Published this on 2/27:
https://johnpavlovitz.com/2020/02/27/you-cant-gaslight-a-pandemic-donald/
6
This will be the finger snap that wakes these people up from their hypnosis. They’re going to look down and see that they and the emperor have no clothes. This is what happened to GW Bush , and it isn’t going to be pretty
10
Hallelujah, Mr. Blow! Amen!
4
Why is he wearing his silly red hat on a visit to the CDC? He is not rallying a bunch of COVID19 viruses, is he? Maybe his stupid red hat should read “America Welcomes COVID19”
32
Why hasn't the NYT or another media organization commissioned a poll to see what percentage of Americans trust President Trump to tell the truth about the virus?
That is the question that is not being asked -- Do you trust President Trump to truthfully and accurately inform Americans about the Coronavirus?
I suspect huge majorities of Republicans and Independents and Democrats would answer that "No".
But I guess that isn't a narrative that the Republicans want to push, so no media will do it. Why not?
13
My only comment about this article is that this virus may help to tear the blinders from some American's eyes and they will see a truth about this man that has been staring them in the face for the past 3-years.
Trump only cares about his own self interests. If it's good for trump then it's good. If it's bad for trump it's bad. If it hurts ordinary people that's too bad.
19
Dr. Jerome Adams spoke late yesterday on behalf of Trump regarding the spread in the U.S. of coronavirus. He spoke in halting and colloquial terms about the contagion, so very much like Trump, who is beyond incompetent in ANY position that he has ever occupied during his entire lifetime.
This is not a beneficial step for America. Dr. Fauci is a bit beyond his ability to be an expert under this pandemic.
There actually ARE much smarter epidemia experts that can step into the necessary spotlight, but NOW IS THE NEED. Not Trump at all, not Adams, not Fauci. We await a brilliant leader.
12
Trump's ignorance & stupidity may make more people sick than the virus. At the moment his "economic team" of idiots have NO plan to slow the market & economic meltdown. Stay tuned.
12
A 100nm virus taking down a potus who doesn’t believe in science, and who is a germaphobe - it’s ironical to say the least.
30
Trump did not get to where he is by himself. He has Fox News, Breitbart and Rush Limbaugh to reinforce the low-information, MAGA true-believers with non-stop propaganda. He has the religious right to reassure alt.Christians that he’s achieving some higher moral purpose, a sinner fulfilling God’s inscrutable will. And he has the utterly corrupt Mitch McConnell leading the irredeemable Republican establishment to convince the base that a personality disordered moron is really a strategic mastermind. It takes a village to prop up a despot.
50
Donald Trump’s anger and compulsive vindictiveness is powerless in the face of some thing like the coronavirus. This is one enemy that he cannot tweet away with his adolescent hatred .
What he probably will do is show himself to be even more idiotic than the rest of the country already recognizes him to be .
This might be a good time for his allies , if they themselves have any good sense to tell him to just simply shut up for a while.
His silence at this point may be his greatest friend since he cannot seem to stop putting his foot in his mouth.
11
Are you rooting for the virus Mr. Blow? Sad—
3
Just heard on NPR that the average age of those who died in Italy, is 81.
So is DJT trying to kill the Boomers+ ?
4
I am completely gobsmacked that so many Americans believe Trump to be honest and morally upright. As an outsider looking in it makes me wonder if our species has reached the apex of its intelligent evolution. What lies must you tell yourself in order to believe Trump does not lie? What low level of moral behaviour do you engage in to believe that he is morally upright? Watching Christian evangelicals fall under his spell actually makes me feel somewhat ill. He will win this battle too - no matter how many may succumb to the virus. Lie big or go home and he isn’t going anywhere.
28
Initially dismissed by the media and the government, this crippling and deadly virus has spread across towns and cities; crossing international borders and becoming a pandemic that's infected cities and entire societies. No, not the coronavirus. I'm referring to its political pathogen -- the science-averse and diseased Trump presidency. His complete control of a feckless, spineless, and obsequious Republican Party and a worshipful cult has enabled the spread of a far more serious political pandemic that's harmful to citizens of any age. Thank goodness that Democrats, along with Republicans who've managed to avoid infection, are working on a cure which should be ready for testing on November 3rd.
21
This is the problem, liberals do not get what Americans voted for.
Americans voted for small government. The CDC should not even exist as it is just part of a mindless bureaucracy where lazy intellectual elites show up for their liberal welfare and do nothing. Not to mention that Americans voted to get government out of the healthcare business. No drug research. No disease research. No hospitals. No Healthcare for anyone. You are on your own. That is the GOP legislation for more than a generation.
But, no, just more mommy government inflicting job killing, profit losing regulations and impositions on the American people. And this is why the GOP wins time after time.
3
@gratis
There is a fine line between sarcasm and gaslighting.
16
@gratis : Please, please tell me this is meant as satire! There are some slight indications in your post suggesting that; otherwise it's straight out of the far-right book of instructions.
13
While the country grapples with one of the worst medical emergencies in recent history our Liar-in-Chief goes to FL to play golf. Has anyone documented the cost of his regular weekend golf outings over the last three and half years? My guess it is in the hundreds of millions of dollars and this was the candidate who criticized Obama for playing too much golf when in office.
17
Trump supporters will continue to live in his gas-lit world right through their own hospital visits and medical bills. After three years, my skepticism is too much to overcome. Can I please step through the door to the universe where honesty and leadership reign?
15
Actually, the virus is the best thing for Trump. The stock market cycle was overdue for a big correction. Now he can blame the virus, not his trade and tax policies.
7
Now that Mike Bloomberg is out of the Democratic presidential race it's nice to see the return of Trump bashing Charles Blow.
2
Trump does not exhibit the characteristics of intelligence, cognitive or emotional. His "genius" appears to be mostly accidental. His vocabulary is about the level of the average highschooler, with barely half a dozen modifiers to his credit. His obsession with self-interests, sense of persecution, and gaslighting are probably symptoms of a mental disorder. The most telling example to date may be presenting an altered weather map as proof he had been right. Journalist who long to cover a normal presidency are taken aback by his behavior. Meanwhile, his supporters extol him for "telling it like it is". This candor born of mental illness, winning him many champions, is reminiscent of the satirical fictional character "Chance the Gardiner".
5
The man and his minions are delusional.
11
@Mary A :
They win elections.
1
What does "But, they are largely alone on that island. Only 19 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents view Trump as intelligent." really mean?
If all republicans and conservative independents and 19% of democrats view trump in one fashion, that doesn't sound like a very lonely island.
I think he's stupid, just watch "I've got the best words" 2019 edition on youtube. But I guess I'm on the lonely island.
4
"Keep America Great", the logo on Trump's red cap on his head at Nashville and the CDC were all the gaslighting we need, Charles Blow. The fear of the Coronavirus Covid-29 pandemic is the reality we're handling right now after being mishandled politically by Donald Trump and his loyalists for 3 years. The photo accompanying your opinion piece today, "You Can't Gaslight a Virus", told it all. The obese man in the red Keeo America Great hat, the loose white shirt and black sport jackiet. We await the further downfall of the global economic markets with the amazing oil flooding world markets by release by the middle east oil barons, like Trump's young Saudi pal, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This will be a week that was in America, and we're all holding our breaths and belting in for a very rough time. Thank you for your thoughts and words. We're scared as hell.
7
If a virus is what finally takes trump down — not a porn star, not being caught red handed extorting an ally and being impeached over it, not asking China in full public view to investigate his political rival, not his encouragement of the armed services stay and pay at his golf courses, not his 16,000 lies then I am concluding that God indeed works in mysterious ways but most of all God has one hell of sense of humor.
16
@lorraine parish ~ from your lips to...
5
Trump doesn't have to worry about this lie because he will follow it with more lies. He will pin the inevitable disaster on Democrats. Trump already showed this with the way he tried to convince people he hadn't cut funding -- but Obama had (then Trump failed to give any information with which to confirm his naked assertion). So he doesn't need to care because his lies will continue to ensure he faces no consequences. This is the level of hell our country is in thanks to Republicans electing him.
9
"Trump could be making his most ardent supporters a petri dish of disease."
And to that I say - GOOD. These people are blinded by ideology or otherwise just completely sucked in by a con artist to the point that they can't see reason or any rational arguments from others.
So if the trigger that makes them start to see the light and truth contracting COVID-19, I'd say that every democracy cloud does indeed have a silver lining.
5
I kinda' wish we had a president who would say something like. "we have nothing to fear but fear itself." Oh well…
Allen Berrien
2
Thirty million people without health insurance under Obamacare. Tens of millions more with health insurance but have thousands of dollars in deductibles they might not even have insurance at all and you think you are going to stop the corona virus? The majority of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, have no child care and places of employment that have no paid sick leave. This is the type of dysfunctional healthcare system that can devastate an country's economy. This is a bi-partisan screw up. Medicare For All, family sick leave and free child care are all policies that would help attenuate the impact of a situation presented by the corona virus. Trillions in wealth evaporated overnight and more to come. This is a perfect example of spending a little money on sane public health policies or spending a lot latter.
10
I figured the stock market would plummet before Trump’s re-election bid. I didn’t anticipate this scenario, but how appropriate this phony leader germophobe is going down with the market after all.
9
The old gospel song says "Your arm's too short to box with God." Trump thinks that he must always bravely counterpunch. What a fool!
7
The virus doesn't know and doesn't care whether you're a republican or a democrat. It might be the only non-partisan player in this stupid game. It's not fake news when the dead bodies are real. He can't lie this one away.
8
@perrocaliente :
But Dems are to blame, anyway.
Heard it on Fox News.
5
Several points to be made about this,"encore une fois,"anti Trump jeremiad from the author. First, this is no time to be politicizing the crisis as Times newspaper and liberal media r wont to do.Witness another op ed writer's snarky, irresponsible piece about a "Trump virus,"making light of a "fleau"that has killed thousands!Second,admin. is faulted for underfunding National Security Team which could have anticipated the outbreak, but "nonobstant,"Trump is going all out to combat it with best epidemiologists available,Doctors Fauci, Azar inter alios.Time for all Americans to "se serrer la coude,"lock elbows to fight this plague together rather than play the blame game.Third, author cites WAPO, but last clever thing this newspaper wrote was about "post Latinos!" WAPO today panders mainly to the far left!"Enfin,"Author's emotional outburst against The Donald fails to change hearts and minds.How many average people will read the article?White, liberal educators with sinecures living in self segregated enclaves not at all diverse, yes, they will lap it up, but average Joe or Jane who has to produce, really work for a living?Negative. Suggest author request a sit down interview with Trump or other members of his time which might help to mitigate some of his anger and bitterness:"Comprendre c'est tout pardonner!"
how can so many people be that dumb & blind too?
5
Trump’s ignorance and science-denying antics cannot belittle, denigrate and bully COVID-19 into oblivion. Bizarrely, the virus has shown him to be an epic fool, a thin-skinned ignoramus with a penchant for ridiculous caps, lies and a profoundly troubling lack of empathy and morality. This will turn out to be his worst nightmare.
7
Very well said Mr. Blow.
3
the picture says it all.... trump is saying something really stupid and the two men's faces show two different faces of disbelief.
5
No tie, and that ghastly red cap. So presidential. Aren't you proud, America?
10
Mr. Blow generated another anti-Trump piece--shocking! Oh, that's right, approximately ninety-percent of his pieces are anti-Trump articles, same regurgitated/boring message, just a different day. As I've mentioned countless times, it's a great/simple (minded) gig if you can get it. If you don't have to work or engage in critical thinking for a living more power to Mr. Blow. As a paid subscriber, I very much wish the opinion page writers would generate actual thought provoking articles on a vast range of topics instead of the same ole, same ole, same ole. What a waste.
Is Darwinism by proxy a thing? Cuz it sure looks like we could all go down from the stupidity of others...
5
Think about Donald Trump's "reading list".
You know, the stuff that's right in front of the commode.
And, from this guy, we get "leadership". Unsettling, isn't it?
3
Thanks for this piece, MR. blow. Even Republicans can get the corona virus!
3
The worldwide stock market fall demonstrates Trump is not believed. Republicans might say they believe Trump, but money talks.
9
There is a distinct chance that if this gets bad enough, trump will issue an executive order (backed by his boot-licking Senate lackies) to postpone the election for 'public health' reasons, since polling places are a public gathering.
Don't believe for a second that this hasn't already crossed McConnell's mind, accompanied by a twinkly-eyed smirk on his face.
18
Trump’s re-election chances are seriously diminishing.
6
The public doesn't need assurances. We need an immediate, realistic, and all-hands-on-deck plan to address the damage the soon-to-be widespread and high volume corona virus epidemic will cause in the United States. We need immediate "WW2 style" investment in our medical infrastructure - equipment, facilities, and workers - to handle the looming intensive care surge that will happen. We need pragmatic, concise, and consistent leadership and protocols for individuals and organizations to know how to deal with the situation.
Regretfully, we have at best an incompetent administration populated with unqualified sycophants rather than "the best among us". And we have a narcissist habitual liar egomaniac president who doesn't read, never listens, and cannot think past his nose.
This will get much worse before it gets better.
7
1. When trump says things like he understands coronavirus [and this, that and the other thing] better than C.D.C. scientists and their like [and the experts in various other 'industries'], we know it is not true … but I can't say that he does. So my priority categorization of such statements shall be "Evidence of Delusional Psychopathy" … and "Lies" shall serve only as my 'chance,' secondary reference.
P.S. Who are these Democratic 7%ers who think trump is honest … and can they be helped?
6
Even the covid-19 outbreak in the USA is as bad and as concentrated as it has been in Wuhan, China, it would expose only 0.7% of the US population. Of these, only 0.6% would die. For the entire population of the USA in the worst case, this would mean 17,000 fatalities. This essentially the same as the Flu (influenza), and just about the same people would fall victim. Can we stop panicking, please?
Sources: Chinese analysis, Korean statistics (extensive testing), and the CDC. Not Trump. Best.
I realize this comment has been made many times but I can't resist.
We wondered how Trump would handle a real crisis after having a free ride for 3 years. Now we know.
11
A pundit on Fox Busines News just announced that there are are 2 million tests available in the US. This is where Donald gets his information. Could they be making this figure up?
2
One question might be: how many Trump-cult members have to sicken and perhaps even die from COVID-19 in this time of Trump's environmental destruction before we see some break in the cult's implicit mutual suicide pact?
