That 60 Minutes Story on Ron DeSantis and Florida's Vaccine Rollout Is Wildly Flawed

Reason ^ | 4.5.2021 1:10 PM | ROBBY SOAVE

[RandFan]

A 60 Minutes story on Florida's vaccine rollout accused Ron DeSantis, the state's Republican governor, of making a corrupt deal with Publix to distribute the vaccine. CBS reporter Sharyn Alfonsi noted that the grocery chain donated $100,000 to DeSantis' election campaign and suggested the lucrative vaccination contract was a "pay-to-play" scheme.

It's an accusation that doesn't really stand up to scrutiny: For one thing, Publix—like many large corporations—gives money to both Republicans and Democrats. But more importantly, the decision to have Publix coordinate vaccination was not even made by the governor's office. According to Jared Moskowitz, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, it was his offices that recommended Publix. Moskowitz, a Democrat, has said that Publix was the best store for the job, since it has more than 800 locations across the state.

Indeed, when Alfonsi cornered DeSantis at a press conference and asked him about Publix, he gave a lengthy explanation that largely undercut her claims. He pointed out, for instance, that it wasn't true that Publix got the vaccines first: CVS and Walgreens had already been contracted to coordinate vaccination for long-term care facilities

[rrrod]

This forced me to call local stations and remind them they are scum.

[1Old Pro]

This forced me to call local stations and remind them they are scum.

More of us need to do this.

[Kid Shelleen]

The other episode on 60 Minutes last night was also a major propaganda piece for the left.

Darren Walker: How the head of the Ford Foundation wants to change philanthropy

[bert]

No, it is not flawed, wildly or tame.

Since the story is pure propaganda, flaw consideration doesn’t count

[bgill]

60 Minutes is still on? I quit watching it back in the 70s.

[Republican Wildcat]

Pathetic, as usual, for the press.

DeSantis has organized one of the best and most effective rollouts of the vaccine of any State. But since he’s a Republican governing with common sense and successfully ending the pandemic and serving as a model for the nation, they have to turn it into a scandal.

Disgusting.

Publix is one of the largest grocers in Florida. It would make absolute sense organizationally for them to be a the forefront of the vaccine program.

The media gets more detestable every single day.