Fauci blames 'ideological rigidity' for political divide in vaccination debate: 'I just don't get it'

Dr. Anthony Fauci has blamed "ideological rigidity" as a deterrent to vaccination efforts in the face of the rising threat of more virulent COVID-19 variants. 

Fauci has blamed politics for deterring an otherwise successful vaccination effort, with the majority of U.S. states and territories having administered at or above 75% of their first vaccine doses, according to the CDC.  "I mean, it’s ideological rigidity," Fauci said on CNN’s "State of the Union." "I think there's no reason not to get vaccinated. Why are we having red states and places in the South that are very highly ideological in one way, not wanting to get vaccinations - vaccinations have nothing to do with politics."