Will Trump followers listen to Trump on Covid vaccines?

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Donald Trump’s record of rhetoric on vaccines and autism is appalling. His summer rhetoric on booster shots is hardly any better.

But last week, the former president was surprisingly constructive on the issue of Covid-19 vaccinations. It began Sunday when Republicans admitted they had received a booster, adding that the vaccines “saved tens of millions of lives worldwide.” Soon after, when President Joe Biden noticed that vaccines were being developed during his predecessor’s administration, Trump expressed his satisfaction.

A few days later, as NBC News noted, Trump went even further.

Former President Donald Trump praised the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines in a new interview just days after the audience booed over the disclosure that he had received a Covid booster shot.

“The vaccine is one of humanity’s greatest achievements,” Trump told conservative commentator Candace Owens in an interview Wednesday. When the host started to push back a bit, the former president quickly added, “Oh, vaccines work. Those who get seriously ill and are hospitalized are the ones who don’t get vaccinated …. If you get vaccinated, you are protected. . “

He added, “I had one vaccine, with three vaccines all being very, very good,” he said in the interview, referring to Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

There is definitely room for conversation about Republican motives. Trump has expressed disapproval of vaccines unrelated to Covid because he did not develop them. He questioned the use of the masks, as he also could not receive credit for them. But to the former president’s concern, the three main Covid-19 vaccines are his.

He may not have been directly involved in their development – that credit clearly belongs to the scientists – but for Trump, the scientific breakthrough happened on his watch, so the surviving vaccines are an extension of his impressive -hangang.

But even more interesting is the former president’s search for self-praise the likely impact of his rhetoric. Republican pollster Frank Luntz said last week, “It’s significant. Trump’s telling people to get the vaccine now will have a better, bigger impact than anyone, because Republicans aren’t vaccinated.”

At face value, that pretty much makes sense. There is ample evidence that republican voters are among the least likely to do the responsible thing; both voters tend to have similar-religious respect for the former president; so it makes sense that Trump’s rhetoric could have beneficial effects as we try to end the pandemic.

But just below the surface, there is reason for some skepticism about whether Trump followers will follow his advice and roll up their sleeves.

Let’s not forget that recent Republican rhetoric on Covid vaccines is not entirely new. In early March, as public access to vaccines became more common, Trump appeared at a far-right gathering and said, “So everyone, get your shot.”

Nearly a week later, the Republican released a related statement that turns out to be, and annoyingly cynical, but nonetheless pro-vaccine: Trump called the shots “good” and suggested that “everyone” would accept them.

Many of his supporters were ignored. In the months that followed, Trump was even booed by his own supporters when he announced free, safe, and effective miracle vaccines.

Alex Jones told his listeners that the former president’s rhetoric on vaccines was “nothing but a raft of dirty lies.” Other prominent voices from Trump World reacted in a similar way.

From a public health perspective, the expectations are rooted in a dubious assumption: Trump’s followers will take direction from Trump, even if they don’t agree with him. The more the Republican celebrates vaccines – for whatever reason – the more likely his devotees will do something smart.

But what’s often missing is the fact that Trump’s acolytes adore him, as long as he says what they want to hear – and at this point in the pandemic, they don’t want to hear the truth about vaccines. The Republican has a gift for exploiting the instincts and habits of the GOP base, but that doesn’t mean he has the power to change the minds of those voters.

He does not lead his supporters, as he reflects their id.

As Philip Bump said last week, what we are seeing is a conflict between Trump and Trumpism, and the latter has won.

Steve Benen is a producer for “The Rachel Maddow Show,” the editor of MaddowBlog and an MSNBC political contributor. He is also the best-selling author of “The Impostor: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics.”

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