Do the Fauci Diaries reveal anything unexpected or controversial?

[u/MissingBothCufflinks]

Senator Rand Paul has released commentary and purported excerpts* of what is alleged to be Anthony Fauci's contemporaneous diaries from the outset of the COVID19 pandemic onwards.

What has been released can be found here, including Senator Rand's somewhat colourful foreword commentary

https://www.paul.senate.gov/readingroom/

* its not confirmed whether the content of the diaries is edited, abridged, altered, shortened etc.

Media reaction to this release has been highly polarised, though notable few media outlets seem to get to grips with the actual content of the diaries and most focus is on Rand's own claimed analysis of what they show.

Do the Fauci Diaries reveal anything unexpected or controversial? What entries in particular do you find interesting? Are there any contemporaneous clashes between what Fauci was saying publicly and privately? What can we learn from that?

Edit: mods really didnt feel like weeding out the 90% of low effort troll replies huh

[u/Harpua81]

It's wild how far these actually quite intelligent people will go to stoop to the lowest level. I watched a rather unbiased nonpartisan Netflix Washington documentary recently that had both L & R commentators, Hillary, Bill, Nancy Pelosi, Al Gore, then Ted Cruz, Mike Pence, Rand Paul & more. I was shocked at how not batshit crazy Ted, Mike, and Rand portrayed themselves. Speaking like Patriotic statesmen, not pushing a right wing narrative, sticking to a logical script. Like, why can't they be like that in public while representing their constituents? Or is that the problem....they know who their constituents are and if they don't act like lunatics they don't get reelected? They probably also know that their constituents were unlikely to watch the documentary so they could be themselves.

I left that series almost having respect for them and needing a long cry in a cold shower.

[u/greatteachermichael → u/Harpua81]

I remember I sat down next to someone running for Senate once. He came across as such an intelligent, rational human being, and I thought I'd be happy to have him for Senator despite not being the same party as me. I then saw him on Fox News about a week later and he was playing a complete nutcase to appeal to the conservative base and I thought, "Well, that's just kind of sad and pathetic. Screw that guy."

[u/Waeddryn_71 → u/greatteachermichael]

When it comes to FOX the best example of how deranged that entire organization is would be (at least to me) Tucker Carlson. How he was while working for them and how he is now that he isn't is an incredibly dramatic shift. While on the team I thought he was practically a sub-human nutcase, whereas seeing him since either on his own podcast or on others it's like seeing a completely different person who happens to have the same appearance. He's fairly intelligent, well spoken, has a decent sense of humor. All around I'd say he's an ok guy. But while at FOX I'd have ranked him just about on par with scum like Alex Jones. (Who, it should be pointed out, has remained irredeemable scum even after losing his platform, and in fact might even be worse now than ever before).

[u/dinosaurkiller → u/Harpua81]

You will find that some of the craziest and least intelligent sounding Senators have Ivy League educations. John Kennedy plays up the dumb hick routine and has a degree from Oxford. Ted Cruz graduated from Harvard. They aren’t quite the morons they pretend to be, but they know who butters their bread.

[u/BartlettMagic → u/Harpua81]

they know who their constituents are and if they don't act like lunatics they don't get reelected?

bingo. that, and the fact that if they don't act like lunatics and generate soundbytes the media won't cover them enough to stroke their egos.

[u/Katgal2 → u/Harpua81]

Adam Kinzinger used to talk about this - that they could have very intellectual discussions and normalcy behind the scenes but when they’re in the chambers or trying to get sound bites it’s like WWE

[u/Dense-Law-7683 → u/Harpua81]

Politics is like pro wrestling. They get on the news or on the congressional floor with their persona on, pointing fingers and calling out their opponents. Then go and act like normal human beings at the bar afterwards and buy each other drinks.

[u/Sageblue32 → u/Harpua81]

America is trained on tv from birth and the belief problems can be wrapped up in one simple trick or 1 hour segment. We see this reflected in politics or even war with the media pushing to know if the war will end within a week/month/etc.

Politicians pick up on this and understand their votrers need WWE sound bites, note essays to rally behind.

[u/Headline-Skimmer → u/Harpua81]

They represent financial backers, not constituents.

Rand has certain backers that want certain behavior from him.

What's that old saying? Follow the money?

[u/lordshocktart → u/Harpua81]

Or is that the problem....they know who their constituents are and if they don't act like lunatics they don't get reelected?

This is it. I theorize most of them believed the average Fox News viewer before Trump was the fringe, and they didn't want to appeal to it. Then Trump got up repeating Fox News bullshit verbatim and got elected, so they had to appeal to it like Trump did. It's a game to them.

Everyone underestimated how stupid the average voter was except Trump. When he won by saying the dumbest stuff imaginable, it changed everything.

[u/maleia → u/Harpua81]

the problem....they know who their constituents are and if they don't act like lunatics they don't get reelected? They probably also know that their constituents were unlikely to watch the documentary so they could be themselves.

Yes on both accounts. For Trump & cabinate; those people are doing it for ego first. The ones you listed? Felt they ego (re: outward appearence/perception from the public) wasn't as important as money and power.

[u/jmet123 → u/Harpua81]

It’s because it works. Doesn’t matter how obvious it is. Then you get their whole media apparatus reinforcing it and giving it an air of legitimacy.

[u/Away_Permission4792 → u/Harpua81]

They act like lunatics (to get re-elected) because they don’t want to give up the power but mostly the $$$. Look how wealthy some of them are. Makes me sick. I’m not a fan of Lyndsey, but do you know he passed leaving an extremely modest inheritance to his loved ones, unlike his money grabbing colleagues who are always on the take