9
@Max from Mass
How many mid-West farmers lost their farms because of the useless China trade war, and still support Trump?
(most of them)
4
I’ve heard Trump doesn’t want to curtail his rally’s, and so many of his followers are in the high risk category for the virus. Fine, go ahead, have the rally’s, disregard the doctors. When these supporters start dropping like fly’s, let’s see what “empathy” the narcissistic in chief shows to his people. And then let’s see if they continue to follow him like lemmings off a cliff. If they do this, they truly are the deplorable crew that Hillary described;if ,on the other hand,their survival instincts kick in and they realize what he has done to them, I will see a glimmer of hope. Evangelicals like to say Trump is god’s “imperfect “ instrument, well, maybe this crisis is God telling them they were bamboozled . But one can only hope his followers wise up before such a calamity occurs.
10
Results of this poll indicate that most intelligent and/or educated people have left the Republican Party; only ignorant and/or stupid folks left to respond to pollsters
2
Trump can gaslight a virus. Trump can get away with whatever gullible, low intelligence or self motivated people will allow him to.
Trump can't gaslight you or me, or anybody I know, but he can do it to plenty of people. So don't say he can't do it. Say he can't do it to anybody who think for themselves. To those who need Trump or Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, etc. to do their thinking for them he can do it. He can turn a rainy day sunny, he can move hurricanes and he can invent corona virus tests that don't exist. If you are foolish enough, he can do all this and so much more...
8
a little bit of overreaction here. the % of US population with this virus is 0.000158% (550/350mil). quite low!
but I know you need to beat trump over the head with it.
@Alan :
1- Those are the confirmed cases, people who have been tested. As many are not tested, as the symptoms may be delayed, how do you know this number is correct?
2- The virus just started in the USA. Do you expect your number to be the final one?
Are you familiar with the phrase "going viral"? Do you know what that means in terms of exponential expansion?
11
@alan Do you also believe the press here in Spain, which has been employing similar urgency, if not more, are also hyping the Coronavirus threat to beat Trump over the head with? Unless you're depressingly myopic, even a few minutes skimming through foreign press makes your position appear idiotic. Unless, of course, you've been lapping up Trump's Twitter-feed drool of narcissistic paranoia, and have come to believe the universe is conspiring against him.
6
Thank you Charles.
I want to know if the 45 supporters interviewed this weekend on CNN still think c19 is a Dem hoax?
3
@Homebase :
Who to believe, CNN or Fox?
(PS, CNN is the Devil Incarnate)
"Trump could be making his most ardent supporters a petri dish of disease."
I honestly wish I did not find myself taking some comfort in this statement. It does however conjure up an image of Charles Darwin shaking his finger at them, saying, "I told you so."
10
Can you imagine what the medical folks at CDC thought when they were listening to deranged Trump?
Good god.
9
Mr Blow finds yet another way to recycle the numerous faults of Trump - yes we all know he is terrible - yawn. But while he points out that Trump won't cancel his rallies, he speaks nothing of the Democratic party still having their's and their upcoming convention planned. Hypocrisy ? Nah, it's the Dems ! They are always altruistic and can rationalize anything in their own interests as usual.
While I'll stop just short of accusing you (and the rest of the unhinged left) of rooting for this to get really bad, I will say you probably wouldn't mind if it did if it hurt Trump's chances of being re-elected.
However if this does turn out to be as overhyped as many other potentially dangerous health concerns were then you, with your media trumpet on high volume, will have been seen as using this as another anti Trump screed that failed again.
The result puts him back in office again.
1
You would think he would change out of his golf attire before dropping in on the CDC.
8
I’d like to blame this all on the incompetent fool in chief but the federal (& state & local) government has been increasing hollowed out since Reagan. None of the presidential administrations since him have sufficiently addressed the need for keeping experienced competent people in place. This is because politicians including many democrats like to pretend we don’t need “government” and prefer paying for vanity projects instead of the boring everyday jobs of making things work. So our infrastructure is failing and our civil emergency response is underfunded, understaffed and in times of crisis overwhelmed. Only the military remains bloated and a drain on resources because it “protects” us. But there’s no military response to a virus, nor to the consequences of climate change. The military can only engage in the conflicts that come from not addressing underlying causes in the first place. So yeah, Trump the tool and his clown car of fools has made the problem worse, after all his business history is predicated on creating crisis and profiting from them. We have been hemorrhaging the very people we need to confront a crisis like this. & Trump is pathologically incapable of admitting error or correcting the problems he caused. The republicans like to carry on about personal responsibility, where’s their responsibility for electing this idiot? Oh yeah that’s for other people, let’s elect him again.
•Markets are plummeting.
•Over 30 trillion US $ added to the deficit.
•Tax cuts for the 1 percent.
“Look the economy is great. They can’t impeach me when the economy is the best ever in US history.”
— Donald J. Trump, failed businessman, serial bankrupter, equal opportunity philanderer (affairs with both a Playboy Playmate and a Penthouse Pet at the same time)
6
"Trump could be making his most ardent supporters a petri dish of disease."
Please don't ask me to shake hands with them.
4
Ted Cruz has been exposed and will self quarantine.... can he stay that way for about twenty years?
11
Republicans have been gaslighting us for 40 some years! Of course they can gaslight us TOTALLY over a virus.
5
I am sure that Covid-19 would love to go to one of Mr Trumps rallies.
5
Beautifully said.
2
Every Republican I know has a value set skewed toward 1) money 2) hedonism (supported by money) 3) lowering taxes (to keep more money) and 4) making fun of the compassion of liberals, who would like to spend more money to take care of people who don't have money.
5
Those trump supporters who say that there is simply no virus (there are many who actually believe this) and that it is merely a Democratic hoax to hurt their president may end up being recipients of scores of Darwin Awards.
What you don't know (or what you willingly ignore) will definitely hurt you.
4
"Trump could be making his most ardent supporters a petri dish of disease."
1
Unfortunately, I saw a video with a woman in a MAGA hat who said she does not believe that the coronavirus exists because she didn’t believe “anything the Democrats say.” Let that sink in Charles.
7
When will He “ Sharpie “ Washington State into Canada ???
This week, I’m guessing.
6
It's too bad impeachment for abuse of power and cover up failed. Now we can't impeach the guy for abuse of power and cover up of a world wide pandemic of a lethal disease.
2
“Democrats and Republicans generally live with two completely different concepts of reality.” Yes, Democrats live in reality, and Republicans live in cloud cuckoo land, as the Germans say.
5
let them rally. maybe they'll all catch the virus
5
You don’t have to be smart to get elected, just smarter than the people you fool. Trump is a third-rate conman whose only skill is identifying marks. In that regard, his election says less about him than it does the rubes.
4
Going over surveys to explain flaws is boring and maybe counter-productive. If President Trump is stupid or dishonest, some survey is not really good evidence - even Trump knows that.
Now, if you compare him to recent presidents, i.e. Barack Obama, George G. Bush; how does a Twitter-based honesty score make Donald Trump more dishonest?
Can't someone (maybe Jivanka) tell Trump to JUST SHUT UP? He is doing no one any good with his feeble attempts to game the Covid19 crisis to redound in his political favor, least of all himself. He looks more and more idiotic every time he opens his mouth on this subject, proving beyond doubt that he is incapable of exercising any kind of leadership in a crisis. And what about the next crisis? Do we really want to trust our future to this clueless egomaniac, whose every move, every word, is about himself, and not about the nation and its welfare.
2
Intelligent? Smart? Honest? Nyet!
Cleverly dishonest.
Comically narcissistic.
Clearly a con man of great merit.
2
No gaslighting?
Well, Trump’s happy to give it a shot.
2
Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked. Will his supporters finally - finally! - see they have been led by an inveterate liar?
2
Only a person of very low intelligence would consider Trump to be intelligent. Draw your own conclusions from that.
5
Those are really staggering numbers of GOPers who believe Trump is intelligent, honest, and upstanding, despite all the evidence otherwise.
I imagine, though, that similar numbers undergirded Mussolini.
1
What's your problem Charles? Donald Trump MD, America's medical resident genius, is on call. He has mastered every clinical specialty, which he absorbed by diffusion for his dead cousin. It's now all in his big beautiful orange head. He is the genius whose mere thoughts can vanquish corona. So don't worry Charles, doctor don has put on his white coat, rolled up his sleeves, put on his examination gloves, and is now being driven to the nuthouse by the men in white suits.
Thank goodness, that Mister Potato Head, is now in charge.
3
You would think Trump who learns by osmosis would be concerned about a virus that does the same.
1
A nation of shallow-brained brattish people whose lives are increasingly all about electronic toys and the surrogate-for-real relationships they spawn deserves Trump as a leader.
1
Isn't it a shame that people will have to get sick or die in order for some of his ardent supporters to finally realize the truth about this incompetent president?
3
That's like saying you can't cure stupid. Multiple public health officials and political strategists have appeared on TV to advise Trump to let others do the talking, others who know how to handle pandemics and can reassure the public with sober unvarnished truth. But Trump can't help himself and keeps muddying the waters, either with his own idiotic lies or those of obsequious minions like Larry Kudlow and KellyAnn Conway. With no one to say him nay, even Trump's most craven toadies like Mark Meadows or Lindsay Graham must cringe at this blatant display of incompetence.
3
probably will make no difference to his followers. they seem to be too mentally weak to question anything
Well said.
"You Can’t Gaslight a Virus" best headline for 2020---no not the election for fighting the virus.
How else to explain ret General Jack Keane the war profiteer newest Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, inane statement recently broadcast on Fox News, "(Coronavirus) here's the good news...even if they contract it they'll get through it (foreign deployed US military)...I know the entire chain of command is focused on it..." Jack Keane
“You never know what’s coming for ya.” - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
" This is a thrice married man whom multiple women have accused of sexual misconduct, and at least one has accused of rape. "
At least one? What kind of language is this? This is a language of smear and insinuation. I'm not a Trump fan, quite the opposite, but this kind of verbiage doesn't belong in a seemingly respectable paper.
Dear Mr. Blow,
Do you equate the number of times someone has been married with one’s ability to be morally upstanding?
The issue has been his disgusting behavior. Plus, conducted himself in this manor while married and his affairs contributed to the demise of his marriages.
EKNY
"Got a Medical Problem? Ask Dr. Trump."
I am calling fellow NYT readers to an informative article by WP columnist Dana Milbank.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/06/got-medical-question-ask-dr-trump/
When all this is over, those who remain alive should be trying Trump for genocide.
The way the president’s acting
Isn’t remotely exacting
But this is a crisis
Far bigger than ISIS
Since it’s our lives he’s impacting
2
I have asked myself and I have asked others these questions:
Why are virtually all Republicans in lock step with Trump?
How has Trump threatened each of his followers in Congress and in his administration individually?
What consequences do they fear personally if they speak against him?
Is it simply that he will make sure they are defeated in the next election or, for those employed by his administration, that he'll demean and fire them?
If that should happen, they would then be out of Trump's clutches and should feel a sense of relief. They would be able to resume acting on their own personal convictions. They would no longer have to spend every day being ashamed of themselves.
Nobody I know has answers to these questions.
1
@Dick Ellingson I believe that he is their useful idiot. He happy to carry out anything they want. Tax breaks for the rich, deregulation, erasing all the black president did, etc and at the same time he and his grifter family can line their own pockets while the GOP looks the other way.
1
Trump is a form of “ anti christ”.....
He will cause much death and destruction.
Where is our “Christus “?
2
Will the gaslighting still work when Republicans start to sicken and die? Seems like CPAC attendees got religion pretty quickly on COVID 19. When their parents are in respirators, will it finally dawn on these people that the only "fake news" is what comes out of Trump's mouth?
4
The real question becomes will the scales drop from Republican eyes so that they see Trump for what he really is?
And if that does happen; how quickly will the whirlwind of disgust rise and in what direction will it go?
Back in the day we used to wonder why so many Germans in the 1920's and '30's "fell" for Hitler. We no longer have to wonder; we only have to look at Trump and his "base" today.
7
"Trump could be making his most ardent supporters a petri dish of disease."
I believe the technical term for this is Darwin award winners.
4
“Business Insider” has published a briefing prepared by the American Hospital Association that forecasts 96 million corona virus cases and 460,000 deaths. See
https://www.businessinsider.com/presentation-how-hospitals-are-preparing-for-us-coronavirus-outbreak-2020-3
No doubt Trump and Pence aren’t paying attention
3
True true true
See you on November...4th
Former... president trump
1
All of what you say is true, and even that the virus won't be bent to Trump's will, but the horrifying truth is that the vast majority of his supporters won't care, they'll still support him, and find ways to place the blame on the "libruls".
This is what it must have felt like for those in the Middle Age who knew the earth wasn't the center of the universe, but the insistence by powerful forces that controlled public thinking and discourse held sway. Trump's "genius" was in learning the lessons of Hitler's Big Lie: tell a lie big enough, and convincingly enough, and repeat often enough, and people will believe it.
Anyone who thinks we're not on the cusp of losing our democracy to tyranny is deluding themselves. Our only hope may come from the coronavirus creating enough fear in Trump's followers that they finally turn on him.
4
He makes me sick!
2
We know the president is afraid of germs.
Amazing timing, this otherwise scary and unfortunate scourge. The incompetence and frightening disregard for facts by this administration is being noticed. I wish everyone ill a complete return to health...and hope in November, when Gd willing, the virus will be gone, all will remember this time and vote for new leadership.
3
No bigot want's to admit he's a bigot,That is why they refuse find anything wrong with Trump.The main reason they support Trump is he justifies their bigotry, it takes a bigot to know a bigot.
Bigots are mostly cowards and pick on the disenfranchised and minorities, ie: Blacks Hispanics,Muslims & Jews.
In summary the Trump base is nothing more than bigots who have found a Home with Trump.
Dear NYT:
Charles, why do you have to make very column -- never mind the subject matter -- about how bad Trump is?
Talk about gaslighting!
1
The Darwin awards will be overcome with candidates this year, as so many Trump supporters follow his advice to their death.
Amen brother
Trump needs to tap out and tag Dr Fauci to finish his term.
