MSNBC's Joy Reid slammed for bizarre rant on Republican 'love' for the coronavirus: 'COVID-loving death cult'

MSNBC host Joy Reid became the focus of intense criticism Wednesday over a bizarre rant that Republicans loved the coronavirus, wanted it pumping through their veins, and they were a "creepy little COVID-loving death cult."

"OK, we get it! COVID is the precious and you love it. You love COVID so much you want it to spread into schools, at the office, in the Walmart, on the cruise ships and in the club," Reid said. "That great spongy ball with the red spikes, you want it pumping through your veins with an Ivermectin chaser. Why do you love it do dadgum so much? We have absolutely no bloody idea." 

"But here's the thing you weirdos … everyone else hates COVID!" she added, before listing instances of hospitals being overwhelmed with coronavirus patients and people who died from the virus.

"So yeah, the rest of us hate that this is happening. Even the Pope. The Pope hates COVID too, and he loves everybody. He also says get vaccinated," Reid said. "Yet, you, you Republicans seem to be A-OK with COVID running wild. And then you came for California. Trying to boot a Democratic governor from a blue state and hand it over to the COVID candidate."

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Reid played a video clip of former Republican California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder discussing the coronavirus in an interview with CNN; Elder told the network he opposes vaccines and masks for "young people."

"If misinformation could kill. It all helps to explain why Governor Gavin Newsom beat the recall effort and by a lot," Reid said. "Republicans, your thirst for COVID is why you lost. Nobody likes your policies that threaten our safety and our kids."

"You may want COVID. You may want to ingest horse de-wormer and attend far too many funerals, but we, we don’t," she added. "[California] is perhaps the first real tangible proof that your creepy little COVID-loving death cult ways are not going to work for you at the ballot box next year. In fact it’s political suicide, and also apparently talk radio suicide because your brilliant little COVID plan is killing your right-wing hosts."

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Reid was blasted on social media following the rant, with critics saying she was doing "significantly more harm than good," and that she was a "terrible person." One even suggested that she had a "mental problem" and needed to be committed to a hospital.

Reid also recently came under fire over a spat with celebrity singer Nicki Minaj, in which she scolded the star for her vaccine hesitancy. Reid later acknowledged her own vaccine hesitancy while former President Donald Trump was still in office. 

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The far-left host, who has repeatedly dispelled conspiracy theories and made racially disparaging remarks, took criticism earlier this year when she said she wore two masks outdoors in spite of being fully vaccinated.