Let's Call It Trumpvirus
If you're feeling awful, you know who to blame.
So, our Coronavirus Czar is going to be ... Mike Pence. Feeling more secure?
''I know full well the importance of presidential leadership,'' the vice president said as soon as he was introduced in his new role.
Totally qualified. First criteria for every job in this administration is capacity for praising the gloriousness of our commander in chief.
Yeah, when you think of Mike Pence you maybe don't think about Pandemic Fighter Supreme. But as President Trump pointed out repeatedly, he has already run Indiana.
Well, it probably could have been worse. Having a czar does make you feel there's somebody in charge. At least Trump didn't come before the cameras and announce solemnly, ''Today I'm asking every American to cross your fingers.''
Our president had to be going crazy over a problem that involves both declining stock prices and germs. This is the guy, after all, who thinks shaking hands is ''barbaric,'' who is followed around by aides bearing sanitizer. During his press conference he told the story of a fever-ridden supporter who gave him a hug. Do you think it was an apocryphal fantasy? Either way, the idea has been haunting him forever.
Meanwhile, he's come up with a totally new explanation for the stock market skid. It turns out investors were not frightened so much by the pandemic as the Democratic debate.
''I think the financial markets are very upset when they look at the Democrat candidates standing on that stage making fools out of themselves,'' Trump told reporters.
Plus that virus thing is ... not necessarily a big deal. What really ''shocked'' him, Trump said, was his discovery that ''the flu in our country kills 25,000 people to 69,000 people a year.''
So the problems are the Democrats and the flu. The answers are Mike Pence and ... reminding the public once again that Nancy Pelosi's district has a big homeless problem.
Earlier in the day Trump argued, via tweet, that despite the expressions of concern by the evil media and ''incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades,'' the government is perfectly prepared to handle the coronavirus. Which he misspelled ''caronavirus.'' But nobody's perfect.
The president had been saying everything is totally under control for some time. (''It's one person coming in from China.'') The whole administration picked up the cry. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, 82, overcame his habit of dozing off at meetings long enough to tell Fox Business Network that the disease would ''accelerate the return of jobs'' from overseas.
Trump totally agrees. ''What it's gonna do is keep people home, and they're going to travel to places we have,'' he said.
See? The virus thing is a bonus.
The run-up to the Pence unveiling had not been exactly calming for citizens who wanted to have faith in competent White House oversight. Barack Obama used to have special epidemic-watching groups just in case this kind of crisis developed. One was headed by the highly regarded Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, who got sent packing by John Bolton. Another infectious disease expert, Tom Bossert, suddenly vanished from the Department of Homeland Security in 2018, presumably also at the hand of John You-know-who.
If Bolton's memoir ever makes it into print, do you think it'll have a chapter called ''My War on Pandemic Fighters?'' OK, probably not.
Virus Week hasn't really provided a whole lot of comfort to citizens who wanted to believe the president's replacements were super high quality.
The nation got its first real look at Chad Wolf, the acting homeland security secretary, who appeared before a Senate subcommittee and admitted he had no idea how the virus was transmitted among humans, exactly how dangerous it was, or ... pretty much anything.
When Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican not known for anti-administration bias, asked whether the country had enough respirators to deal with a coronavirus epidemic, Wolf answered in the affirmative.
''We just heard testimony that we don't,'' Kennedy responded.
''OK,'' said Wolf.
To be fair, he's only been on the job since November. He's the fifth head of Homeland Security Trump's had in the last three years. Good thing he has a deputy -- or at least an acting deputy -- to help. That would be Ken Cuccinelli, who made news this week when he went on Twitter to ask for tips on how to find an online map of coronavirus sites posted by Johns Hopkins University. (''Here's hoping it goes back up soon.'')
Losing faith in presidential appointees for health protection? Stop being so negative. They're all vetted by the Presidential Personnel Office, which is now headed by John McEntee, 29, who was previously fired from another White House job because of concerns about a history of gambling problems and tax issues.
McEntee will be getting plenty of help from other stellar appointees, the newest being a 23-year-old college undergraduate. Together they're going to be cleaning house, getting rid of folks who are insufficiently loyal to the president. Or maybe aren't qualified or something. Never can tell.
Also part of the new coronavirus response team is Alex Azar, the secretary of health and human services -- a veteran cabinet member and experienced former pharmaceutical lobbyist.
At a congressional hearing on Wednesday, Azar was asked if he'd consider using some of the billions of dollars in funds for Trump's border wall to help combat the current health crisis.
Azar just chuckled. Actually, people, this is probably not a theme we ought to be pursuing. Chances are, if the president is encouraged to mix the subjects of coronavirus and Mexico walls, he'll suddenly announce that we need a barrier much bigger and thicker and more expensive, so it can stop the flow of immigrant germs.