1
Everybody lies, but some liars lie all the time because they're really really good at lying. Being so good at lying, it's their "go to" way of dealing with everything. Nothing much wrong with what you wrote... In the end, the truth will come out. And, it's just as likely the best liars won't be the ones getting the worse of what happens. They usually get so old that it ceases to matter, die, move to a country without extradition, take the golden parachute out, etc. Liars lie because they're good at it and it works. It's the people who believe them who are the real problem. Followers of Mao, Hitler, Manson... "Fool me once..."
1
The New Your Times needs to read and heed this Opinion Piece. Calling out Trump's blatant and obvious lies, rather than just regurgitating them in news articles would be a good first step in actual reporting, as opposed to the current sycophantic groveling.
1
Yes I can gas light any enveloped virus including Coronavirus or at least my immune system can with all the help I can get to reduce the numbers of viruses getting close to me. The deadly contagion is panic not Corona virus. In fact, I would dare Corona virus to come close to me uno to uno (one to one) or even 12 of the Corona viruses to one of me and my immune system, I remain confident will not only defeat and disrupt the virus into individual proteins but my immune system will develop a memory of an elephant, to do the same to the millions that could attack me in the future.
It is a sunny day here Louisville and I happened to shop for a couple of items. I am pleased to inform the world that in Costco, Walmart and Loew's the consumer confidence with mobs stocking up of all the items they need to quench thirst for a thousand years. I got a feeling that all people are going to be doing in the years to come is stay at home puke (absorbent paper towels) , poop (toilet paper and diapers), drink water (water bottles cases) and eat all that is stocked up. There is a good reason why the USA should not depend on China for its supply chain. The demand of Corona shopping has reached sky high and the supply will be unable to meet the demand. Last week end I reported there are no more masks available. Today I am reporting there is a scarcity of sanitizers and shelves look empty. Kind of looks like the shelves in grocery stores in Russia when I visited Moscow in 1999.
1
President Trump will be re-elected if he proves to Americans he is sincere in fighting the coronavirus. He needs to continue to consult with the medical experts and follow their expert advice. He needs to have testing kits available which he appears to be doing. He does care about the well being of Americans and is doing an excellent job on fighting this outbreak. He will not sit on his laurels during these very trying times. We must do our part and listen to the experts and follow their advice.
Trump and his administration downplay the seriousness of the spread of coronavirus have serious consequences. The tumbling of the stock market is a clear indication that at least some Americans are panicking. Trump cannot talk it away.
I am an Asian American and have kept up with the news about COVID-19 in Asian countries. I have been alarmed by how the US government has taken the disease lightly. Earlier I was viewed as an alarmist, lectured by others not to spread panic. Now I, not only have to worry about the spread of the virus, but also worry that Asian Americans being viewed as virus carriers. In a time of stress, people (especially Trump supporters) tend to blame "foreigners," or "color people" instead of Trump's failure for the plight they experience.
5
Probably the most inhuman statement he has made this week was about the Grand Princess, offshore with 21 infected patients that need to be hospitalized. Rather than helping those in great need, he doesn’t want to mess with his numbers because of one ship being counted as a hot spot.
Then throw in calling the Governor of Washington a snake, his true colors are on full display.
How can any semi intelligent person view this man as a moral, upstanding person?
Tell us Charles, what is the percentage of our electorate is actually Republican and Democrat? Having such high “numbers” for him amongst Republicans truly is gaslighting. This ain’t a hoax, folks.
7
It's odd that trump doesn't care about the people who support him the most. Elderly voters, the Southern tier voters in Red States, the poorly educated and the supremely confident rich people are all just as vulnerable to death by Covid 19 as any progressive. It's getting harder and harder for the GOP to "drive down the numbers of voters" to balance things out if hundreds of thousands of trump's supporters die between now and election day. The virus doesn't care about election strategy.
2
The coronavirus and oil shock are figments of your imagination. Did you see Trump's inauguration crowd size? It was the biggest ever. The biggest gathering of people in world history, some say.
We are living the End of Days.
5
Trump will have a much more difficult time, because now he has a record to defend. Stuff like closing down the flu epidemic team setup by Obama, because he didn’t think it was needed. Let him defend himself about stuff like that in a debate with Biden.
Last time he was mister big shot. This time he will be a stammering little liar.
3
As to this mass of fools who believe (or perhaps, as a perverted tribal ritual, claim they believe) Trump is honest and upstanding, an early Republican leader named Lincoln had their number: "You can fool some of the people all of the time."
2
Trump is the man that a minority of voters elected to draw their weather maps and negotiate with Kim Jong-un.
We all know how those worked our.
Now he is directing our efforts against the coronavirus.
Soon he will be appearing in public wearing orange hazmat suits.
Where are the 25th Amendment to the Constitution and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment when we really need them?
6
You can tell from his casual dress that he doesn't take any of this seriously. It's another opportunity for him to wear his campaign slogan on his hat in front of some cameras. Shameful.
3
Retired MD, here. I likely know 10,000 times more infectious disease than Trump does. In turn, the virologists at the CDC and WHO know 10,000 times more than I do.
Trump is a Bozo, falling within Swanson’s Law of Bozo Medicine. I learned early Never Let a Bozo Touch Your Patient. Why? You don’t know whether they are right or wrong, and, lacking clinical judgement, you can’t take that risk on behalf of your patient.
Ignore, please, every statement from Trump on anything medical. Leave this to the pros at the CDC and WHO. They at least are smart enough to say they don’t know everything. I will toe the CDC line at www.cdc.gov. Plus, I’ve told my contract cleaner to stay away if she’s ill ... and I will pay her to do so.
What do I expect? This will be a bumpy ride. The economics of it will be bad, short term. But they’ll be worse long term if we dither. And yes, my crystal ball is in the shop again.
Do what the epidemiology ppl at WHO and CDC say. If, and only if, we do that, we may dodge the bullet and see this fizzle. Then, of course, the Bozo will say the pros were wrong, when they were actually right.
4
Trump has been a con man all of his life.
You may be able to con the people the way that many authoritarian cult leaders have done through history.
And unfortunately, there is usually a very high price to pay for trusting them.
You can’t con a virus.
3
I wish that Bloomberg was in charge
1
Trump's complicity in the spread of coronavirus that is deadly is a criminal act worthy of impeachment.
The only good news is Republicans are more likely to get sick than Democrats since they believe him and aren't taking the precautions Democratic voters will.
It's difficult to read the news anymore because it's all so terribly depressing.
The presidency has been coopted by an ignorant racist who hasn't a clue how to govern effectively and America's standing in the world has fallen, which is the opposite of what Trump promised.
2
Let's remember all those same spineless cowards - Congressional Repubs ("gas Mask Gaetz") - who simply enable and make excuses for this incompetent fool in our Oval Office. Where are the voices of truth & trust?
3
71 percent of right-leaning Americans think Trump is honest. That level of ignorance, not necessarily Trump himself, represents an existential threat to our republic. They have become cultists, immune to fact and common sense. This is more than sad, it is pathetic.
6
Our economy is expected to continue to tank today. Maybe Trump has some special genius to stop that? He certainly is the master of virus. How many days of this is left? November. January. "Click fast forward"
1
Covid 45 - worse than Covid 19.
2
I don't wish this virus on anyone, but it would be interesting to see how Fox News spins it if one or more of their on-air personalities suddenly falls ill.
1
Charles - glad to see that you're finally off your diatribes about how racist Mike Bloomberg is because of stop and frisk. But your column leaves out the part about Trump being a much worse racist than Bloomberg. He is all of that, and more.
But, to your column... how in the world can ANYONE think Trump is intelligent? Are these people just comparing him to themselves? And they think Trump is honest? Really?
Trump supporters are not just brainwashed, they're willingly brainwashed. And eagerly brainwashed. What motivates these people to have these kinds of beliefs? Do they really identify with Trump's trash TV persona so strongly that they believe he can do no wrong? Have they no shame?
Trump supporters don't come from the same part of America I do. I'm beginning to wonder if they come from America at all.
4
Sure, Trump can gaslight a virus. But only to his base, the Fox News viewer who will believe literally anything. Liberals can ridicule them, but they hold the Congressional majority and will continue to do so.
I was finishing up at work one day with a fellow coworker (a Black man) during the Obama years. A few people at work hated Obama. I said to my coworker, you know why these people and some of those in the general public hate Obama, answer: because he is a Black man, prejudice is the underlying reason. I have the said the same thing about Trump supporters, especially when they say he makes me feel good. How could Trump make anyone feel good, he is the antithesis of a decent human being. The only plausible reason he makes his supporters feel good, is because he gives license to their prejudices. They do not have to live in the shadows with their thoughts of hate. Secretary Clinton, when running for President, used the phrase "deplorable people" to describe some of those supporting Trump. The word was appropriate then as it is now. Trump's supporters are coopted into wreaking infectious calamity on the general public, not only because they are deplorable, but also because they are dumb.
4
This truly astonishing response to the virus shows the unbelievable ineptitude, incompetence and sheer buffoonery of this president, concerned only with his political survival at the expense of the citizens he’s supposed to protect. I am embarrassed for our country.
2
The coronavirus is airborne, but not airwaves born - so Fox & bullies can't stop it by amplifying Trump's lies - their human to human transmission is weaker than the virus's
1
Can you say “many Republicans and many Democrats” instead of “Republicans and Democrats”? This concrete grouping adds to polarization and is, in fact, a form of prejudice.
Thanks!
“Well, I just don’t think — I just don’t think that somebody is going to — without seeing something, like we saw something happening in China,” Mr. Trump said. “As soon as they saw that happening, they essentially — not from the White House. I mean, you know, we don’t need a lab in the White House. But they saw something happening.”
What we have here is a pathetic, sick man at the helm; how far he takes us down remains to be seen, but no one should expect a deus ex machina.
3
Well written, Mr. Blow. I especially agree with the self-centeredness observation.
Can someone explain what “gaslight” means in the verb form? I’ve heard this used somewhere else but can’t recall where.
@Undecided
Lying to someone in a way that makes them doubt their own sanity & good sense.
1
Gaslight: to manipulate someone by psychological means into questioning their own sanity. From the film “Gaslight,” in which a husband does just that to his wife.
I'm frankly tired of coddling a base of ignorant people who would rather suffer a horrible virus than admit they may have made a mistake in voting in a con man. Con men lie. That is their DNA.
Unfortunately, Trump has no snake oil that will combat the Corona. If Trump Country sees that as Fake News, I wish them well. But God and Guns will not protect you.
2
Charles, so far you and the rest of NYT team failed very badly in analyzing what Trump is capable to accomplish and his ability to survive all these attacks. FYI the virus is hurting the economy, citizens and organizations. This virus is not working in favor the democratic party . The president may politically survive this but a lot of folks won't. I would suggest you to write about something else.
The similarities between this administration's reponse to this crisis, and the aftermath of Katrina cannot be overlooked.
Remember the victims left to stew in filth and germs in the Superdome? Remember "Heckuva job Brownie"?
1
Gaslight a virus? Maybe not. But it appears you can gaslight 40-45 million voters.
1
Trump fiddles while the USA burns.
I see he's at his Florida bunker throwing a party for a Fox news person.
It seems that he would rather be attending a party than setting up a strategic room at the White House to combat the epidemic.
This is truly a damnable crying shame..........
2
I woke up this morning to read that Trump it tweeting epithets against Schumer, Warren, and Biden and nothing about Convid-19. Donald Trump is Nero fiddling while Rome burns. His total incompetence in dealing with this rapidly advancing national emergency is far greater reason to remove him from office than his bribery and extortion of Zelensky.
2
“Democrats are about twice as likely as Republicans to say the coronavirus poses an imminent threat to the United States,” Lesson: do not shake hands with Republicans, they donxt care if they pas on the infection that their cult leader says is not really much of a threat.
1
The coronavirus outbreak here in the U.S. has proven what an inept president and administration we currently have. Do not listen to the fools. Time to get someone in the White House who cares about the health of Americans and who will appoint an intelligent administration. Enough of this "snake oil" presidency
The Romans had Nero fiddling while Rome burned; we have Trump golfing as the virus spreads.
3
"So none of the tricks that Trump has learned and deployed will work against this virus."
I'm afraid you may have spoken too soon. The moment it becomes clear to Trump that his "this-will-blow-over-soon" take is failing in the face of rising infection and death rates, he will switch to inventing villains to blame and demonize for the catastrophe he has enable. If Trump lets Barr know that investigating how Anthony Fauci's ties to the Democratic deep state are linked to his "failure" to contain the virus, who really thinks Barr won't leap to the task?
1
One of the more puzzling realities of my 79 years is the fact that a significant percentage of Americans believe that Trump is intelligent. With a vocabulary that would shame a middle-school dropout, an inability to grasp scientific concepts, a total absence of intellectual curiosity, and a penchant for lying so transparent that even a fellow dimwit ought to be able to see through him; he is a mammoth neon-sign visible with the naked eye from the moon of a simpleton. Shame on everyone who supports this self-serving, dimwitted grifter and all-around horrid human being.
5
Wait Charles,don't forget who his supporters are. He'll use his tried and true techniques to do it again. Then brag about it. "People are saying". "Fake news". Insult. Name call. Blame Biden. Blame Obama. Blame democrats. Rely on Fox news boys and girls.Distract. Make up things,news,figures,history. And so on and so forth.
Yes you can’t gaslight a virus. You can however misreport it and drum it up into hysterical imbecility. Silence virologists, pressure WHO, use it to force a market correction and commercially push for sanitization products to fly off the shelves. We’ve now seen what media can do; this publication included.
I have no doubt that the Incompetent In Chief and his acolytes will find a way to drum up more incoherent blame of "liberals" Democrats and others for the virus.
I say that the Republicans and the Orange Man should be called to account, every day in every way, for their gross negligence, their dereliction of duty and for putting more people in harms way.
They are violating their responsibilities to protect the people and that should be shouted out loudly and clearly.
1
His worshippers will claim it's all a hoax. Then they and their older relations will start dropping like flies at which point it will change from hoax to deep state conspiracy.
Lemmings, all of them.
1
John Pavolitz wrote You Can't Gaslight a PandemicDonalt on his website in February:
https://johnpavlovitz.com/2020/02/27/you-cant-gaslight-a-pandemic-donald/
This article was viral on the internet. I did not see credit given to John in this opinion piece.
Wearing a childish hat, to big in size, with that hilarious slogan(obviously he didn't reach his goals in three years, otherwise why still wearing it) in a lab says it all. It is just a clown....
