Fox News’ Brit Hume defended comments from Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick Tuesday night, saying it is “entirely reasonable” that elderly Americans could be fine with dying amid the coronavirus outbreak to save the U.S. economy.
“The utter collapse of the country’s economy — which many think will happen if this goes on much longer — is an intolerable result,” the 76-year-old told primetime host Tucker Carlson. “[Patrick] is saying, for his own part, that he would be willing to take a risk of getting the disease if that’s what it took to allow the economy to move forward. He said that because he is late in life, that he would be perhaps more willing than he might have been at a younger age, which seems to me to be an entirely reasonable viewpoint.”
Patrick sent shockwaves through viewers Monday night when the 63-year-old said on Carlson’s program, “No one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in.”
Patrick explained he wants the country to “get back to work” and spoke for older Americans: “We’ll take care of ourselves.”
On Tuesday, Carlson asked Hume what about that idea “enrages” people. Hume said he couldn’t read minds, but had a theory the reaction had something to do with President Donald Trump and partisanship.
“We are living in a country in which people’s reactions to nearly everything have something to do, when you drill down, with how they feel about Donald Trump and to the extent that what the lieutenant governor said on your air last night is similar to the overall message to what Donald Trump has been saying, I think some of the reaction to it may flow from that,” he suggested.
Earlier Monday, Trump expressed his desire to have Americans back to work by Easter, which falls on April 12.
Last night Dan Patrick said grandparents would be willing to die to save the economy. Tonight Brit Hume said its "an entirely reasonable viewpoint" pic.twitter.com/pArEpeXpsu
20 Movies With Extremely Happy Endings to Make You Forget All About the Pandemic (Photos)
Hey, uh, are you all OK? Because we know it's not a relaxing time, what with the ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic and everything being locked down. But if we're gonna make it through... however long of isolating at home with our sanity intact, we need to stay positive. And we have just the thing for that! Just watch one of these movies with extremely happy endings, every single one guaranteed to leave you feeling so upbeat and genuinely awesome that you'll forget all about covid-19. Coronavirus, schmoronavirus, we say!
"Back to the Future" (1985): Marty fixes his life and his parents' lives with time travel. Then we get a SUPER DOPE sequel hook. And then comes Huey Lewis and the News at their artistic and commercial peak to make you feel so good you won't care about a statewide lockdown.
"Chef" (2014): This is a great movie if you want to remember the Before Times, when we could still leave our houses and eat street food. You also get a dance party in the closing credits. Take that, end times anxiety.
"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" (2009): Tim FINALLY shows real affection for his son and then Flint and Sam kiss. No, I'm not coughing I'm crying.
"Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" (1993): Wait, the two dogs and their kitty friend make it home alive and Chance learns to love his family? Shut up! I'm not crying; you're crying. I SAID SHUT UP! I AM NOT CRYING!
"Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again!" (2018): It's already one of the greatest movie musicals of all time before the ending turns into a totally insane sing along to Abba's "Super Trouper" featuring the older characters dancing with their younger selves, the ghost of Meryl Streep, and CHER!!!!
"Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" (2016): The criminally underappreciated masterpiece from The Lonely Island is nonstop hilarious, and then Michael Bolton shows up at the end to sing "Incredible Thoughts." Also, the picture here is the world's cutest kitten just hugging a dog, which you'd know if your brain was a genius.
"Shazam!" (2019): By far the best movie not called "Superman: The Movie" to be based on a DC Comic. If you didn't yell "Hell Yes" and embarrass yourself in the theater when the thing depicted in the image above happened, you need a hug.
"Sing Street" (2016): Awesome songs, a great coming-of-age story, then we end with a truly cathartic bittersweet moment of hope for the future and the successful pursuit of one's dreams. For instance, I dream of being able to leave the house again.
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" (2018): This is a pretty good kiss, too.
"Trolls" (2016): When Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick sing "Can't Stop the Feeling" to turn the Bergens into happy dancing party people your mood will be dramatically improved, and I know because in November 2016 I saw this three times in the theater because, for some reason, I needed cheering up.
"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971): "Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted." "What's that?" "He lived happily ever after." Just like we will once this whole thing is over.
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Self-quarantine more like self-quarantastic
Hey, uh, are you all OK? Because we know it's not a relaxing time, what with the ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic and everything being locked down. But if we're gonna make it through... however long of isolating at home with our sanity intact, we need to stay positive. And we have just the thing for that! Just watch one of these movies with extremely happy endings, every single one guaranteed to leave you feeling so upbeat and genuinely awesome that you'll forget all about covid-19. Coronavirus, schmoronavirus, we say!
