There is so much information and sensory overload pounding us from all directions every day that it is impossible to say that "one thing" stands out the most about the Trump administration near-criminal mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic. But -- if one image can come as close as anything to explain the Trump disaster, it was today. That's when Trump went to Arizona tour a factory making face masks to protect the public from spreading the virus and Trump did not wear a face mask.
And further, making it even worse (if that's possible) in order not to show him up, the other officials there with him were not wearing face masks either. Indeed, the only people at the factory who were wearing protective face masks were the workers, who were smart enough. And also because they were probably required to, since without face masks it's too dangerous. And they could all risk infection and death. (Fun Fact: There was indeed a sign on the wall in clear view which read -- "Attention: Face Mask Required in this Area. Thank You!") What's so iconic and sickening about Trump not wearing a face mask when touring a factory making face masks is not just that it's so selfish and thoughtless and foolish and egomaniacal (suggesting that he knows better that scientists and experts) and dangerous to others around him, forced to put their own health at risk -- but also, perhaps worst of all, it sends a disastrous message to the Trump cultists who believe everything he does and who think the coronavirus science is not a problem and who see the president without a face mask which says to them that face masks aren't necessary and they don't have to wear one either. By the way, if wearing face masks wasn't especially important, why on earth were they touring a factory that made face masks in the first place? And yes, it can't be missed that the song, "Live and Let Die" was playing over the loudspeaker at the time. I don't know if it was intentional or kismet. But it was too perfect. Yesterday, ABC aired an interview their reporter David Muir did with Trump , and two passages stood out. In the first -- MUIR: "Do you believe the reality is that lives will be lost to reopen the economy?" TRUMP: "It's possible there will be some, It's "possible"??? No, it is absolutely dead certain there will be some. (And yes, pun intended.) There are already almost 73,000 deaths from the coronavirus. Unless Trump believes that all such deaths will stop immediately, there will absolutely and unquestionably be more deaths as the economy reopens. Trump himself the other day changed his ever-changing goalposts and ratcheted up the possible number of deaths to maybe 100,000. So, again, no, it's not "possible" there will be some. There definitely will be. And the other passage comes from a wonderful question asked by Muir. One of the better questions I've seen from a reporter during this pandemic. MUIR: "You're three years into your term. What did you do when you became president to restock those cupboards that you say are bare? TRUMP: "Well, I'll be honest, uh, I have a lot of things going on." Forget for the moment that the cupboards were not bare, and that that has just been another Trump lie to shift blame from him -- this was just an absolutely great question to address the lie without calling it one. "I have a lot of things going on." Hey, guy, that's the job! He goes on to explain some of those "things," which are all basically dealing with the various "hoaxes" that Democrats foisted on him -- Russia, Ukraine, impeachment. None of which (even if that was remotely, bizarrely true) answers the question. Because the implication is that (even if true) he was too busy to do anything. But I'm sure if he was asked, Trump could rattle off all of what he believes are his achievements -- which says he had time to do all that. So, why not restock those cupboards he has insisted were bare? "Jared, restock the cupboards with ventilators and PPEs." Or give the job to anyone if Jared was too busy trying to get a loan to keep his family business afloat, like asking the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Or the Secretary of Homeland Security. Or the Defense Secretary. Or some intern. The question took five seconds. (Okay, in the real world it would take longer. But it wouldn't take significantly much longer for Trump, since all he had to do is delegate the job!) But, no, "I have a lot of things going on." Yes, much the same answer I believe FDR said when the U.S. armed services were understaffed as World War II neared. If only he had taken the report from the Truman Commission and pushed America hard to readiness, things would have turned out so much diff... Oh, yeah, right, that's what he actually did. All of which brings us back to that iconic image for Trump's catastrophic mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic -- touring a factory for face masks without wearing a face mask. But at least he wore goggles.
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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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