Trump refused the testing kits from the WHO.
Why?
1—the lesser the test, the lower the number of cases
2—someone is going to profit bigly if the US creates its own test kits
3—a manufactured test kit will be prone to manipulation (as in faulty results leading to, you guessed it, lower number of cases.)
The good news is that the economy is now proving to be resistant to Trump’s lies — after the “doctors cannot believe how much I know about this virus that they said I must be a natural,” markets are still tanking worldwide.
Yeah, you are a natural. A natural liar.
Animal to human transmission by "bush meat" is even worse in Africa, where Ebola and AIDS originated. Regardless of what Covid does, there is little doubt there is more to come.
The irony, of course, is that those who vote for anti-science liars are more likely to bear the brunt of these epidemics.
Liar? "Everyone will all have health insurance and they will like it."
Great column Mr. Blow. I guess I feared that once Bloomberg dropped out of the race you wouldn’t be able to write about stop and frisk and would have to take several months off.
I was wrong. Good piece.
2
One added problem Trump and the whole hideous crew of them are probably totally unaware of is that just looking at them, hearing them in a crisis such as this generates visceral fear. I saw a headline where one of them said they have it under control. It genuinely petrified me. At this point there is nothing they say that can be believed. There is nothing they can do that anyone will have even the remotest confidence that they know what they are doing. They are not only mean, arrogant, they are also ignorant and incompetent. I think the first thing they need to do is self-quarantine. This includes not saying one word in public. They need to totally disappear for the duration. Even one word from any one of them would send the country back into a tailspin.
2
I think the results of the polls you cite show clearly that the republicans are by far the biggest threat to this country’s future, Mr. Blow.
3
You would think this administration's legions of older people (okay, white men) would be more concerned.
They are the virus's target age demographic.
Charles Blow, keep writing. We need your voice. Thank you.
Charles on default again, finding something else on which to crucify Trump. First it was the Mueller Report, then Ukraine, then Impeachment, and now....Coronavirus, which will be gone in the spring.
You're getting boring, Charles, but I'm sure you're being paid well to be outraged. And I'm sure you'll be doing even better with book deals and speaking engagements during Trump's second term.
You are a beneficiary of the Trump bump!
Trump supporters tend to be older. Even if Trump doesn't care if they get sick, he has to care about them dying. A dead person cannot vote.
It will be interesting to see if the percentage Republicans who believe in Trumpo’s honestly, morality and sagacity is inversely proportionate to the growing number of Coronavirus cases in America and deaths caused by the virus.
It will be interesting to see if Trumpo’s propaganda machine, Foxy News, will continue to tow the Trumpo disinformation line when the result will literally be virus’s unchecked propagation in segments of his supporters who believe that the pandemic is but a liberal media hoax.
Trump can't bully the virus. Trump can't bribe the virus. Trump can't con the virus. His shallow playbook falls short. We need an actual leader, not a reality TV show host.
Instead of offering leadership, he offers venom in calling governor Enslee a snake. That is why we Americans are panicking and my young children are scared! All Caps!
Trump is a two bit huckster with a malignant personality disorder. Without treatment it won't change. The mental disorder was apparent to New Yorkers for decades. It was apparent when he rode down the escalator. As he lies and thinks of himself daily. Everyday we read another manifestation of his disease. The joke is on "us." What befuddles and scares me are the numbers presented here of Republican voters who think this man is honest, caring, and diligently meeting their needs. Time to stop complaining about Trump and go after the key enablers: McConnell, McCarthy, Barr, Graham, et al. Trump is a clown. The sycophancy is insidious.
1
Best opinion headline this year.
1
Trump is finished.
Under the circumstances, voters will not return to office some who cares for nothing or no one other than himself.
The only question now is how many of his Republican enablers will go down with him? Let's hope it's an across-the-board rout.
3
Well said. "This is about him, only, always."
1
Viruses are random bits of evolution imposed on the living.
Those who don't believe in evolution, much less science, are the most likely in the long run to feel their effects.
3
The American view of Trump polarized between Democrat/bad and Republican/good is unique to the USA. Everyone else in the rest of the western world sees him for what he is. In Europe he is regarded as an incompetent buffoon The only people who might think otherwise are far right politicians like Orban, LePen and Salvini who have every reason to want to share in his limelight.
4
Honestly, people who think that Trump is smart, honest, and moral deserve him. If I had a magic wand, I would create planet MAGA, ship all the Trump supporters over in star freighters, and make Trump that world's immortal God Emperor for all of time. The people who put this guy in power deserve to have him in power, especially during a pandemic and a stock market crash.
But the rest of us - the majority, might I add - don't deserve Donald Trump's "leadership." And that's the problem.
6
see, the question isn't whether or not his response to the virus with hurt people and get people killed. It's whether his supporters will notice or care.
3
Trump is not the first nor the last to gaslight the nation, democrats, republicans and the media have been doing it for decades, if not forever. Trump is but the most absurdly obvious of the gaslighters. Showing that it takes relatively little to sway the simpleton serfs of the good ol' US of A.
Joe Biden will blubber equally disingenuous and irrelevant things, but the media will act as if his random ramblings are the sign of a deep mind. "What a thinker" they will say, "a true strategical genius".
What will happen with this virus is what will happen regardless of any action by any government.
I think you'll be able to get a few people upset because Trump wears his disdain for other humans most prominently in these times. For a few it will be a revelation, which is disappointing, since they should have seen it long ago.
And if it does miraculously disappear he'll be hailed as a genius. So, what am I to hope for? It seems the "best" outcome is that the virus fizzles, but the economic damage has already been done, and we plunge into global recession. Of course then he'll point the finger at the virus, and liberals "overreaction." So, what am I to hope for? A REAL miracle? Maybe.
1
His supporters have been accused of voting for "revenge" because he upsets the left and those who read.
Now Covid-19 is not 'real' and another conspiracy against his majesty which may force him, again, to file for bankruptcy.
4
Trump will gaslight the nation but I wonder how freaked out he was privately to know that he shook hands with someone at CPAC who had direct contact with an infected person?
4
"Trump is a lying machine"
Yes, absolutely, Mr. Blow. It's the thing that bugs me the most about Trump. None of us, left or right, would accept that behavior from family members, co-workers or even casual acquaintances. But somehow it's okay for the President to constantly lie to the American people?
Now the chickens are coming home to roost, because Trump can't lie his way out of the coronavirus.
5
Trump is an extreme narcissist without any empathy and real feeling for people.
He is also a true demagogue who scorns science and ridicules expertise. He is ill prepared to deal with a real healthcare crisis since he thinks primarily about his own political success and in demagogically rousing his political base with slogans and epithets. He lacks the intellectual honesty and capacity, the political courage, and the open mindedness to reassure the public and to create the proper Federal response, policies, and leadership to deal effectively with this crisis.
4
A second virus that we are experiencing is Trump and it can seriously destroy the world leadership position in the world.
2
"How can Trump supporters be so obtuse?"
They've got religion.
2
Trump telling Americans that the Coronavirus isn't a threat reminds me of Tariq Aziz. Aziz famously went on TV telling the Iraqi people that Baghdad had not been invaded, while, on the screen behind him, American tanks were seen rolling into Baghdad.
3
Love the last sentence!
Trump will continue being Trump, no matter how bad this health crisis becomes. He is incapable of changing, and those working around him serve at his pleasure, which means they must enable Trump to be Trump. His defiant attitude is, If you don't like what I'm doing, or the way I'm doing it, impeach me.
1
I know, I know.
But I still find it astonishing that a large majority of Republicans consider Trump intelligent and honest.
What kind of virus killed off these people’s brains?
Is it a failing of American education or a failing of human nature that people confuse smart-alecky with smart?
Is it a failure of American culture or of human empathy that so many Republicans view a serial adulterer and cheating businessman as honest?
This virus is adding to human misery. But how do we address the misery of greed and selfishness that is Trump and his supporters? Can we quarantine them also?
3
Ted Cruz is going to self quarantine after coming into contact with someone who has the Coronavirus.
Please let that sink in.
Do we thing he believes Trump and his alternate universe reality about this being nothing?
This virus does not care if you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent.
Cruz will have access to what Trump and Republicans want to deny Americans.. healthcare, paid for by us.
Maybe Cruz can get appointment with Dr. Trump since he knows so much "medical."
4
The truth is a funny place. It just is, like gravity. You can argue for and against gravity, but gravity will do what it’s going to do regardless of any opinion.
The shame of all of this is that it took a major crisis to show Trump for what he really is with the potential of the deaths of Americans to prove it to be true.
It’s not like we didn’t know what Trump really is. It’s just that there has to be this crisis to confirm it.
Trump is a horrible, incompetent, borderline evil man that should never ever have reached the position that he now holds. It’s the shame of the Republican Party, for the sake of power, privilege and career, that they would enable him and justify his incompetence.
More than anything a virus, of all things, has exposed the brokers of injustice; these creepers of politics and politicians that will do anything and say keep what they have and get more.
What a terrible time it is for America. May the good people that work in dangerous places to try and save others and keep everyone safe be the real heroes of the country.
Most certainly and painfully obvious now, it is not Trump and it is not those who follow and believe in his lies.
3
All true, honorable Mr. Blow. I just wonder, though, what level of authority, what instance of rationale will be able to stop or prevent further spread of Trump's disturbed take on reality which seems to recruit new followers daily. It's a clear consequence of Trump's narcissistic web that instills fear of those close to him who rather choose obsequience than being his enemy. Trump is a wart of the human psyche and will bring out the worst in all around him - solely to his own benefit.
3
How will Trump be able to continue gaslighting his supporters after Coronavirus starts running through crowds at his rallies? When his supporters without health insurance start getting sick, how will Pence explain the shortage of tests and the administration’s bending of the truth to suit their ends?
Sooner or later this virus will make a liar of Trump in the most indisputable way.
3
Nearly 20% of Democrats think he’s intelligent? Amazing.
And he’s a much more dangerous virus than coronavirus or any other and the only cure is to make sure we vote him out in November.
2
It's time Trump's minions who have reached exasperation at his pooh-poohing of this crisis take a stand and mass-resign. And all the people I know who love Trump only because their portfolios have burgeoned should be sufficiently exasperated to not cast their votes again for a president who is as incompetent as he is self-absorbed. Trump has failed miserably at the most important job he has: to keep this nation as safe and secure as possible.
2
It occurs to me that as an ex-pat living and currently not teaching[covid-19 has us shutdown indefinitely] at a 10,000+ University in a suburb of Hanoi, my current views of the President have been sharpened by the lies he tosses around just as the leaves come down in the fall.
My thinking follows a simplistic approach; how can the President of a modern nation which here-to-fore has strived to be thought of as that shining city on the hill, now extend his lies and obfuscation to disputing the veracity of such eminent scientists as Doctor Gallo and numerous other medical persons.
All because he seeks his own reelection he will further diminish and contradict the above knowledgeable people and further weaken the immutable truths of the current global situation.
Somehow and in some way, his inaccuracies regarding the Corona-19 are light-years of more significance than his more usual white-lies and real lies that he utters daily.
3
For three years, sentient Americans have worried Trump would drag us into war and thereby reveal his utter incompetence. Who could have suspected a microbe, for heaven’s sake, would be the catalyst to expose the pathalogical narcissist for the ignorant bumbler he really is? As for the GOP and Trump’s diehard followers: There is none so blind as him who will not see. Wilfull blindness won’t protect them against the fallout of all they choose not to see.
2
To play devil's advocate:
"Sixty-two percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents see Trump as morally upstanding. This is a... married man whom multiple women have accused of sexual misconduct, and at least one has accused of rape. This is a man... who was outed for paying off women who claimed to have had extramarital affairs with him..."
When confronted by this, those Republicans and 'always trumpers' will simply repeat this statement, except substituting the name Clinton for Trump.
And they wouldn't be wrong.
1
Some of what Trump is doing reminds me of how AIDS was handled in the beginning. AIDS was considered to be a gay disease and payback for the sin of being a gay human being. America wasn't the only country to make that mistake. However, our foolish prejudices and ignorance about the LGTBQ community and science were epic and led to many ignorant statements and horrific mistakes.
We learned from sad experience that AIDS could infect people who needed transfusions, were hemophiliacs, were drug users, were prostitutes, were the wives of the husbands who went to prostitutes, and so on down the line. Sexual transmission was the least of it. The only reason it popped up first in the gay community was because of how alienated they were from medical care. (And that's not what happened in some of the other countries. For them it started in the "straight" community.)
Reagan was president when it started to show up in the United States. He ignored it as long as he could. His surgeon general didn't. For that C. Everett Koop was demonized. I hope we don't have repeat of that with Trump but I'm afraid that his ignorance, combined with the attitudes of the GOP and the other Trump supporters will lead to a repetition. Ignorance is not how to fight a disease. Nor is narcissism or lying.
3/8/2020 9:03pm first submit
4
So well written. So true. Sadly, if you only get your “news” from Fox News, then you really live in an alternate reality. Fox News is really comparable to Russia’s and North Korea’s state run media, as it is endorsed by Trump, and it also endorses him.
Do not forget, Trump is a self avowed non-reader. He admits to not reading books. He is the most uneducated president we have ever had. He is ignorant in almost every subject except for real estate. His narcissism influences every decision he makes. History will look back at this presidency in a similar way as we look back at the Dark Ages. His constant and unfiltered lies are appalling. It saddens me that no one in the Republican Party can stand up to him. As a physician it pains me to see the CDC fear him. Hopefully, and soon, the CDC will do what is necessary and right to contain this virus.
1
When the virus recedes, Trump will attempt to take the credit.
2
The Evangelicals need to be convinced that the Coronavirus was sent by God to remove Trump from the White House.
To me, an atheist, it seems the likely cause.
3
"Trump is as much a public health threat as the virus itself" but not just because of his failed leadership. His true "glory" is his corruption, incompetence and his attempt to destroy the institutions of our great country.
2
DECENCY! Trump has no decency, he must be deported from the presidency.
2
In my view Trump and his supporters would not care for a second if a million Americans were to die from this virus if he could spin it as fake news.