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I don't think it is all that unreasonable to have somewhat questionable faith in a leader who can't even go to the trouble to learn how to spell the name of the disease right in his public pronouncement about it.
Trump misspells coronavirus in tweet accusing media of ...
Feb 26, 2020 · President Trump has announced a news conference on the coronavirus crisis, but only after placing blame on the media, swiping Democrats, and spelling …
Way back when it was the corolla virus, the left, along with Pooh Bear, pitched a screaming bitchy fit that Trump told China to keep it’s huddled masses, yearning to breathe free’ until they could breathe clean.
Way back when it was called the CORONA virus
Misspelling must be catching among Trumpsters.
I got nuttin'. I used the wrong spelling for navel lint the other day (naval)
I've caught that virus more than once.
It goes away pretty quick but it's a bitch the day after.
It mostly affects my stomach. But I still haven't learned
Mine is usually having a crew of jackhammers in my head. It only affects my stomach when i'm stupid enough to catch a Scotch, Bourbon or Tequila virus at the same time.
I've finally learned that lesson ..... most of the time ......
[deleted]
This is a typical hate filled flame bait opinion headline from the New York Times spreading their general TDS biased coverage to that of the virus news as well. It got them the clicks they wanted.
The real virus is TDS. It is a very unique virus. One mass of like minded people all woke up with it on 11-09-16. Never before has a virus affected so many, in so many different geographic locations, instantaneously. It has spread sparingly since with the original infected subset still being the largest group by far.
Vexing ......
There is no such things as TDS. It is in your imagination.
A better case of denial i have yet to see.
The best thing Trump could do is act responsibly about this virus. Saying that the stock market is crashing because Americans didnt like the Democratic debate last week is not acting responsibly. Having your chief of staff spout nonsense at a conservative convention is not acting responsibly.
In Trump world, everything that happens is dealt with according to how it effects Trump.
He has to stop that right now or it WILL ruin him, no matter who wishes or doesnt wish for it.
"Uncertainty about the U.S. presidential election’s outcome is also starting to drive markets, strategists and analysts argue. A number of them think that if Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who characterizes himself as a democratic socialist, wins the Democratic presidential nomination, and possibly even the presidency, stocks would take a hit as he is perceived by some as an antibusiness candidate. “The risk to U.S. stocks is pretty significant if Bernie gets the nomination,” said Ed Moya, a senior market analyst with Oanda."
So the debates and results ARE having an effect on the market whether you like it or not. Seems Mr. Trump got you again with his opinion ahead of the curve.
and TDS is real.......
Bernie Sanders has been a presidential candidate for more than a year, and the front runner for many weeks. The stock market crash goes back days, in alignment with "spread" of the coronavirus.
Back to the drawing board with you.
The caucuses and primaries have magnified, with his "victories" that what was thought possibly to be an outlier, is coming to fruition. You have to look back nor farther than the downturn in the 2008-2009 recession. McCain was weak and had the wrong running mate (chosen to get the woman vote) and the writing was on the wall that a Dem would more than likely win the POTUS contest. This is even worse as a Sanders presidency would surely wreak havoc on business and industry. Remember, Democrats and business are oil and water and the prospect of socialism will even further add more oil.
Oh, and lest I forget................................
[Deleted]
......so put your drawing board away.
So you are saying that the current stock market crash , including another drop of 900 pts already this morning, is not because of fears of what a worldwide pandemic would do to the global economy, but is instead based on fear that Sanders could become president? lol.
I thought, by the way, that Sanders has no chance of beating Trump. Doesnt Wall St. know that?
No YOU'RE saying that. I said a contributing factor. Here, enjoy.
meh, the article you link is opinions.
I don't think that the virus is a 100% explanation for the market crash, but it is the main explanation. The timing makes that pretty clear.
But whatever, everyone is free to their opinion.
Most of what everyone says on sites like this is someones opinion.
Trouble [Deleted] is that some opinions are more fact based than others, and right wingers are consistently on the short end of the stick with that.
Who is his "ilk"?
Me, you, etc. In other words, anyone who is not of like mind.
A lot of wackadoodles on the left and right think that way.
Such is life ....
Oh.
I thought that was "skirting" at least.
My mistake, obviously.
I gave up trying to figure out the rules used for handing out coupons.
The application of which appears to be in a constant state of Entropy for some .....
Your comment makes no sense.
Common symptom of TRS (Trump Retardation Syndrome).
[Deleted]
it all depends...
That's like an alcoholic saying "I don't have a drinking problem"
I know i don't have a drinking problem. I drink, i get drunk, no problem
I know my limit.............unfortunately I get drunk before I get there.
