James Talarico previously described being white as a virus.
Posted by The Benny Show, Checked
- Sources
- 4 contradict1 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
The Benny ShowOct 28, 2026
Talarico did use virus metaphors about white people in a May 2020 post, writing that 'White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus' and that white Americans 'spread it.' However, the sources consistently say the virus he described was racism, not being white itself, so the claim's literal characterization departs from his quoted words.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
A guest makes this claim. Listeners heard it, so it counts against the post, and on the guest's own record.
What was said
… Well, guess what? Now he's wearing the flag, and he's, he's, he's not he's not big, and he's, he's eating barbecue. Another example: he, he, he was talking about how being white was a virus. You know, we have a virus, and it's and he was criticizing it and saying it's a bad virus that we spread around. We can't help it. He, he feels bad that he's white. Well, now he says he, he was taken out of context. He didn't really mean that he was he's just against racism. Well, of course, we're all against racism, but that's not what he said. …
The Benny Show · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. The same sources describe the virus as racism ('killed by the virus of racism'; 'the virus within ourselves'), not whiteness; Washington Examiner says he 'described racism as a virus with which white people are infected.'[1][2][3][4]
Supports. Multiple sources quote a May 2020 Talarico post using virus language about white Americans, including 'White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus. But we spread it wherever we go.'[1][2][3][4][5]
Context. Talarico has said he would choose different words today and maintains his point was that racism is wrong, which the Times of India notes was a viral misreading that made it seem he meant an actual virus.[1][2]
Context. A WCBM article paraphrases him as having 'described whiteness as a virus,' but it pairs that paraphrase with the same quote about racism and white people spreading it, so it does not add independent detail beyond the 2020 post.[6]
Sources
6 sources: 5 not rated, 1 tier 2
- 1Talarico's Extremism & the Race That Shouldn't Be Closewashingtonexaminer.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports, context
- 2'White skin gives immunity...': Old post of James Talarico triggers row; MAGA calls him bigger evil than Jasmine Crockett - The Times of Indiatimesofindia.indiatimes.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports, context
- 3Bible-Thumping Democrat Says White People Spread ‘Virus Of Racism’ Just By Being Aliveijr.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 4Top 6 theological takes from Senate candidate James Talarico: 'Dumb and blasphemous'christianpost.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 5James Talarico says he ‘missed the mark’ on ‘cringey’ comments as Texas general election startsnbcnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 6James Talarico Is No Fan of Columbus Daywcbm.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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