2
I just had an extremely heated discussion with my very Republican in-laws about the corona virus, the potential consequences in the U.S. and Donald Trump's role. My position was: he is impeding honest progress and communication in re the disease. They told me I was making the current corona virus statistics up and maintained their position even after I showed them solid data around what is happening here and around the world. I give up. These people are very well educated retired professionals yet they are slaves to a man who couldn't care less about the people he was "elected" to serve. I can honestly say I lack respect for any individual who is still slobbering after Donald Trump and his agenda. He's shown us all, for decades, who he really is. If people are stupid enough to follow him down the sewer, so be it. But don't drag the rest of us down with you.
3
Funny choice of characterizations...
Thank you Mr. Blow for another insightful column!
At this point, anyone who watched the press event at the CDC this weekend and comes away NOT thinking this man is utterly insane is choosing to remain ignorant.
From his statement that he prefers a cruise ship full of Americans stay offshore so the number of exposed citizens stays low (which we know isn't really true anyway), to him attributing his advanced understanding of science and medicine to his "genius" uncle at MIT, the whole thing was totally bizarre and embarrassing.
1
Science always wins.
1
Many Evangelicals claim God sent Donald Trump in the White House.
So how do they explain the coronavirus? As way to test his mettle? So far at least, their Chosen One has not been up to the task. So how do that explain that? Or is this where they fall back on “Fake News”? Do they believe heir Chosen One is really doing a “perfect” job of protecting them and the country but the mainstream media refuses to say so? Or is it that the coronavirus is really nothing to worry about and the mainstream media is blowing it out of proportion in order to tank the economy and thus their “perfect” president?
Is there some point where their personal fear for themselves and their families comes face to face with their deification of their leader? How far does their faith in the almighty Trump truly extend? Can they really put Trump’s failure to protect their health and safety in the same category as his “boys will be boys” adultery?
1
Think about it. The "Stabile Genius" said this about the current pandemic while at the CDC: "“Who would have thought?” “Who would have thought we would even be having the subject?”
This is the same guy who said "Who knew healthcare was so complicated". (Everyone but him.)
When you have a president with the object permanence of a guppy running the government during the COVID-19 crisis it is no wonder the stock markets have dropped 8% already today.
3
Trump is a sorry example of a human being and a magnet for those like him.
1
I don't know why the New York Times does not add in every column about Republicans that Republicans make up a small percentage of U.S. voters. Democrats count about 42 million voters, compared to 30 million Republicans and 24 million independents (who tend to be more likely to vote Democratic).
There will always be a crackpot fringe in our country. Polls show some 12 million people believe lizards in human suits run our government. Some 66 million Americans believe aliens landed in Roswell, N.M.
2
Except for Mike Pence, who only says what Trump tells him to say, I have heard little if any support for the way Trump has handled the coronavirus crisis from any Republican Congressional leaders. They, like most people, probably are more concerned about how to actually deal with the virus rather than waste time paying any attention to what the whacko ignoramus in the Oval Office may have to say on the subject.
2
Trump has his “hunches;” well, here are mine. I have a hunch that we won’t see our germaphobe president shaking any more hands. I have a hunch that, since large resorts with monied guests who travel the world are or will be risky places to spend time, Trump will be furious that his desire to play golf at his resorts must war with his secret fear of contagion. I have a hunch that Trump will find excuses to appear by videoconference at his political rallies. I have a hunch that Trump will build a “clean room” for himself inside the White House, equipped wit N-95 masks, supplies, and many virus tests, and threaten anyone who is in a position to leak that information. The man who publicly claimed that the media has exaggerated the risks of Coronavirus will become increasingly terrified of succumbing to it.
3
It’s been a rough week for Donald Trump.
Stocks are slumping.
Joe Biden is surging.
The Coronavirus is spreading.
Being president can be complicated. Who knew?
4
Trump's powers are unlimited -- he just needs to come up with a clever nickname for coronavirus and keep hammering that on Twitter until it collapses, just as "little" Mike and "Pocahontas" Warren did. You just wait and watch. Combined with Pence's thoughts and prayers, the formula is unbeatable!
1
Trumpism is the virus; Biden is the vaccine and treatment.
1
Trump can pull a hat out of a rabbit and his supporters will call it magic.
2
Trump is a dangerous threat to public health. He is enabled by FOX who is entirely downplaying the outbreak , even giving false information. When will the GOP tell him to to stop? Will they ever?
As if there weren't enough reasons to vote Blue in November, this one is icing on the cake
Well now, the virus has spread via a Trump- attended CPAC event, Ted Cruz shook hands with an infrcted attendee and now Ted is in self imposed quarantine. Did Ted then shake Trumps hand? How far will the virus spread within that group? Gives new meaning to the phrase 'what goes around comes around'.
1
Trump's Administration isn't even equipped in the best of times. Ben Carson this morning, told George Stephanopoulos that a 72 hour plan was in progress as of Saturday, ready for Tuesday, on a contaminated ship, docking on Monday. Too bad for Carson, Stephanopoulos can add. Stephanopoulos was so exasperated with Carson's low key, dimwitted answers, I thought Stephanopoulos would knock him upside the head if he could've.
2
Trump doesn't gaslight in a vacuum, Fox is his megaphone.
Trump's weekend stays at his golf club, instead of at the White House during a growing and global health and financial crisis, is emblematic of his cowardly indifference, which Charles Blow shows. In 1963, during the trauma of JFK's murder, Lyndon Johnson hustled to the White House and immediately re-assured our stricken nation in a show of leadership quality. Ditto for George W. Bush after 9/11, when he called our nation together after NYC and Washington burned. Obama did the same after the terrible shock of young school kids having been mown down by gunfire in a Connecticut town. Trump is not aping these braver prior presidents. Instead of acting as a reassuring leader during the corona virus crisis, he is acting like s coward. He is holed up playing with his golf clubs instead of being hunched in the Oval Office or Situation Room trying to figure a way for our nation to cope with this crisis. His political tricks, as shown by Blow, are dead tricks.
2
Trump claims the bible is his favorite book. God knows that's a lie.
Trump has convinced Evangelicals to support him by using verses from the bible. The bible also documented pestilence visited upon Egypt to force Pharaoh to free the Hebrews. Since Evangelicals put a lot of credence in the bible I'm sure by now they believe that the coronavirus is an act of God sent in the midst of Trump's reelection. Truth and nothing else work against Trump's lies. But a virus, and dying people, especially those the age who attend Trump's rallies will now have to ask themselves if they're willing to be part of a petri dish in Trump's narcissism?
Good. Let Trump have his rallies. All it will take is one infected person and the whole pack will be quarantined...including Trump.
2
As the chief executive of the US government, Donald Trump is responsible for managing every national crisis. Trump’s virus and Trump’s crash need a credible president.
We don’t need a childish narcissist using every decision to make himself look better. We need facts but how can we believe
a pathological liar?
I’m staying home as much as possible until this virus passes.
Times reporter Peter Baker asked Trump if he would rethink having an Office of Pandemic Preparation in the White House (like the one that Trump shuttered in 2018); Trump responded:
"I just think this is something, Peter, that you can never really think is going to happen. You know, who — I’ve heard all about, 'This could be…' — you know, 'This could be a big deal,' from before it happened. You know, this — something like this could happen."
"But who would have thought? Look, how long ago is it? Six, seven, eight weeks ago — who would have thought we would even be having the subject? We were going to hit 30,000 on the Dow like it was clockwork. Right? It was all going — it was right up, and then all of a sudden, this came out."
"And the thing is, you never really know when something like this is going to strike and what it’s going to be. This is different than something else. This is a very different thing than something else."
"Well, I just don’t think — I just don’t think that somebody is going to — without seeing something, like we saw something happening in China. As soon as they saw that happening, they essentially — not from the White House. I mean, you know, we don’t need a lab in the White House. But they saw something happening."
---
Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.
Failure occurs when opportunity meets a complete lack of preparation.
Trump, aside from from his complete incoherence and inability to speak English, is an epic failure.
8
Lemmings generally do not fare well And Trump, leading them over the cliff, will shout "There is no cliff. It is a Chinese hoax!"
2
Instead of being the president that the country needs in a time of crisis, he has chosen to employ his worn political strategy: lying.
What it isn't strategy? What if Trump is a congenital liar, someone who, for reasons that are probably unfathomable to himself or to anyone who isn't a psychologist, just cannot tell the truth? After all, only a congenital liar will lie about things large and small even when there's no particular need.
Trump's supporters will happily go to their graves wrapped in their shrouds of hate and ignorance.
We failed to rid ourselves of Trump despite a noble effort. Now we will all pay the price.
1
Front page news this weekend in my local area; Melania is having a tennis pavilion built at the White House. Wow! And of course the Don was off golfing for the weekend. I think we’re living in an alternate reality.
1
He didn’t know the flu kills people??? He doesn’t even know his own family history. The ignorant, selfish bubble he lives in must be nice for him and all his sycophants. Too bad this virus doesn’t care. Meanwhile in Seattle, we don’t have those luxuries.
8
Great stuff
Trump can't gaslight a virus, but virus doesn't vote! Already, a woman told a reporter she didn't believe we have an epidemic, it's all a hoax!
What is more scary and sobering thought is that Trump supporters support him because they are just like him! Have we consider that? These fellow Americans are dishonest, unintelligent, racist, xenophobic....all that describes Trump!
These Americans cannot be persuaded with facts or logic. They can only be out voted. Democrats, progressives, please, please get your act together, vote!
6
As sad as it is that we have a President who is a narcissistic liar and philanderer it’s equally sad that his base of republicans support this behavior.
5
"Only science, honesty, prudence and genuine concern for public safety will work now."
******
Sadly enough, far too many GOP voters will ignore science, see opposition to Trump's statements as just being dishonest, and that they feel very safe as they haven't had the virus in their area yet.
They well may begin to question Trump's lies and attitude if and when the numbers rise, the deaths rise, and it gets closer to their areas. But, given all that they have ignored so far, I figure they will blame the media for not warning them of the danger.
2
They will Charles, they will. They'll say that they stopped it. When it isn't true, they say that they slowed it. When that isn't true, they'll say it was unstoppable and they saved millions of lives. They will use it to advance a border wall, slash immigration, harass blue cities for homelessness and deploy a draconian ICE force all to stop the coronavirus that Democrats paved the way for with their liberal values. They will say impeachment distracted the government and anyway liberals want the disease to be here to boost their poll numbers. They will lie, and lie, and lie again. But more pointedly, President Trump has ordered the government to be uninformed about the crisis. He said in plain English "I don't need the numbers to go up." Not I don't *want* the numbers to go up. So he will radically undercount the virus and virus deaths. This will ensure, for certain, that coronoavirus will be with us for the long haul and will become endemic unless natural factors about the virus intercede to save us. But they will show us how to gaslight a virus.
6
People! All the sanitizers and hand wipes in the world will not kill one single virus! All those products are bactericides, not viricides!
Use Betadine, or a copy thereof. Povidone-Iodine, 10%. There's a reason that surgical scrubs are iodine based. Iodine kills every pathogen know to man, including the very had to kill fungal spores.
This was researched after the Spanish Flue pandemic in 1918. They wanted to find ways to prevent the spread in advance of another pandemic. Like now.
When the noses of mice were swabbed with iodine and put in a virus infected environment, they did not die. The unswabbed mice did.
I have researched this, all the information is from PubMed peer reviewed papers. Not from the Oprah-Oz College of Medicine.
2
Mr. Blow I think there's another virus just as dangerous out there that's been infecting America for the last three years. Perhaps more dangerous because it's killing Democracy. It's the Trump Virus of Belief. I think four more years of it and there won't be anything left of American Democracy.
8
trump is the Christian champion. they see their highest values on display - they see themselves in him. its no surprise there....Christians who are not like trump are outliers. I see no evidence of the contrary. he will win again (I hope I am wrong on this - but it looks like the electoral college will give him 4 more). his re-election will be the true pandemic for America and we blindly look away.
after these stats with how conservatives view him as intelligent and honest...I am even more suspect of any stranger I ever meet....I immediately assume a 7th grade mentality....if you are offended here...well I am too.
2
The Trump Titanic is filled with cult members who will happily go down with Trump's ship of guns, ignorance, greed, Know-Nothingism, epic selfishness and contempt for learning, expertise, science, the common good and the taxes to pay for it.
The good news is that we vastly outnumber them.
Let's prove it on November 3 2020.
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance !"
11
If republicans aren’t following the advice of health professionals but democrats are then maybe natural selection will weed the republicans out. More likely the republicans failing to follow medical advice will prove to be a whole class of disease vectors
2
As a derivatives trader I forecast outcomes based on human behavior. As coronavirus expands in the US, the 29 million people w/o insurance will fail to receive adequate treatment. In addition, the undocumented will avoid hospitals due to fear of deportation. Sickness will explode until these people head to the ER.
The number of hospitals in the US has dwindled because the uninsured cannot pay. The remaining will be overwhelmed but protective suits are also in short supply so nurses will refuse to show up for work or become sick themselves.
Next, our woefully inept president will send in the national guard which is not trained to handle CV nor has protective gear.
The sequence then follows to the insurance industry. Facing monumental losses, this group will file bankruptcy leaving the insured w/o benefits but while this mayhem unfolds, the supply chain will continue to contract. Observing America's feckless response, confidence in the dollar will decrease causing its status as reserve currency to free fall.
The root cause of this inexorable sequence of events is an election process that allows unqualified, mentally unstable people to achieve power. Trump isn’t the first worthless parasite to be elected, but he came along when supply chains were inextricably linked to one another.
Trump is the infected spore that caused a chain of events which ended US dominance as we've known it since WW II. At a time when we needed Eisenhower, we have a circus clown.
5
Gaslight is the perfect metaphor! Because like Ingrid Bergman I am beginning to think I am “going crazy.” It’s not because of what Trump says or does. We know the kind of person he is and how he operates - we knew it before he became President. What makes me feel so disturbed and dismayed is seeing all the other people around him, both hired and fired, if not outright defending him then making excuses for him. It’s like there was an open casting call for the newest soap opera - The Emperor Has No Clothes - and people I had regarded as defenders of truth and integrity ran to audition and were all hired. I can’t believe scientists, diplomats and officials just stand there at news conferences or the CDC and don’t contradict his false or misleading statements; if not in the moment then later. Even Fiona Hill, who was so strong in standing her ground at the impeachment hearings, seemed to be deflecting criticism of Trump on 60 Minutes last night. Thank goodness for Ms. Stahl for pointing this out! Trump truly is now “Gaslighter-in-Chief.” He has EVERYONE wondering who they can believe anymore. And that is making me feel “crazy” upset.
