyn native that ensued.
On Wednesday morning, he expressed “respect and encouragement” for GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, who is on the congressional committee to investigate the events of Jan. 6. Rivera noted that he didn’t necessarily agree with some of her committee’s ideas.
Rivera also expressed support for left-wing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who is frequently targeted by Fox News pundits.
“Why does #AOC freak out so many powerful people?” Rivera tweeted around midnight. “Her thoughtful views, eloquently expressed, represent those of many in my extended family. The more you hate on her, the more I like her.”
He further suggested that MSNBC host Brian Williams, who announced Tuesday he was leaving that left-leaning network, should join him at Fox News.
One Twitter user wrote at one point, “I think Geraldo’s Twitter account has been hacked.”
Whether Fox News viewers love or hate the mustached provocateur, it seems he’s going to be around for a while. It was announced in September that Rivera had signed a multiyear deal to stay with the network he’s called home for 20 years.
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