Tony Fauci is in this to win the fight against Covid-19, perhaps the last and toughest in his illustrious career. He has headed NIAID for over 30 years, leading its efforts against HIV, H1N1, SARS, Ebola, and more. He’s a brilliant scientist and a dedicated public servant, who has turned down offers for higher-profile jobs because he is committed to this one.
But this fight is much harder, not because of the corona virus itself, but because he has to walk the tightrope of dealing with the malignant narcissist in the White House. He has done this as skillfully as possible. He stands up in public and tells us the truth about the disease and where we stand now and what we need to do to fight it. He is probably unique in having credibility not only with the scientific world, and with those of us who look to science for answers about the pandemic, but also with Trump and his supporters, who will listen to almost no one in the scientific community.
His ability to maintain wide public credibility is critical to our public health efforts to get people to take Covid-19 seriously, follow guidelines, and put up with the changes in our lives. It’s not enough for liberals to do this; we need the entire country to buy in. He has kept this credibility even though his statements have often contradicted Trump, and without the sycophantic behavior of some people on the same stage. He fought to be “allowed” to make independent public statements. I can only imagine the self-discipline it takes to walk this tightrope every day.
At the same time that Tony is the face of science and accurate information for the country, he is still leading NIAID and coordinating efforts inside the institute and with leading researchers around the country and the world on development of vaccines and effective treatments. I had the privilege of working on HIV trials at Harvard when he was leading that effort. I saw his incredible energy and intelligence in action, and his ability to work effectively with scientists, politicians, and the activist community. But he’s 30 years older now, and his position requires not just fighting the disease but keeping a massive egotist in check without looking like he is doing that.
Some of our happy band here have criticized Fauci for standing on that platform with Trump. I’d like, instead, to offer him a huge thank-you for the incredible job he is doing. He is truly the indispensable person right now, and even the Trumpists seem to know it. Even if Trump thinks himself the center of the universe. Thanks, Tony, and be safe!