2
A whole lot of these GOP supporters consider themselves to be Christian. I guess they, like Trump, have never actually been in a church. It would seem Trump is more morally honest, and intelligent than the majority of his supporters.
1
The hurricane in Puerto Rico showed that Trump doesn't care if the old, the poor, and brown people die. They are just expendable nuisances. It is pretty difficult to get the mortality rate to rise for infants, maternal women, and indeed all groups in the richest country in the world. Trump did it!
Congratulate the next Republican you meet!
1
Trump can’t twitter his way through this one. A virus doesn’t listen to words, it doesn’t read what’s posted on twitter by this guy, it’s a virus that can kill millions. He has no control on this narrative. Trump has met his match. If he was as smart as he stated he is, he should allow the medical and scientific personnel to do their jobs. They are the experts. Without any interference from this stable genius then maybe this country has a chance to get through this without anymore deaths(highly unlikely). Families are grieving for their loved ones that have so far died from this. Can this man show at least a bit of empathy? Or his wife who is more concerned with building a tennis pavilion? Or celebrating a birthday party for his son’s girlfriend? These families who have lost their loved ones can never celebrate another birthday. Does Trump care about this? Highly unlikely. Trump will continue to be what he has always been, a liar.
1
This is too scary to even try and make a comment on- thank you for putting into words what many are seeing.
2
Do we still have a Senate? Will the Republican senators continue to kiss Trump's tuchas when their constituents become infected? Will Addison Mitchell McConnell continue to support Trump when Kentuckians become ill? Will he continue to put forward more of Trump's "only the best people" to run our country? The virus breeds in the swamp Trump has created. How much longer will we the people wallow in his lies and self-agrandizement?
1
The Pew Research results said "while there is no subgroup of Republicans in which a majority says they like Trump’s personal conduct, those who have not attended college are about twice as likely as those with four-year degrees to express positive views of his conduct (40% vs. 19%)."
Trump loves the poorly educated....and the poorly educated love him.
Two peas in an ignorant pod: Trump and his voter base.
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance !"
America needs an IQ and decency boost.
11
Going back to Oedipus Rex, plagues are great equalizers. Wealth And status does not afford protection. The news yesterday brought the info that a person in attendance at the CPAC Convention was infected and Sen. Ted Cruz has chosen to self-quarantine for 14 days.
When the swine flu hit in 2009, Mr. Obama and others urged people to get the flu vaccine. Medical luminaries such as Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Donald Trump said not to do so. The result was that “red states” had higher infection rates and deaths than did “blue states”. Viruses don’t care about your political predilections, they are complex crystals that take advantage of the opportunities presented.
1
I watched an in depth interview of a neurobiologist that was researching sociopathy who accidentally discovered he was a sociopath. He had included his own brain scan in the study.
He was asked if his wife died, would he be sad. He said yes, but no more than if a neighbor down the street died.
This is a good example of how sociopaths view other humans as objects.
Based on publicly available data, Covid-19 seems to be deadliest to seniors and those with pre-existing conditions. Trump is an obese elderly man and a not-insignificant number of his followers are also seniors.
Trump and his supporters can bury their heads in the sand and try to evade reality, but somewhere along the line reality is going to catch up to them. It always does.
Charles, let the CDC handle the Covid-19 coming pandemic. Follow the recommendations of infectious disease experts, not Donald trump or Chuck Schumer. If Trump can be accused of not letting a crisis go to waste, you have fallen into the same trap.
@W. Ogilvie Is that the same CDC run by a darling of the Christian right (appointed by Trump) who seems to be nodding and grinning when Trump was wearing the RED hat and talking?? The same CDC who doesn't seem to be getting testing kits out when they have had a MONTH?? I think your confidence is misplaced when the CDC is being muzzled to keep the numbers low for Trump.
3
Depressing to read how many Republicans actually believe him to be smart and honest. Sheeesh.
1
Coronavirus does not scare
the likes of Donald Trump.
If thousands die, Trump won’t despair.
Such is life in a swamp.
1
I believe Trump was ridiculed by the press and everyone with any sense for disagreeing with the chief of the WHO about the 3.4% mortality rate he gave the virus; Trump figured it was around 1%. As I understand it, Trump had this correct. Whether or not this is really the case, isn't it unwise to presume, as here, that truth is always on your side.
In the end, Donald will realize that holding rallies will kill many of his voters who fit the "at risk" demographic. People hear what they want to hear. Their bias is reflected in this larger than life character who has dragged our nation through the looking glass. The other side is a filthy dirty mess. Sad that many will die to feed his ego.
1
If it wasn’t abundantly clear before, Mr. Blow’s column illuminates a truism for those willing to comprehend it: Trump is an existential threat to the health and well-being of ALL Americans, no matter their political affiliation.
Think about that, please, for just a moment. Trump’s malignant narcissism, coupled with his inability to tell the truth and accept any responsibility, *will (not ‘might’)* cost the lives of tens of thousands who buy into his lies; lies he tells effortlessly - not to reassure his faithful but to deceive them at their most vulnerable.
Call it what you will but I call that a form of treason as Trump knows very well what his lies will cost - and could care less.
3
Trump's willful ignorance has been on display for four years. There is no good reason to believe that will change. Will enough voters finally realize that he needs to be removed from office? I would not bet on it. +
2
I'm not sure I agree with the term 'gaslight' as it's used in this article. Gaslighting is purposely manipulating rational people to make them feel as if they're going insane. Trump is manipulating his supporters to make them feel their racism and extremely narrow world view are reasonable and sane.
I’m of the opinion that Trump voters lie to pollsters, other citizens and maybe even themselves. What Trump has taught them is that there is power in lying and power in gathering around a lie. The Trump and Republican voters are well aware that their positions are minority ones, and that Trump isn’t intelligent or honest, but by golly, just lying about that and everything else is still available and a means to power.
I think there’s little immediate downside to the Trump voters in pretending they don’t see the Trump lies and failures.
But with the corona virus, the Republicans and Trump voters will only pretend so much. Their lips say they aren’t worried but their stockpiling and sell offs and canceling plans tell how worried they are about having an incompetent narcissist in charge.
1
Viruses are a lot like Trump; they are only interested in their own perpetuation.
1
Trump is many things and not just a lying narcissist bully. What we are seeing and what his base will finally see as the coronavirus crisis unfolds is Trump's mental and emotional un-wellness necessary to be President in a time of national crisis that many including Jeb Bush predicted back in 2016.
Well, here we are.
We have a psychotic President (not hyperbole, Trump is quite delusional), that not only believes he knows more than the military generals, but is now contending he knows more than the virologists and epidemiologists. Jeb Bush warned us in 2016 that Trump represented chaos and that a chaotic President in the time of an international or national crisis would lead to utter disaster.
Again, here we are.
1
The article does not state clearly what questions were asked on the survey, however, I am assuming that the surveys only inquired about whether people think Trump is intelligent.
I disagree with the view that Trump is not intelligent. I have worked with people who have very little education or knowledge about anything outside of their work who were professionally successful and intelligent and in some cases highly intelligent. One person built a multi-million business and he had a sixth-grade education. He was highly intelligent and also ignorant about many things except for his knowledge of his business. He also had little interest in learning anything that did not directly relate to his business and strong uninformed opinions about everything.
Trump does not strike me as having a particularly curious mind and his focus in life has been to become a successful real estate developer and TV personality. He appears to have limited interest in understanding concepts or ideas that do not directly relate to his own self-interest. Those personality traits may cause him to stay ignorant of many things, but it has nothing to do with his intelligence. He has taken risks in business and had success and failures and he has managed to acquire great wealth and to outperform all challengers in the 2016 election. Apparently he was intelligent enough to become President. Our current choices for President make me wonder if we are all idiots.
@Jack he didn't acquire great wealth. He inherited great wealth. He then proceeded to loose the vast majority of it during the greatest economic expansions in history...
Start with $10 billion, end up with $2 billion net, is not good business.
3
Wait; 10% of Democrats and Democratic leaning voters think Trump is “intelligent”? We are doomed. The American electorate isn’t smart enough to maintain a democracy.
Hysteria and opportunism - thy name is the coronavirus.
More people die every day from starvation than have been killed in the last three months by the coronavirus. Yet, our leader - mayors, governors, presidents, etc - are acting as if we are beset by the likes of the bubonic plague. I am appalled at how we are collectively responding.
All of our elected leaders and the MSM should be ashamed of themselves for stirring the coronavirus in to a worldwide panic. Or, should I say a middle to upper middle class panic since - just like other contagions - the coronavirus has no cause or ability to discriminate. So, when the elite are actually hit with the consequences of their thoughtless actions built over many years, they go in to a frenzy since their bubble world can not insulate them from what may ensue. All of them are frantically doing a lot of nothing to show that they're doing something. Pathetic.
This outbreak has exposed the worst side of our 'global community'.
He'll find human targets to blame for the virus and it's devastation. His followers will believe him unquestioningly, as always. Lincoln said you can't fool all the people all the time, but a demagogue in power doesn't need to: he just needs to fool enough followers (the GOP) to stay in power. (It's actually unclear whether he's really fooling them: many of them are his clones who would always trade-off truth in exchange for power).
1
Re "Sixty-two percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents see Trump as morally upstanding."
Let's not forget that Individual 1's corruption extends from top to bottom. Witness his cheating at golf, which top sports writer Rick Reilly documented with excellent reporting (and even some personal experience) in "Commander in Cheat."
What Blow doesn't mention is the high likelihood that the reason the current occupant lies, cheats and is morally corrupt is his manifest struggles with narcissism, and quite possibly, narcissistic personality disorder. This mental and emotional affliction forces him to seek approval at all times, and whether or not he finds it in the real world, his painful insecurity requires that he manufacture it — thus the embarrassing boasts, the spewing of clearly inaccurate "facts," the demand for loyalty that goes only one direction, and more.
On top of that, linguists and laypeople alike have wondered whether the president* is in the early stages of dementia, or has perhaps suffered a series of mini-strokes, based on the well-documented decline in his ability to communicate (meanwhile, ever the opportunistic bully, he has the instinct — and gall — to attack Joseph Biden!).
3
I predict that Donald J. Trump will lose re-election in the biggest landslide in human history.
1
Honestly, and not only for the corona virus ineptitude, but for his entire administration, it is time for the cabinet to show a spine and invoke the 25th amendment.
The lies, the corruption, the undermining of our institutions, our system of justice, our laws, and our constitution.
Trump is clearly incompetent, and also incapable of changing tactics or strategy when the evidence requiring flexibility is staring him in the face.
Time for the 25th.
2
I am really afraid that Trump will try to cancel theelectionover coronavirus and stock market losses.
1
I rarely (almost never) agree with this columnist but I agree with Mr. Blow on this one. Beautifully written.
I am reminded of the mayor of Amity Island telling city employees to encourage their kids to swim.
1
"Viruses are not thinking and aware."
Know anyone else who is not thinking and aware?"
The one who got selected by the Electoral college to be the current occupant of the White House.
This person is also as capable of wreaking havoc on the world as is the virus.
The Reality Show Con Artist's world view doesn't extend beyond his mirror and the Vichy GOP are a party that believes science is a liberal conspiracy.
The answer to this crisis IS political - vote for every Democrat in every election every year, local, state and federal.
This photo tells the story of this administration's nonresponse. The way Azar and Redfield acted... smiling and nodding and bowing to Lord Trump wearing the campaign hat was disgusting. They became extras in his show of incompetence. They are both part of the problem, not the solution. At the very least they should have refused to appear with Trump wearing the hat. WHAT were they thinking?
3
I believe the more you know, the more you you don’t know. Trump demonstrates the converse- he thinks he knows everything. Let’s start calling him IKE, and that isn’t Dwight’s nickname.
1
South Korea tested 60,000 plus people, when we tested 10,000.
Someone ordered, "No testing." or "Slow testing."
Who is that, do you wonder?
2
Trump needs to appoint someone with a proven track record of response to virus outbreaks and who is well known and has credibility with the public. The most obvious candidate - Obama…
1
>
I remain unconvinced that you even remotely understand the deformed id & logic of a Trump voter.
They feed off of gaslighting. It is the core of their ideology. Gaslighting to them is like having a hand of 4 Aces. To them Dems hate gaslighting, so all the more reason to love it. Experience makes proof unnecessary.
And if one of their loved ones falls to the wayside due to the virus....Well, Obama did it.
Who wins the Nov 4th election boils down to a simple head count and whatever side turns out more people in the right states. Logic, reason & truth are overvalued in the minds of the liberals. They believe these should be sufficient, but sadly they are not. Once again, experience makes proof unnecessary.
"Humans use what they know to meet their most urgent needs –even if the result is ruin. History is not made in the struggle for self-preservation, as Hobbes imagined or wished to believe. In their everyday lives humans struggle to reckon profit and loss. When times are desperate they act to protect their offspring, to revenge themselves on enemies, or simply to give vent to their feelings."
John N. Gray
1
Anyone who views Trump as intelligent or honest, has been brainwashed by Fox News. For the many that view him as morally upstanding, it is because they share the same values and views as him. As for the handling of the Coronavirus, it is playing out exactly as predicted. To characterize it a Democratic hoax, calls into question his honesty and above all his intelligence.
You Can’t Gaslight a Virus. But viruses don't vote; people do.
“Trump’s usual political tricks won’t work now”
Won't they? Lying has worked brilliantly for him all his life, in his campaigning, and in his presidency. Lying constantly, relentlessly, repeatedly, about everything.
He can lie about deficits, and people believe him. He can about walls, and people believe him. He can lie about healthcare, children in cages, trade wars, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Korea, NATO, Canada, Greenland, everyone and everything -- and people just believe him.
He can lie about how many Americans die because of a hurricane in Puerto Rico. He can lie about how many Americans die from coronavirus, and people will believe him.
Trump told the truth when he said: “It doesn’t bother me and it doesn’t bother them at all.”
1
Going back to Oedipus Rex, plagues are great equalizers. Wealth does not afford protection. The news yesterday brought the info that a person in attendance at the CPAC Convention was infected and Sen. Ted Cruz has chosen to self-quarantine for 14 days.
