In just a few short weeks, Newt Gingrich has gone from downplaying the coronavirus threat to urging swift action to stop the spread of the infection. Yet he’s also blaming his own shifting attitude on “a totally dishonest left wing news media.” The former House speaker tweeted:A reporter asked me today why conservatives were initially so skeptical of the threat of the coronavirus. I tried to explain that one of the dangerous consequences of having a totally dishonest left wing news media was that most Americans discounted their hysteria as phony. — Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) March 16, 2020In reality, the misinformation problem in coronavirus coverage came from Gingrich ― who spent much of February downplaying the threat ― and others in the right-wing media. Last week, he claimed it was being “exaggerated” and “lied about” in an attempt to make President Donald Trump look bad.

Source: Huffington Post March 17, 2020 09:50 UTC