Yesterday, Gov. Mike DeWine, the Republican governor of Ohio tested positive for COVID-19. A subsequent test (after this article was initially written, and now edited) was negative, but that's moot to the point here -- the first test might have been false, or perhaps accurate but at the end of its incubation period. Or, for all we know, it might be the negative test that was false. At issue though is that he did, at one time, accurate or not, test positive. I wish him well, whatever the results, and whether or not he still feels he needs the 14-day quarantine he said he was imposing on himself, just to be certain and safe. I also hope that any people he's come in touch with in recent days are healthy, and that none of them get infected, by anyone.
Gov. DeWine announced this on Thursday in a thoughtful, responsible tweet. But here's the thing. The only reason the governor is even aware that he had initially tested positive for the coronavirus is because he was schedule to meet with Trump who was arriving in the state for a campaign event and fundraising. And all people who are to meet with Trump must be tested immediately beforehand, and they get their results right away. A few things here: Mainly, it's therefore pure luck that Gov. DeWine found out about the positive test. If he wasn't going to be meeting Trump, he wouldn't have been tested. And wouldn't have known that he was possibly infected. And would have continued on his way, potentially infected others -- perhaps many others. Now, I know that people can't get tested every day, let alone get results back almost immediately. But when you're governor of a state and, I assume, interacting with a great many people every day, it would seem that you should get tested every day, and get the results back almost immediately. Additionally, this is the second Republican official with the week who found out they had tested positive only because they were supposed to be meeting Trump. The other was Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) who was going to be flying back with Trump to his home state. And so he got tested. And found out he was positive for the coronavirus. And received his results almost immediately. Which leads us to perhaps the most notable point -- that Trump, who for five months (as the COVID-19 virus spread across the country and 162,804 Americans have died, and business had to be shut down and 55 million Americans have applied for unemployment) has disparaged testing, has relentlessly and bizarrely and idiotically tried to claim that testing is the reason for the high number of infections...and it is specifically because of testing that Trump has twice, in the past week, been saved from contact with a Republican official who had COVID-19 and likely would have infected Trump. Potentially, given his age and what appears to me his poor physical condition, saving Trump's life. Because of testing. And not only testing, but getting near-immediate results. And who knows how many other people have been kept from being in contact with Trump over the past five months because they were tested first and found to be positive with the coronavirus. Because of testing. Because...of...testing. And immediate results, not waiting two weeks to find out. Meanwhile, 5,028,791 Americans have been infected by COVID-19 -- that we know of, so far. And meanwhile, 162,728 Americans have died of the virus -- that we know of. So far. Because the lack of a serious national testing program is non-existent. On the other hand, yesterday Trump said, "A lot of people have thanked me for fixing showers so they have enough water." Really. He said this. It's not true, of course, but GOD, how egregiously needy does a president, the most powerful man in the world, have to be to say this?! You wish someone had yelled out, "Name one person who thanked you for fixing his shower!!!" But then, the thing is, if one is desperately searching for a reason to thank Trump about something, it may be that showers are about the only thing on the table. And that's not even true. The elected officials of the Republican Party continue to enable him, continue to stand by the lack of a national testing program, continue to twiddle their collected thumbs as 162,804 Americans have died -- so far. And are complicit. Which is why this isn't about Trump but about all these elected members of the Republican Party.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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