When the swine flu hit in 2009, Mr. Obama and others urged people to get the flu vaccine. Medical luminaries such as Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Donald Trump said not to do so. The result was that “red states” had higher infection rates and deaths than did “blue states”. Viruses don’t care about your political predilections, they are complex crystals that take advantage of the opportunities presented.
"Technically, [viruses] aren't even living beings." Say what?
Nineteen percent of Democrats view Trump as intelligent? I demand a recount.
1
No president has been treated more unfairly by a global pandemic virus.
2
Watching Donald attempt to seize control of the corona virus narrative from experts reveals the depths of his delusion. He is entirely ignorant about the reality of the situation, intellectually and temperamentally unsuited to deal with this complex problem. But as is his wont, he has great faith in fools so he confidently opens his mouth to blurt out invented facts and figures, false assurances about cures, and of course imaginary accolades about his own acumen in managing the crisis. That is, when he isn’t busy golfing, hosting Kim Guilfoyle’s birthday at Mar A Lago, and otherwise wasting taxpayer dollars. Every republican congressman and senator has had plenty of time to see the dunce in chief lie and mismanage his way through three plus years of his term. Vote every single one of them out on November 3.
1
I will NEVER understand how his supporters and "leaners" cannot see what is right in front of them. Fox or no Fox "news"
Astonishing that 87% of Republicans refuse to read or believe their lying eyes. Even more incredulous is the 7% of Democrats who think his tales are true. Perhaps they are just former GOP sycophants.
In our political arena we believe what we want to believe. It makes sense if you think of people as having political beliefs that are more like sports fans than rational human beings. We support the team we have always supported, and we wave a big foam #1 finger, even if if our team is desperately awful.
Trump is the GOP quarterback; he's their guy. He mostly wins the game, so if he is obnoxious off the field, who cares? He got the Supreme Court set to undercut Roe v Wade; he cut taxes on business and stuck those East Coast elites with higher taxes (double win!!) and he's got God on the agenda, even if he himself is a heathen. They like the transactional wins.
The long term impact of these things - whether it means that Grandma dies of coronavirus, or the disability you rely on dries up, and you succumb to a curable disease you can't afford to have, or your well is polluted by industrial waste, and your regional jobs are gone forever, is a problem for next season.
Yes, we need a real leader. But half the nation thinks they have one. and that is not going to change.
1
Trump babbling about his administration's slow response to the Coronavirus:
“Well, I just don’t think — I just don’t think that somebody is going to — without seeing something, like we saw something happening in China,” Mr. Trump said. “As soon as they saw that happening, they essentially — not from the White House. I mean, you know, we don’t need a lab in the White House. But they saw something happening.”
1
You have to wonder whether people are giving honest answers to the poll takers — or are they just signaling support for the leader of their tribe?
Rest assured America Donald J. Trump is on it. At the CDC the stable genius on his way to Mar-a-Lago for yet another weekend jaunt and several rounds of golf regaled the physicians and researchers present with his vast knowledge of infectious disease and microbiology - "they couldn't believe how much I knew" or pronouncements to that effect. Once again it was not about listening, asking the CDC about needs and recommendations moving forward, no folks as usual it was about him, the stable genius who then probably told everybody at his country club how impressed all those people at the CDC were and how he should be running the place. Well, Mr. Trump don't get ahead of yourself, do something productive for a change - keep your mouth shut.
1
Trump believes that a lie is superior to the truth.
Has our culture changed or has our very own Il Duce exposed the hounds haunting our dog eat dog society.
We are experiencing Moral insanity. The stock market may need to crash and the virus spread, to shock us back to some new norm.
2
Nobody thinks that Trump is an expert on viral infections .The shots are called by the NIH and CDC.I suggest we listen to them and I think Trump does too.Charles you are politicizing and epidemic.
1
I have to admit, it's a relief to know that the barely-existent virus tests are almost as perfect as the transcript of Trump's Ukranian shake-down phone call. When he said that, that should have sealed his fate and made every American really know who this man is: among this crisis, his brain is, as usual, focused on a past personal slight and his rage about it and shows that all he cares about is protecting and defending himself. Trump, while pretending to be the US President and while lying left and right about his handling of the public health crisis, managed to blurt out, a la Tourette's, a defense of his perfect phone call who the president of the Ukraine. Are there really Americans who still cannot see how pathologically self-absorbed, petulant, and unable to move past his gall that anyone dared try to hold him accountable this sick human being is? Not to mention how utterly unfit to be US president that one comment alone makes him?
1
R, D, or I labels mean what today?
Either you are for Secular Liberal Democracy, equity of person, modernity, and intellectual honesty (SLD) or you are for Theocratic Authoritarian Plutocracy tinged with dishonesty, bigotry, elitism, and fallacious pseudo-science (TAP).
Really this is the case! The D Party is the only major Party that leans toward the former; the GOP towards the latter. It is plain and simple and obvious.
It only seems like a D vs. R divide because one must choose a major Party for purposes of elections (else waste a vote). But really it is not. The choice really is as I presented above.
It's NOT about issues in a classical sense. How to improve healthcare coverage, immigration policy, abortion, etc. all have room for intelligent and honest disagreement. But what ails us now is not that we are at an impasse re: implementation but rather we are at a impasse as to what we are as a Nation.
I joined the Military during war because I believed we stood for SLD and were against TAP. Not because I was R or D! I was at the time for both when appropriate.
I supported Civil Rights movements not because I was R or D but because I was for modernity, freedom, and fairness - I was American!
Ike was a hero of mine yet I campaigned for McGovern - not inconsistent - both men in their time were for American goals and truth.
Today it is SLD vs. TAP - PERIOD - vote accordingly!
1
If Trump could make the Blue states be the only ones to get the Virus he would.
Wait and watch, no good catastrophe should go to waste.
They will open the doors to the Fed and give away trillions of dollars to Wall Street and the rich saying it is the only way to save our economy.
2
The fact that this so-called president would wear a campaign hat, that in addition to being partisan makes him look like an unprofessional buffoon, to an event like this is demonstrative of the problem with this administration.
2
American voters are now reeling from the actions and antics of electing a Phineas Taylor (P. T.) Barnum with no government experience and a history of failures and corruption to lead the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institute of Health (NIH), the State Department, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education, the Department of Interior, and many other federal departments and programs.
Yes, P. T. Barnum and his clown car full of political appointees are providing the world with quite a show. But we will all be feeling the effects of this inept leader long after the big tent has collapsed.
2
Of all the possible Democrats and Republicans that could have been the president at this point in time, we are stuck with a person that has zero business making decisions that affect the 330,393, 544 people living in the US.
6
Now let's just hope Biden and Sanders don't also weigh in foolishly.
Really sad the choices we have when the time for real leadership is now. The Corona virus has shone a bright light on the emptiness at hand in our options.
I guess I am just an optimist but I think we will conquer the coronavirus. It is attributed to my religious faith. I think the current administration will not stop until they have wiped out this dreaded disease. They have excellent medical personnel and some of the finest medical facilities in the world. They are working tirelessly to rid us of this outbreak. You have to have faith that they will succeed. They do not like this anymore than the rest of us.
There are also some things we can do to stop this spread. If you are not feeling well, stay home. Do not gather in large crowds. Do not go on long flights or take any cruises. I cancelled a trip to Dubai which was supposed to take place today to visit my niece. I will visit when this threat has subsided. There will always be Dubai but my health is far more important. And one of the most important things we can do is wash our hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizer.
If you do develop the coronavirus virus, quarantine yourself to not infect others. Yes it may be inconvenient but it is the right thing to do. Most cases so far have been mild and few have died. Let’s hope it stays this way. We want to end this pandemic and quickly. If we all work together and use common sense we should be able to.
@KMW Spring break is on. How many college students will forgo the Gulf Coast or ski trips? The airlines need to sell seats. The booking sites need to rent hotels and cars.
Next week, these students will still be alive, suffering from a hangover and the occasional sexually transmitted disease.
For three years now the case file on Donald Trump President of The United States has been accumulating material on a daily basis. Documenting that America has a severely dysfunctional individual in its top leadership position. Markedly deficient in rational thinking, impulsive, and ego driven. And if these negatives aren’t enough to convince America that he’s a threat to the nation, add this to what identifies him. He’s at core dishonest, addicted to the lie. Astoundingly, if the polling data here accurately describes how the President is perceived by Democrats and Republicans, his rule is operating like a malignant toxicity becoming accommodated into society if not outright championed. America in 2020, living through a real life version of the Hollywood movie “One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.”
3
Trump is extremely transparent. He's a salesman making a pitch. Always. It's that simple. The "truth" doesn't factor into it in any meaningful way except when it shows up by accident. If he's talking about the military or the economy it's; "everthing is great! better than it's ever been!" If it's a virus it's; "not that bad! The flu kills more, and besides I have a hunch and I've been talking to people who say..."
It's so easy to see what he's doing. So, why is it hard for people to resist? Because they WANT to believe him. What is the alternative? Admitting the truth, that we're heading for a disaster of epic proportions. Who wants to believe that?
4
@TripleJ
"Admitting the truth ... Who wants to believe that?" -- No one I know. It's just that some of us are more courageous than others. I haven't seen much courage emanating from the right side of the aisle recently.
1
Americans can’t see Trump as the con man he really is because he himself is functioning as a virus infecting the nation. The symptoms of Trump disease being frustration, desperation wrapped up in confusion. Ultimately, a feeling of helplessness in the midst of denying a reality too overwhelming to face.
2
@Bill Nichols Courage is not something I would expect from any politician. I would be overjoyed to see a little competence!!
I was informed by two Trump supporters last week that the virus is a media created, fake news hoax, no more dangerous than a cold or a seasonal flu. Simultaneously I was told that Trump's response to it however was the greatest to any such "threat" yet, far better than Obama's to H1N1. I was flummoxed, but shouldn't have been. Trump is more than just a gaslighter, but one who has the power to mesmerize people into into advocating two mutually exclusive perspectives and being better at both than anyone, ever. He's like a cult leader in that his acolytes, supporters, and enablers are en-trained into mirroring his pathologies. It's not just Trump; this nation has a problem.
12
When asked at the CDC why he had shut down the pandemic directorate at the National Security Council established by Obama after the Ebola outbreak this is what Trump said: “Well, I just don’t think that somebody is going to — without seeing something, like we saw something happening in China. As soon as they saw that happening, they essentially - not from the White House. I mean, you know, we don’t need a lab in the White House. But they saw something happening. “
This is the level of thought and analysis being brought to bear on life and death decisions, as well as decisions of war and peace. We will be lucky to make it to November.
6
Maybe you can't gaslight a virus, but it appears you can gaslight millions of people who receive their news from the Republican disinformation apparatus. At what point do we hold politicians and FOX News propagandists accountable for the real harm they are inflicting on public health?
6
Once again we see that there is a huge price to pay for following con men, cult leaders, and “alternative facts”.
Trump’s loyalists have been willing to give up the Constitution, the rule of law, and the country.
Is it worth their lives?
We shall see.
6
The funny thing is, downplaying the coronavirus actually hurts Trump's reelection chances. There's a ton of psychological research showing that conservatives are more sensitive to threats of contagion. Nationalist and anti-immigrant sentiments are frequently made in terms of maintaining purity in the face of threats of disease or invasion by parasites, etc. A conservative electorate made to fear a virus from abroad would be far more motivated to get out and defend a leader of its own tribe than one primarily concerned about the economic effects of the virus' spread. It's so ironic too, Trump declining to lead with the racist fearmongering angle when for once it might actually help him.
With Trump and his Trumpist followers, it is always about Trump. Coronoavirus is only the lastest example.
Trump’s psychological state presents an imminent danger to America and to the world. So say a group of 650 psychiatrists, who recently submitted a petition to the House Judiciary Committee. https://dangerouscase.org/petition-to-the-judiciary-committee/
This is a key passage:
“What makes Donald Trump so dangerous is the brittleness of his sense of worth. Any slight or criticism is experienced as a humiliation and degradation. To cope with the resultant hollow and empty feeling, he reacts with what is referred to as narcissistic rage. He is unable to take responsibility for any error, mistake, or failing. His default in that situation is to blame others and to attack the perceived source of his humiliation. These attacks of narcissistic rage can be brutal and destructive.”
Unfortunately, Trump's outbursts are likely to get worse.
5
If you just tell people it is the biggest, best building they will buy the condos. If you just tell people they are healthy and wealthy, they will buy that as well. I'm not sure you realize how dump the average Trumper actually is. Trump may be able to gaslight his voters. Add to them the GOP voters who will vote for him even though the don't believe his garbage; and you have a potential win.
For all of those people who--after three+ years of lies, exaggerations, and misstatements, still find Trump to be "truthful," I wonder if they apply that same credibility standard to other aspects of their lives? Do they believe that only "seed offerings" will ensure that God answers their prayers? Do they believe that car dealerships put their inventory "on sales" and even offer "employee pricing?" Do they believe that reality TV shows are real life? Do they believe that chiropractic manipulation cures asthma and psoriasis? Do they believe that every Oscar is awarded based purely on artistic or technical merit? Do they believe that Fox News is fair and unbiased? Perhaps the answer to that last item is true, but, otherwise, I doubt they suspend disbelief in those other matters as quickly as they do whenever Trump opens his mouth. They believe his lies because they WANT to believe his lies. Period.
2
Just wait till some of those Republican families are hit with the virus or their business tanks because their products are not selling. There may be a quick turn.
2
Thank you, Charles.
I don't know how you ameliorate a century of gaslighting but the Democratic Party is a much a victim as the American citizenry.
I remember what Carter was saying and tried explaining it was about the future.
Forty years later I am trying to explain forty years later Canada and a host of other countries have passed the USA in health, education and welfare while the USA has reverted to a feudalism that threatens its survival. The American dream sleeps soundly in her crypt.
Yesterday's Toronto Star told us most Canadians trust their government .
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/03/08/canadians-trust-public-health-system-to-respond-to-coronavirus-poll-finds.html
I find it tragic that America trusted South Carolina the most "conservative " of states to select its hopefully next President.
I like Bernie and I like Biden but Biden has a history of errors in judgement because of his desire to get along. I don't need to go back to Talmadge, the failure to proclaim healthcare a right was a monumental fail.
I recommend that if the USA is to survive South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and the other states whose 18% of the population control the Senate become a dependencies rather than peers .
