In a single sentence, far-right election denier Kari Lake managed to contradict herself during an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Wednesday.
The Donald Trump-backed Republican nominee for Arizona governor claimed voters were flocking to her because they “want someone who’s going to protect their kids from these new forced shots that the CDC is recommending in order for our children to be able to go to school.”
Critics on Twitter noted the inconsistency of Lake calling the shots “forced” in almost the same breath as saying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was only “recommending” them.
Watch the video here:
In fact, The Associated Press last month debunked false claims that the vaccine would be required for schoolchildren after a CDC advisory committee voted to add the shots to its recommended immunization schedules.
The decision actually falls to the states, not the CDC, and in Arizona’s case, the outgoing Gov. Doug Ducey (R) in May signed a bill to stop the COVID-19 vaccine from being mandated for children in the state.
Lake has campaigned on an anti-mandate message for COVID-19 vaccines and mask-wearing and previously drawn backlash for sharing debunked information about the pandemic on social media.
Watch Lake’s vaccine comments from the 7-minute mark here: