Republican Georgia governor Brian Kemp may have fallen out of favor with Donald Trump, but they seem to agree on at least one thing: There is a vaccine for AIDS. (To be clear: There is not.)
Last year, Trump praised “brilliant” American scientists and doctors for the AIDS vaccine… that doesn’t exist. Now Kemp is also talking about the vaccine, the one for AIDS… that doesn’t exist.
Defending his opposition to Covid-19 mask and vaccine mandates on a right-wing podcast, Kemp made a ridiculous comparison.
“We should focus on being civil and educating people about the [Covid vaccine] and not trying to bully them into taking it and work at it that way,” he told right-wing podcast host Erick Erickson.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“[The Covid vaccine] is basically how the AIDS vaccine worked. People wouldn’t take it early on because it was mandated, they started educating people and now it is doing a lot of good out there. Same scenario, different year that we are dealing with right now.”
Salon reports Kemp has used this argument before. “Well we are not going to have a statewide mask mandate,” he said previously. “[Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health Dr. Kathleen] Tumi and I believe that they do not work. They did not work with the AIDS vaccine and they’re not going to work with the corona vaccine.”
According to Kemp’s representatives, the governor meant to say HPV, not AIDS. Both times?! Even if that were true, there are no state-wide HPV vaccine mandates for all residents. A small handful of states require it for students.
Only 44% of Georgia residents are fully vaccinated against Covid.
Understandably, the comments drew criticism on Twitter. Here’s what folks are saying:
"That's basically how the AIDS vaccine works. People wouldn't take it early on cause it was mandated. They started educating people and now it's doing a lot of good out there."
— Brian Kemp. Today. pic.twitter.com/Nyn2GTuYfD
— Anthony Michael Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) September 17, 2021
Dear Voters of Georgia: There is no AIDS vaccine. But Brian Kemp is your governor. There is a vaccine against that: vote.
— UnclePeneaux (@2020TrumpVirus) September 19, 2021
Brian Kemp lies about AIDS vaccine mandates with the confidence of a Republican who knows the base will never trust fact-checkers.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) September 18, 2021
Brian Kemp doesn’t know that there ISNT an AIDS vaccine?
And he is the Governor of the state that the CDC (Center of Disease Control) is located? pic.twitter.com/n0sr1Dooqo
— Dr. Teddy (@Thunda_munk) September 18, 2021
Georgia’s very own, Brian Kemp, just claimed there was an “AIDS vaccine.” Georgia’s very own, Marjorie Taylor Greene, incited a deadly insurrection, and failed to disclose where she received $3.5 Million in fundraising. Both are failing Georgia. Vote her out. Vote him out.
— Uncovering The Truth (@UncvrngTheTruth) September 19, 2021
I wonder where people can get this magical AIDS vaccine Gov. Brian Kemp keeps mentioning. Is the genius scientist who discovered it a Mar-a-Lago resident? Asking for a friend….?#Truth2Voice
— ??Rowan Moon?? (@oXxRowanxXo) September 18, 2021
Over the last year, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has gotten away with mentioning the failed AIDS vaccine and the AIDS mandate, both which are non-existent, because… pic.twitter.com/MjUTWVGw0k
— ????? (@SmartyPants_USA) September 18, 2021
Good morning to everyone who knows there's NO AIDS vaccine. Yep, looking at your dumbass Brian Kemp.
— Amy Lynn?? (@AmyAThatcher) September 19, 2021
Brian Kemp says AIDS vaccine failed, because …. there was no AIDS vaccine.
— Paul van der Meer (@Paul_VanDerMeer) September 19, 2021
wikidBSTN
Even if there had been an AIDS vaccine, our community would not have hesitated to take it.
Cam
Republicans are liars and ignorant, no surprise here.
Max
Kemp is another Republican that seems to pull “facts” out of their own rear end.
Fahd
Considering that his political party relies on “alternative facts” to usurp and maintain power, he probably has been conditioned to just say what sounds good to him at the moment without regard to whether what he is saying is factually accurate or not. It’s not just a Trump thing, it’s a Republican thing.
Kangol2
This moron Kemp barely slid into office the last time and it wasn’t on the basis of his brains. No surprise that he’s repeating claptrap his imbecilic cult leader Don the Con said, though! They and much of the GOP could use vaccines for racist, homophobic, misogynistic, fascist stupidity!
Mack
Typical lying Republican. I guess that’s the way they keep the ignorant Log Cabin kissing their asses. You know there a lie involved if it came from Donald’s mouth and Kemp is no better.
UlfRaynor
Wuh? How dare all of you suggest that a Republican politician doesn’t know his @ss from a hole in the ground. The nerve of some people.
Invader7
The idiotic undereducated low life cretins in the gop have their collective heads up each others asses !!! That’s why they’re so full of doo doo !!!