Senator Rand Paul tripped himself up in arguing with Anthony Fauci — a lesson for debaters

© 2021 Peter Free

 

21 July 2021

 

 

What follows is a lesson for debaters

 

Some arguments have potentially meaningful outcomes.

 

Don't make the mistake that Senator Paul did in arguing with Anthony Fauci.

 

 

Darn, Senator — you had him cold — and then you overstepped

 

Y'all know that I hold Anthony Fauci in professional contempt.

 

However, it seems to me that Dr. Fauci came off in the theatrically stronger position, during a portion of a Senate hearing involving Senator Rand Paul.

 

Point to the Weasel.

 

 

For the substance of what went on . . .

 

. . . see:

 

 

Forbes Breaking News, Fiery Clash between Rand Paul and Dr. Fauci, Each Accuses the Other of Lying, YouTube (20 July 2021) (6:12 minutes in duration)

 

 

The essence of this Senate-hosted dispute revolved around . . .

 

. . . whether NIH had funded "gain of function" research at the Wuhan biolab in China, prior to the COVID pandemic.

 

The question is relevant because some folks think that the Chinese lab accidently released the (probably humanly modified) bat virus that caused the epidemic.

 

 

First, regarding the gain of function issue

 

Senator Paul started by reading a quasi-scientific paper that purportedly describes the NIH-funded gain of function research at the Wuhan lab.

 

Paul stated that his intent was to offer Fauci a chance to retract Fauci's May (2021) testimony — for fear of having perjured himself — that NIH never funded gain of function research at the Chinese laboratory.

 

Fauci, visibly riled — most probably due to fear that NIH's poor funding judgment will be publicly uncovered — absurdly argued back that what Paul has just read is not a gain of function endeavor, when it clearly is. At least so, to those of us with the biological and medical backgrounds necessary to understand the issue.

 

 

But sadly . . .

 

. . . while pressing the obstinate Fauci to confess, Paul foolishly overstepped.

 

Senator Paul polluted his question about gain of function funding by pointing to 4 million COVID deaths. (See the video at 4:08 minutes.)

 

Fauci immediately picked up on this debate error. There is, after all, a big difference between funding gain of function research and killing off 4 million people.

 

In rebuttal, Fauci unequivocally stated that the allegedly modified virus (that Paul is referring to) is not one that caused the pandemic.

 

 

How Fauci would know this beats me — unless Fauci was present during all aspects of the NIH-funded gain of function research at Wuhan.

 

 

In short — with regard to smart debate strategy

 

Senator Paul stomped all over his own statement that all he is trying to do is to get a gain of function admission by going on to implicitly blame NIH and Fauci for something much larger. Meaning infecting the entire planet with SARS-CoV-2 — an implied claim that I doubt anyone could ever prove.

 

 

Fauci pounced upon Paul's error with theatrically displayed acumen

 

Dr. Fauci's heated rebuttal consisted of:

 

 

And you are implying that what we did was responsible for the deaths of individuals.

 

I totally resent that.

 

And if anybody is lying here, it is you!

 

 

Fauci concluded his display of outrage by dramatically flourishing a pointed finger toward Senator Paul. A triumphant (and grandstanding) villain in a Shakespearean play could not have done better.

 

Anthony Fauci almost certainly won the day in undecided viewers' minds.

 

 

The moral? — Senator Paul lost the 'debate' by emotionally — and unnecessarily — overstepping his presented evidence

 

It was a rookie error.

 

Probably the result of an MD (Paul) coming to an argument that a JD (attorney) should have been conducting.

 

If one introduces significant emotion into public argument, one should only do so in support of an already (or about to be) proven and believable point.

 

Sly Anthony waltzes on — to twist public perceptions yet another day.