{"id":59292,"date":"2021-04-06T16:35:59","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T20:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=59292"},"modified":"2021-04-06T16:35:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T20:35:59","slug":"60-minutes-willfully-deceives-the-whole-country-about-desantis-fl-vaccine-roll-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=59292","title":{"rendered":"60 Minutes Willfully Deceives the Whole Country About DeSantis’ FL Vaccine Roll-out"},"content":{"rendered":"

CBS goes dark on DeSantis, avoids mentioning ’60 Minutes’ report on morning, evening news programs<\/h1>\n

Program accused of selectively editing governor’s remarks to imply ‘pay for play’ scheme<\/h3>\n

By Joseph A. Wulfsohn | Fox News<\/p>\n

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CBS<\/a>\u00a0appears to be distancing itself from a\u00a0“60 Minutes<\/a>” report that has been widely criticized as a “hit piece” against\u00a0Florida<\/a>\u00a0Republican Gov.\u00a0Ron DeSantis<\/a> by members of both parties.<\/p>\n

The report, which aired Sunday, outlined an alleged “pay for play” scheme involving DeSantis accepting a $100,000 donation\u00a0his campaign from the grocery store chain Publix\u00a0in exchange for the right to distribute the\u00a0COVID<\/a>\u00a0vaccine as part of the state’s rollout.<\/p>\n

Critics blasted the report for\u00a0deceptive editing that omitted DeSantis’ explanation for the vaccine strategy, the omission of Publix’s donations to Democrats, and broadcasting misinformation that is\u00a0even being called out by Florida liberals.<\/p>\n

The next day, however, there was no mention of the “60 Minutes” report on “CBS This Morning” or the “CBS Evening News,” according to Grabien transcripts.<\/p>\n

A preview clip released Friday before the show’s airing showed a tense exchange between DeSantis and “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi over what the CBS reporter suggested was influence-peddling.<\/p>\n

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\"Florida<\/picture><\/div>\n
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at a Publix Super Market in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. (Bob Self\/The Florida Times-Union via AP)V\u00a0(AP)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“Publix, as you know, donated $100,000 to your campaign,” Alfonsi began in the clip. “And then you rewarded them with the exclusive rights to distribute the vaccination in Palm Beach –”<\/p>\n

“First, of all what you’re saying is wrong,” DeSantis interrupted.<\/p>\n

“How is that not pay for play?” Alfonsi then asked.<\/p>\n

“That’s a fake narrative,” DeSantis replied. “I met with the county mayor, I met with the administrator, I met with all the folks at Palm Beach County and I said, ‘Here’s some of the options: We can do more drive-thru sites, we can give more to hospitals, we can do the Publix.’ And they said, ‘We think that would be the easiest thing for our residents.”<\/p>\n

Alfonsi then narrated\u00a0that\u00a0Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay claimed DeSantis “never met with her about the Publix deal.”<\/p>\n

“The criticism here is that is pay for play, governor,” Alfonsi told DeSantis.<\/p>\n

“And it’s wrong, it’s wrong,” the governor shot back. “It’s a fake narrative. I just disabused you of the narrative. And you don’t care about the facts. Because, obviously, I laid it\u00a0out for you in a way that is irrefutable.”<\/p>\n

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