That reminds me of the movie "Arthur" when the bartender says to Arthur "Don't you think you had enough" Arthur replies " I want more than enough"
Proof you are a Trumpster. The "real" virus isnt the one that is killing people around the world, the real virus is criticism of Donald Trump.
lol.
Never said the Corona virus wasn't real John. In case memory is failing, you on the other hand said this:
See #2.1.1 ..... lather, rinse and repeat as necessary.
No we do not.
It’s primarily a New York and coastal California as well as inland coastal Illinois phenomena..
Evidently the Trump lackey Mick Mulvaney has said that the impeachment trial prevented the president* from properly focusing on the coronavirus.
you applaud your own post?
Weird...
Yeah, because sometimes a good comment is a good comment. I see others here that vote up everyone of their own comments, others occasionally.
Thoughtful bloggers vote up their own comments strategically, like John does.
Larry, I virtually NEVER vote up my own comments. I have probably done it no more than a half dozen times in all the years NT has had a "like" feature.
This was not a "like" vote either.
I just wanted to call extra attention to what a jackass Mick Mulvaney is. I think it worked.
This is yet more of the democrat party hoax about the President and our national government somehow being responsible for this virus and the measured threat it poses. The hysteria surrounding and blame Trump hoax are sick jokes
It didn’t because unlike his detractors, he was right on in what he said.
That’s not what he said as we all know. The democrat party created show trial prevented congress from doing anything on the subject because the senate was trapped by the proceedings and the house chairpersons were busy presenting their inquisition to the senate.
To be fair, John, the scientists are still trying to figure out how it's spread. They're pretty sure it's human to human contact (sneezes, coughs) but there's that woman in CA that apparently has had no known contact with anyone who has the virus who is in serious condition at UC Davis.
Back to that woman, I think they need to track her movements in the last month. Find out who she was in contact with than start interviewing those people to see who they've been in contact with. They might find a Typhoid Mary, some one who is a carrier but is asymptomatic.
I guess it is no coincidence that the woman lives near the military base where they are quarantining infected people...
That's something I was just thinking about. They landed those people at Travis AFB which is right outside of Vacaville where this lady lives
And no one from HHS or DHS or the air crew was wearing protective clothing on the long ride home because they "assumed" that after 14 days in quarantine the cruise passengers were "ok".
It's unclear when exactly they were actually tested for the virus, but this article is from 7 days ago
indicates it was after returning to the states and that most of the 18 known victims at that time
were being treated in Nebraska.
Last night the CA Governor announced that they had at least 33 confirmed cases, patient zero at UC Davis is in serious condition and on a ventilator.
There is a whole team doing nothing but that.
Thank goodness. With Pence in charge I wasn't sure what the protocol was
Why would anyone say something so silly?
He's just the political face. The HHS is still in charge headed by Secretary Alex Azar. The CDC and various state health organizations are coordinating the actual work.
Good to know
imo the fly in the ointment will always be the Department of Homeland Security which does little but political BS under Emperor Trump.
I never agreed with forming that department. I think it should be disbanded
HDS!
Were they different under "The Savior" Obama ?
Obama's gone; Hillary is a never was. Can you let go already and stick with the now?
I was never a fan either. They should have spent the money on modernizing the technology of the various departments and put coordination efforts under the VP.
Now that's a good idea. I was going to go with appointing a security czar, but your idea works better
Homeland security didn't "Change" under 8 years of Obama, and hasn't "Changed" even under a Trump presidency.
So what is there to …"Let Go"...as you say ?
that’s for sure...
all hail the messiah, Obama, Obama!
Because that guy is supposed to have an understanding of the virus that even the virus experts don't have. What a great example of how deeply stupid and partisan these attacks are.
That’s why the president said that the attacks on him and the vice president regarding their dealing with the virus is the democrats latest hoax. There is no place for politics in dealing with this danger
It is now time to question the patriotism and personal moral character of those who put their Trump hatred and TDS above the national unity we need in dealing with the potential effects of this disease brought here from abroad. Trump has been along with his administration working on this since it first came to our attention.
They have been hardly working. HE allowed the passengers from the cruise ship to fly without restrictions back to the U.S. He alone ignored the issue for fear of China's trade deal being compromised. tRump cares only for himself.
You guys can joke about covid-19. I'm not laughing. Nor will I joke about it or laugh if it starts to spread through the USA.
Nobody here thinks it’s funny Buzz. Some comments might be a little off base or tasteless but welcome to an internet talk site.
Now for something completely different, people are bringing up an old Simpsons episode from 1993 regarding the Osaka Flu and comparing it to the Coronavirus: