Right-wing blogs
Conservative news outlets practically stumbled over themselves to be the first to forward credulous rumors about the flight delays.
Tinfoil hat-wearing blog the Federalist, in a post titled, “Coercing Employees On Vaccines Isn’t Helping Southwest Get Its Grounded Planes In The Air,” speculated that employees planning to not comply with the vaccine mandate were trying to burn through their sick leave before being fired. It cited a “corporate employee.” PJ Media, a site with a long history of airing bullshit claims about everything from imminent attempts to impose sharia law to rigged Google search results on Trump, passed on other unfounded social media rumors and suggested Southwest was suppressing the truth because “the obedient puppies are hoping to get a treat from Master Joe, no doubt.” Other right-wing media chop shops that reassured readers Southwest was dealing with vaccine fallout included Red State, which claimed theory was “confirmed.”
As anyone even vaguely aware of the situation could tell you, it was not.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated Todd Starnes was “fired.” Starnes says his contract was simply not renewed. We regret the error.
