Fox News has picked up the story on the truckers convoy. Kieran Levitt writes in The Toronto Star:
The convoy has received substantial air time from U.S. right-wing outlets and big-name American political commentators on social media all week.
Some American media experts say the story fits a perfect mould for an audience in the United States that has been fed an anti-vaccine narrative for months by outlets such as Fox News looking to make Biden look bad and, in turn, Donald Trump look good.
In short: vaccines, restrictions and Biden — bad. Trump and “freedom” — good.
The website of Fox News’ Sean Hannity blasted out a story this week with the headline “TRUCK YEAH: Canada Forms Freedom Convoy of 10K Trucks to Protest Vax Mandates, ‘Overreach is Over.’”
Of course, the story is full of exaggerations:
The convoy, by official measurements, is a fraction of that 10,000-trucks figure that’s been floating around online (some have even suggested the number is as high as 50,000). Officials in Ottawa — where the protesters began to arrive Friday — have pegged it as being between 1,000 and 2,000 vehicles.
Police in Kingston, Ont., said Friday that the convoy leaving that city had 17 full tractor-trailers, 104 tractors without trailers, 424 passenger vehicles and six RVs. Another large convoy is expected to arrive from Western Canada by Saturday.
American podcaster Joe Rogan commented on the convoy, saying Canada was a “country in revolt” on a recent show. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, declared that “Canadian truckers rule” on Twitter. Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro has been posting articles on his Facebook page all week about the convoy.
“Canadian truckers are rightfully demonstrating against authoritarian vaccine mandates,” Shapiro said Tuesday.
There's a big piece of the story that isn't reported: "The Canadian Trucking Alliance has denounced the protest, stressing that almost 90 per cent of Canadian truckers have already been vaccinated. Still, the group says about 16,000 could be sidelined due to the vaccine mandate here and the corresponding one for truckers in the United States.)"
But these days, on the right, facts don't matter.
Morons.
Image: The Toronto Star
12 comments:
So the 10,000 trucks being reported by Faux News turns out to be 17 tractor-trailers and 104 total idiots putting everyone's safety at risk by bobtailing through snowy conditions? Looks like only the lunatic fringe turned up. It's sad that O'Toole thinks he has anything to gain by talking to these wackos.
Cap
It tells you something about O'Toole's judgment, Cap.
Still, the group says about 16,000 could be sidelined due to the vaccine mandate here and the corresponding one for truckers in the United States.)"
If you cannot cross into the USA without a vaccination it is pretty hard to cross back. Duh.
Given our overall vaccination rates in Canada I suspect the "Trucker Convoy" with its weird ad possibly dangerous hangers-on has a lot more support in the USA than here. I am sure Ottawans are not pleased. Most demos are just an annoyance but something that snarls up traffic and affects Saturday shoppig and rec is serious.
It's both fun and sad at the same time to watch O'Toole take the plank off the edge of the Thelma and Louise cliff of what's left of his political career. He may prove to be even more toxic to prestigious law firms or cushy board/lobbyist jobs. He always latches on to the wing nut du jour thinking it's gaining. him points, meanwhile Bernier has already claimed that space. Just like trump though, they exaggerate their turnout numbers by several zeros and it gets reported that masses, thousands protest the vaccine mandate! Meanwhile the whole thing is denounced by the Canadian Truckers Association. As for Erin O'Toole, better shut up while he's ahead and go quietly into the night. Let Sheer be the idiot. BC Waterboy.
From what I see and hear, jrk, nobody in Ottawa will be cheering when they arrive.
I can't seem to bring it up, Ben. Am I missing something?
I agree, waterboy. For O'Toole, it's one misstep after another.
I come up with something called The Collection of Opinion, but I can't go anywhere after that, Ben.
https://burdmedia.xyz/2022/01/26/those-silly-truckers/ ......copy and paste for the post. The previous link contained a command that blogger doesn't like.
Many of those Truckers that have been Vaccinated have attended anyways. You don't need to be an anti Vaxxer to oppose Vaccine Mandates. I've have 2 shots and will get a third when the plant based vaccine comes out, and I still oppose the Vaccine mandates.
You and I disagree, Gyor -- but I commend your decision to be vaccinated.
"So to sum up I totally disagree with the sentiments of the protest and believe that it is a minority of the hundreds of thousands truckers on the road. The majority of truckers I know would not be driving in that Convoy."
I agree, Ben.
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