Where Fauci Went Wrong: Five Big Missteps

Believe it or not, there was a time when Dr. Anthony Fauci was viewed as an American hero -- when he wasn't the subject of controversy and when the mere mention of his name didn't set off protracted debates.  It's hard to imagine such a time now. But, at the peak of his career (and especially during the AIDS crisis) Fauci was practically venerated.

Now, he's the target of accusations, vilification and broadening investigations. As he finally prepares to step down, he faces stormy news conferences and is still called before congressional committees and grilled for hours amidst increasing suspicions. What the hell happened to the "good doctor"? 

Here's are five big factors that contributed to the demise of Anthony Fauci and find him exiting with few accolades:

1) When to get off the stage.

There's an old rule in show business: always leave 'em clamoring for more, more, more! But Fauci simply hung around way, way too long. Maybe it was greed, maybe it was power, maybe it was the heady tonic of fame, maybe a combination of all these, but Fauci din't know when enough was ENOUGH! He simply wore out his welcome.

2) A cacophony of contradictions.

One of the first rules of public relations is this: stay on message! Fauci couldn't cut it. He contradicted himself endlessly -- sometimes more than once in the same sentence. And, in the super swift cyber era of instantaneous playbacks and info overload, Fauci couldn't escape his contradictions. They overwhelmed him.

3) The cloak of bureaucracy.

If you hang around bureaucrats long enough (even if you're a medical doctor) you become one. Fauci became comfortable enveloped in the cloak of bureaucracy. He oversaw an immense government agency himself and most certainly had a plethora of assistants (and assistants to assistants) ministering to him. He lost his mojo and probably relied too much on others to do everything for him.

4) Globalism's gooey gulch.

Fauci forgot who he worked for -- America and the American people. It's cleat that he increasingly saw himself as a "citizen of the world" -- as someone with a global responsibility extending way beyond his core mission and his authority. Sadly, he became and internationalist.

5) The aristocracy of science.

Perhaps Plato was exaggerating when he proclaimed: "science is nothing but perception." Perhaps. But he certainly seemed to be on to something. Apparently, Fauci allowed himself to be completely seduced by the god of science and, at one point, as his ego soared to new heights, he actually decreed "I am science." But science is forever imperfect and Fauci would have done well to remember the words of Einstein who said that "character" rather than "intellect" is what makes "a great scientist."

Fauci's fall did not happen overnight.

It was a long time coming. And events certainly played a bit part in it. But much of the damage was caused by Fauci himself and largely for the reasons cited above. 

Arriverdverci, Antonio! Non lasciare che la porta ti colpisca mentre esci.