AP’s Lemire: Even If Trump Were To Come Out and Say Everyone Needs to Get Vaccinated, ‘I Question How Much That Will Help’

EXCERPT:

LEMIRE: "And then since then, we have heard from him on occasion mention that you need to use the vaccine, but it's never been a full-throated thing. Yes, he now says people should get the vaccine, it's a great vaccine, but he still talks about the vaccine in a way like, 'Hey, I’m not getting enough credit for this.' He’s still viewing everything through a political lens. And let's remember, this is one of the fundamental dynamics with Donald Trump. He never wants to alienate even the fringe portions of his supporters, he never wants to cast aside anyone who likes him, and that could be white nationalists, that could be Proud Boys, and in this case, that could be anti-vaxxers. People around him have said that he doesn’t want to be out there really challenging them because he doesn’t want to lose their support. And frankly, their opposition to the vaccine are so hardened right now, people have made it a part of their identity, that even if Trump were to come out there and say, 'Hey, everyone needs to do this,' I question how much that would actually even help."