The Donald Trump Score Card

Trump, who's said to be ten steps ahead of everyone, has finally figured out that, in his own words, the contagion can be contagious.

Next, Trump will be enlightening everyone that water can be wet.



Trump is always the last to figure it out
By Jennifer Rubin
Opinion writer
April 02, 2020

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/02/trump-is-always-last-figure-it-out/

excerpt:

"The contrast between the governors’ level of sophistication and Trump’s abject ignorance manages to still shock and appall us. On Wednesday, Trump explained how his thinking on covid-19 had changed. “The severity,” Trump said. “I think also in looking at the way that the contagion is so contagious, nobody’s ever seen anything like this where large groups of people all of a sudden have it just by being in the presence of somebody who has it. The flu has never been like that. . . . Also the violence of it if it hits the right person.” The contagion is so contagious. That’s the president of the United States.

He was warned by experts for weeks that this was highly contagious and that this was not the ordinary flu. Apparently, he was either not listening or did not understand that “just by being in the presence of somebody who has it” the contagion can, well, be contagious. The mind reels."

 

Fox & Friends was selectively promoting stories of those who had the coronavirus with minor symptoms.

They picked a woman age 65 to mislead the elderly into thinking that they were safe from the virus.

In line with Trump's latest alibi, Fox could now say that they weren't belittling the coronavirus. They were simply giving the elderly hope.



Alarm, Denial, Blame: The Pro-Trump Media’s Coronavirus Distortion
Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and other right-wing commentators turned a pandemic into a battle of us vs. them — the kind of battle President Trump has waged for much of his life.
By Jeremy W. Peters
April 1, 2020

Alarm, Denial, Blame: The Pro-Trump Media’s Coronavirus Distortion

excerpt:

"After playing down the risks, some broadcasters turned to coronavirus survivor stories.

On March 13th, “Fox & Friends” ran a segment featuring a 65-year-old woman who said she caught the virus and barely had any symptoms. During the interview, the host Steve Doocy asked about the “absolute panic” and noted the concern about older people in particular. “Well look at that,” he said to the woman. “But you are over 60, and it doesn’t seem to have been a big deal to you, right?” Mr. Doocy said."

 

Trump used his coronavirus briefing to plug the sales of MyPillow and groom the CEO for a possible run for governor of Minnesota.

Trump did this shortly after he announced a grim prognosis of a possible 100,000 to 200,000 deaths in the U.S. because of the virus.

It's sordid commercialism and political family to the extreme.



BBB yanks accreditation from Trump-backing founder of MyPillow for false advertising
By David Edwards
Published on January 3, 2017

BBB yanks accreditation from Trump-backing founder of MyPillow for false advertising

excerpts:

"The Better Business Bureau (BBB) this week revoked the accreditation from MyPillow for false advertising. The company’s CEO, Mike Lindell, recently campaigned for President-elect Donald Trump and promised to give the then-nominee “all my credibility.”

According to BBB, the company’s “buy one, get one free offer” is actually the regular product price, which violates an advertising code of conduct agreed to by MyPillow."


"BuzzFeed reported that customers began boycotting MyPillow in October after Lindell showed up at a presidential debate in Las Vegas to support Trump.

“I’m here to give all my credibility to Mr. Donald Trump,” Lindell told Fox Business at the time. “He’ll be the most amazing president this country has ever had.”"

 

Pence is deserving of the Presidential Medal of Freedom for keeping a straight face while saying “I don’t believe the president has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus.”

 

Trump is someone who would award himself the Presidential Medal of Honor for trying to excuse his belittling of the coronavirus and causing deaths when he said “I’m not about bad news. I want to give people hope. I’m a positive person.”"

Trump has talked about pardoning himself. Awarding himself is in the same league.

 

In August 2016, Tump was claiming that the government's unemployment numbers were a hoax and that real unemployment number was 20%.

Now Trump will be claiming again that the real numbers are a hoax and that his number of 3% unemployment is the real one.

 

As tragic toll from virus rises, so do questions about Trump's leadership
Stephen Collinson Profile
Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN
Updated 8:09 AM ET, Thu April 2, 2020

Trump's leadership raises questions as tragic toll from coronavirus rises - CNNPolitics

excerpt:

"But after an unusually somber appearance in the briefing room on Tuesday, the President was back to his habitual efforts to distract from any personal culpability for the situation.

He didn't even want to start his regular dinner time appearance before reporters by talking about the virus, on the deadliest day yet for Americans.

Instead he highlighted a new anti-narcotics initiative in a fresh example of how he has often sought to turn coronavirus briefings into the political platform he lacks with campaign rallies canceled.

Bizarrely, the President also boasted about his popularity on Facebook, and suddenly floated a scheme to build two new hospital ships -- a project that would take years in the event the Navy commissions them."

 

We can only hope that at some point folks will catch on to his obvious failings--hopefully before November.

 

Trump’s new coronavirus argument: 2 million people are being saved
Even as Trump adopts a somber, get-ready-for-the-worst tone, he has still sought to portray himself as a hero for his actions thus far.
By MERIDITH MCGRAW
04/01/2020 09:38 PM EDT

Trump’s new coronavirus argument: 2 million people are being saved

excerpts:

"Trump on Wednesday also painted himself as the savior of a testing system that has lagged in the first few months of the coronavirus outbreak, as states have struggled to process coronavirus tests in a timely fashion. Trump has argued — inaccurately — that Obama-era guidelines prevented the swift approval of commercial coronavirus tests, and said that he came along and changed them. He has also falsely claimed that World Health Organization coronavirus test kits were bad tests and that the U.S. has developed better ones.

“We inherited bad tests. These are horrible tests. And it was broken, it was all broken and we fixed it,” Trump said."


"“Fortunately, no amount of gaslighting and lying will change the facts because the world has the receipts,” Kyle Morse, a spokesperson for the progressive political group American Bridge, said in a statement. “Donald Trump ignored medical experts and belittled the threat for months, and on TV and Twitter, Trump has served as a deadly, one-man disinformation machine.”"

 

In an attempt to try to make himself look less damaged, Trump later said that he would still give virus aid to the governors even though he had told Pence to not call them if they didn't talk nice to him.



'That governor is me': Gretchen Whitmer takes on Trump as coronavirus cases rise in Michigan
By Eric Bradner, CNN
Updated 8:33 AM ET, Mon March 30, 2020

Gretchen Whitmer takes on Trump as coronavirus cases rise in Michigan - CNNPolitics

excerpt:

"Trump said Thursday he had a "big problem" with the "young, a woman governor" in Michigan, complaining that "all she does is sit there and blame the federal government." On Friday, he said that he told Vice President Mike Pence, "don't call the woman in Michigan," and later referred to her as "Gretchen 'Half' Whitmer" in a tweet and said she is "way in over her head" and "doesn't have a clue."

Those attacks -- and her direct response to them -- have thrust the first-term governor further into the national spotlight as she manages her state's efforts to slow the pandemic's spread, which includes seeking assistance from the Trump administration. Whitmer now finds herself among other Democratic governors, like Washington state's Jay Inslee and New York's Andrew Cuomo, who are navigating the deepening public health crisis in their states while also confronting the President's demand for public praise and appreciation."

 

Well, at Least Trump Hasn’t …
Always look on the bright side of life.
By Gail Collins
Opinion Columnist
April 1, 2020

Opinion | Well, at Least Trump Hasn’t …

excerpt:

"Truly scary to think of Trump ruling by decree. “Today, I want everybody to go out shopping and boost the economy,” he’d begin the day. Then after all the health experts reminded him about sheltering in place, he’d announce that anyone caught shopping would be guillotined. Followed by a retraction that was coupled with a press conference in which he introduced America to some of the nation’s most prominent guillotine manufacturers.

See? Things could be worse.

Trump-watchers have actually noted a welcome presidential transformation this week. Gone are all the claims that the coronavirus is just like a flu. Now he’s somber and serious, predicting “a hell of a bad two weeks … and maybe even three weeks.”

Actually, maybe even three months. But you’ve got to take improvement where you can get it.

And those flu comparisons? Trump was not denying reality! He explained it was … a psychological strategy. “I’m not about bad news. I want to give people hope,” he said. “I’m a positive person.”"

 

Opinion | Well, at Least Trump Hasn’t …

excerpt:

"One high point in the we-love-business Trumpathon came when the president brought up Mike Lindell, the head of MyPillow. (“Boy do you sell those pillows.”) Lindell then launched into a short infomercial for his company, followed by a eulogy to Trump as the man who had rescued a nation that had “turned its back on God.” It wasn’t inspiring, but it was definitely a break in the routine.

Lindell is a Fox celebrity, a big Trump donor, and the president would like to see him run for governor of Minnesota. No way right now of knowing whether his political future will be affected by a 2017 Better Business Bureau decision to revoke MyPillow’s accreditation."

 

Trump: “I think also in looking at the way that the contagion is so contagious."

Who could've ever thought that a contagion could be so contagious?!

 

According to Lindell, Trump brought the U.S. back to God.

It doesn't sound like God was impressed. The coronavirus seems like punishment from God for the Trump administration.

 

These are truly sick people. And those who refuse to acknowledge that are just as sick.

 

So, you guys are happy with that?

That many young people unemployed?

To save your own skins for the most part, most of you here, well all of you are boomers

If this is long term, you don't think, anger is going to build up, and they are going to take it out on you anyway?

 

I've often wondered that if there is a "god" why does it allow viruses to survive, and what about tornadoes, and earthquakes?

 

Are you giving Trump shit for being a liar or are you surreptitiously blaming him for the high unemployment? I hope it’s the former, but it’s a little muddled.

 

Seems more like it was directed at the Xi administration before the world tour hit Italy, Spain and Iran.

 

Forget about MyPillow.

Trump should promote MyBodyBag.

Expect Trump to bring a few more CEO's up to the podium at his next virus briefing, this time to promote body bag manufacturers and maybe even promote one of the CEO's to run for governor like he did at a previous briefing.



FEMA seeks 100,000 body bags from the Pentagon as coronavirus pandemic worsens
Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY
USA TODAYApril 2, 2020, 11:21 AM EDT

FEMA seeks 100,000 body bags from Pentagon as coronavirus pandemic worsens

"WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has asked the Pentagon for 100,000 body bags, a chilling request as the COVID-19 pandemic spirals.

Known as mortuary pouches, the heavy-duty zippered bags are typically used in the military to contain the remains of troops killed in combat. On Wednesday, more than 1,000 people died of the coronavirus in the United States, raising the death toll over 5,000. A week ago the total was less than 1,300."