Trump was elected to recreate the past,but time and tide wait for no man.
Here in Quebec the future looks promising for our young while GOP longs for a past that never was great for more than the privileged few.
I hate watching burning down the village to save it.
1
@Montreal Moe
"I find it tragic that America trusted South Carolina the most 'conservative' of states to select its hopefully next President." -- Well, since the GOP *canceled* its SC primary to *avoid* competition for Trump, & since there are a great many of us in this state who greatly dislike Trump, we'll try not to take umbrage at a writing-off of the entire state. :)
1
Our nation is under attack by two viruses: A novel coronavirus, and the trumponavirus.
One will lead to thousands of deaths.
The other can subvert our constitution.
1
I couldn’t agree more. When the virus hits the people who can’t afford to go to the doctor, we are all sunk. When it hits the homeless we will truly drown. When will the republicans wake up? Maybe when their stocks sink?
3
When the number of deaths in the US from coronavirus inevitably increases, Trump will handle it the same way he handled the news about the numerous deaths in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria - he'll deny it and accuse the "Deep State" and Democrats of inflating the death toll to "make [him] look as bad as possible".
4
That headline is a triumph. Trump needs to fight constantly and needs just as much constant adoration. I expect a new conspiracy theory - baseless of course- will emerge so he can wrap himself in righteous indignation. The nation is in peril.
2
Trump did real damage to the CDC. And now we have Anthony Fauci playing a national health adviser on TV. This man is a highly accomplished director of a large, significant, and internationally respected institute, NIAID. That Trump's mismanagement puts Fauci in such a role is a gross waste of his time and talent.
2
Without any doubt, Trump administration is so underprepared for the spread of coronavirus. Trump's narcissism affects not only GOP but also most Americans as well--taking this serious disease too lightly.
In Taiwan, the government prepared very early, and now only 45 confirmed cases, 1 death. testing 2450 people per day, whereas as of today, in the US, 556 confirmed cases, 22 death, less than 2000 tested in the entire country. Why cannot we learn from other countries? Are we too arrogant to ignore what Taiwan has done?
I hope American people learn the lesson after this epidemic and elect the right leaders in November, most important, vote Trump out of the office.
1
Maybe I am missing something, but I don’t think our democratic contenders (many of whom have dropped out) have been addressing the Mussolini-like qualities of DJT. The words propaganda, fascism and autocrat come up now and then in articles I read. Maybe that will happen in some way when we pick a candidate. But how to talk about this...there’s the rub. And who will be listening. We know that it is unlikely that the people who Charles Blow worries about are reading his column. I liked Bloomberg’s idea about billboards, though I didn’t much like the billboard messages. But billboards are one of the few things that all American’s will be exposed to. I also like the idea of the Democrats setting up a radio broadcast called, “Patriot Station.” The station would feature converts like Derek Black(former heir apparent to the White Supremacist Movement) if he’d be willing—but also regular folks who have had perhaps a literal come to Jesus moment. If nothing else, exposing the lying and sharing the shame of having “believed” lies could be helpful to the nation. The major message I want to get across is that obeying without reflection is not patriotic. Our founders were able to think for themselves. Maybe the billboards could feature founding mothers and father as well as native people and slaves who could be quoted in a powerful way. Creativity is a must!
3
Word of the day - kakistocracy. A kakistocracy [kækɪ'stɑkrəsi] is a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, and/or most unscrupulous citizens. That is the Trump administration.
Like Charles says, the usual political tricks won't work now. The world economy, the US stock market, your day to day experience are all now affected and propaganda and bluster from Trump is just noise getting drowned out.
1
How dare he wear a campaign cap on a visit to the CDC, in the midst of a serious pandemic. That alone should disqualify him from consideration for any serious voter.
4
There was the Diamond Princess cruise ship with an outbreak of cornavirus off Japan. Had anyone been prepared for this situation, they would have been able to evacuate everyone from the ship and kept each person in quarantine to limit the spread of the disease. Unable to do that, the virus spread and so many more were infected and died.
Next came the cruise ship off San Francisco with the identical situation. Trump did not want to evacuate the passengers, which clearly would be a life-saving measure, because it would raise the number of known cases of coronavirus in the United States.
"I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault," Trump said in a Fox News interview.
That was the President of the United States speaking and it was monstrous. Yet:
"Furthermore, 71 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners believe that Trump is honest..."
It's official: 71 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners are living in an alternate reality where facts do not apply.
4
Trump's usual tricks won't work now? Of course they will. He has lied more than 10,000 times in the past three years, and hasn't paid the price for any of it. His rabid supporters are still in lockstep with him. They'll never leave him, no matter how many of their family members die of this virus. They'll claim that the Dems caused it, or will continue to claim this is all a hoax.
So yes, Trump may in fact successfully "gaslight" a virus. Trump will continue to claim the problem doesn't exist, and to persuade his rabid base that the virus is a hoax.
Expect our "president" to continue to lie to us about this virus. Expect our "president" to continue saying it is all a "hoax", even though several hundred community acquired cases have already been documented in this country. And expect that the "president's" supporters will believe him.
This means that 45% of our citizens will not take even the most basic of sensible precautions. Trump has primed tens of millions of his adoring fans as nothing more than disease vectors. If this virus spreads rapidly, they'll be to thank for failing to take the crisis seriously.
So expect that the truth will not be reported. Expect that medical resources will not be available when they are needed. Expect hospitals to be overrun by tens of thousands of folks (or more) without health care coverage, or who cannot afford their deductibles. In short, expect to see this virus play out as it would in any Third World country.
3
Just a few days ago, Trump admonished Mike Pence for having complimented Jay Inslee’s handling of coronavirus. Trump could not even point to something wrong that Governor Inslee had done, but just dismissed him as a snake. That’s how cheaply Trump is politicizing the public health crisis; bad enough that he makes Pence a PR rep, but then he criticizes Pence for acknowledging someone being responsible! Who’s the snake?
5
Coronavirus can’t read tweets
When the president ignores advisors or fired them, this is the result. He’s the only one surprised by the spread and deaths from coronavirus.
Unfit to govern. Unprepared for a crisis. He has failed all Americans.
3
"This virus exposes Trump’s enormous weaknesses as the chief executive officer of this country."
Sure. But how many opinions will it change? Seems about 40% of the country is immune to exposure to Trump's failings.
And Trump knows his base. They will believe what he tells them to believe. It worked for the first 16,000+ lies. A couple hundred more lies will not matter. And Trump knows this.
I think many who are not part of Trump's cult of personality think THIS time it will change. The evidence will be overwhelming. The topic -- health close to everyone.
That THIS time, Trump's ignorant and incoherent self-serving ramblings that inevitably prove wrong followed by the responsible information presented by health care professionals that prove accurate will finally expose Trump's incompetency to even his base.
I wish I could believe that. But then I remember that millions of Americans don't even believe in vaccines despite years of responsible information presented by health care professionals that prove accurate.
Cults of personality (and purposeful ignorance) are immune to evidence and harm, even as they offer zero protection against viruses.
2
Thank you Charles. I have no idea why Republicans, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, believe Trump to be intelligent and honest. He may very well be intelligent but he is also lazy, doesn't read, isn't well versed in the nuts and bolts of the issues he is charged with understanding, and remains a self centered, thin skinned, and intemperate. His lack of honesty is mind boggling. But, I think you've summed it up perfectly: "Some people don’t like him in spite of his prejudices but because of them, because they share them". Trump allows people to wallow in their ignorance, and accept his pronouncements as facts. But worse than that, he emboldens their prejudices. They no longer have to hide them. It's like loosening your belt after a big meal. Trump allows his supporters to "let it all out"...finally..and feel protected. The virus is a real crisis. His approach has been chaotic, disorganized and reluctant to accept the science related to the threat it poses. By minimizing it's seriousness he is putting the very people who support him at risk. But. when they are wheezing in their hospital beds...will they get it?
2
"Democrats and their leaners... only 7 percent view Trump as honest."
Surely they either misunderstood the question or marked the wrong response?
1
This really seems to me like we lose either way. If Trump’s luck holds out and the virus sputters to a halt then he will say he knew it all along and confirm for his cult that the whole thing was a hoax aimed at him. If the virus doesn’t sputter out then lots of innocent people are going to get sick and some will die while the economy simultaneously sputters to a halt under containment.... with the poorest paycheck to paycheck folks taking the biggest hit.
1
You can totally gaslight a virus Charles.
Wall Street and the rich will cry at the top of their lungs that the world is ending if you don't open the doors of the Fed and give them trillions of interest free loans . They get to keep the interest free loans in the Fed where they get paid 2-3% interest.
Man don't you people know how to fight a virus?
The working class and the poor better find some boot straps because this will be a bumpy ride.
2
If you overlay CDC maps of highest rates of obesity, smoking, and COPD, and of Trump support, Trump Country is at highest risk of Corona Virus complications. Trump's people need him to help them.
2
We have a simple philosophy in my household - "Whatever Trump says believe the opposite."
2
Listening to Trump supporters where I live, which is almost everybody, it's clear they don't follow the news. Here's what they say about the impeachment. "That woman did him wrong." That woman they speak of is Nancy Pelosi. They can't bother to learn her name. "That women," is always said with a nasty sneer to it. That's all they know about the impeachment, that "that woman" did him wrong.
As far as I can tell, Trump supporters like him because he's white and a man. Nothing else matters.
2
People. The world can only end ONCE and the Coronavirus isn't it. But you may want to wash your hands.
@Smiley Jackson
Correct. Just dismiss it as a bad cold & move on. You probably won't catch it, & if you do you won't get sick. Probably. And if you do you won't die. Probably. Just in case, vote early, & vote GOP. :) /s
There are a number of things Democrats do that they should not. Hoping coronavirus spreads and a recession starts are two of them. It is not OK to think it. But it is even dumber to let it slip out.
Trump supporters think many in America are contemptuous and wish them ill. My sense is that Trump supporters are correct and reading these comments will validate that.
I wonder what goes through the mind of trump, the self-expressed germaphobic, now the his presidency is threatened by not only his irresponsible actions over the past three years, but by his most feared enemy, a robotic none thinking automaton, a virus. Where he is reduced to just another organism for the virus to attack, if it had the chance. I hope it gives him pause.
1
Speaking like an Evangelical (which I am not) I would say that this is an act of God to rid the world of an evil man. If I were speaking like a brilliant MIT professor (which I am not) I would say that his handling of this crisis was very, very poor. Alas, I am just a senior citizen who has never seen our country in the state it is right now. I can only hope that whatever happens, he will be gone soon and we can go back to really being "great".
4
Trump's actions have always had real-life consequences. But perhaps this is the first time his base may be harmed directly from his actions and in a way they will notice. For instance, some CPAC attendees came home on a Trump high... got a dose of actual news about covid-19... and freaked out on social media.
Q: How many conservatives now covertly go to the 'dark' side to get actual news aboutt covid-19? They won't trust FOX for it.
Is it the Republican's lack of intelligence, or lack of morals?
Education is not the answer--plenty of these people are educated.
So it must be lack of morals...and what can be done about that?
3
How do we get past the dichotomy of opinion between those who support Trump and those who see him as a clear and present danger? There has been nothing Trump has done, nothing to sway their opinion of him. I do not see how you get past the cult-like worship of the most inept, corrupt President we have ever had.
The handling of this health crisis has been bungled from day one by Trump and the inexperienced head of HHS, (who is clueless as to how disease spread functions). Thanks to Trump, the CDC had slashed spending in the area of infectious disease spread from other countries (China was one of the countries) and is having to play catch up. We have no real idea of the number of people infected with Covid-19 in this country.
Our ship of state is headed for the rocks, with no captain to steer us past the danger, and no crew capable of dealing with the situation, while the Trump supporters are certain we are on a pleasure cruise, because that is what he has told them.
2
A tanking economy will be another thing that Donald Trump can’t gaslight.
I wonder if the very stable genius knows there is community transmission in Australia, where it is currently summer?
1
The most dangerous virus erupted in the USA in 2016, though it had been dormant since the eighties.
The poll results tell you everything about why our nation is currently so divided ... and risks remaining so for as long as Trump and his base believe the emperor is wearing clothes.
Will the virus open their eyes ? or will self-delusion find ways to spin this too (it's the Democrats' fault/hoax, or it's God's will, which would be funny that the same event could be ascribed to both Democrats and God); after all, it is never agreeable to admit one has been wrong all along and been led by a charlatan. Hence the doubling down, by the Fool-in-chief, who has to believe his own spin, for the same reason as his supporters.
If not for the deaths and the havoc on the economy, it would be delicious to see the most powerful man on earth completely ignored by a virus and Mother Nature.
1
The sad truth is that only the fear of dying and going broke might get Republicans to temporarily venture outside the Fox news bubble and start caring about the kind of person Trump is.
2
Now that it is confirmed that someone at CPAC, who interacted with at least two Senators, has Coronavirus, we will see a quick shift in how seriously the administration takes this epidemic.
1
This pandemic may be exactly what the doctor ordered, for Trump.
He is once again doubling down and may get lucky again. As the virus evolves it could become less virulent. It might slow down and end before summer causing the stock market and the economy to take off.
Trump would you say, “I told you so,” and he'd look like a genius.
There is a reason Trump was elected and there is a reason he remains in power. He knows what his base wants to hear and he gives it to them. He has a pact with his followers - he feeds their spite and hate and fear, and they allow themselves to go along for the ride. There is no need for truthfulness. Both sides get what they want from the arrangement and veracity isn't part of the equation.
Coronavirus will have it's way with the U.S., as it will with most every country. Trump's pathetic response to the crisis will undoubtedly make the situation worse. None of that will dent his appeal to the base. They will follow him to the grave, literally in some cases, without ever wavering. 40% or so of America will chose feeding their spite over truth, over their economic and environmental well being, even over their personal health.
The rest of America thinks this outbreak is the moment of truth for Trump. The rest of America still doesn't understand the depravity of Trump's bond with his followers. Maybe the next six months will begin to open people's eyes.
1
I am pleasantly surprised that Pence is doing a reasonable job of acting "presidential" in this crisis. Meanwhile, Trump acts more and more like the drunk uncle at Thanksgiving dinner.
1
The Coronavirus is out of control. The administration's response is a shambles, the Stock Market has given a vote of "No Confidence" in Trump's leadership, and in the midst of all of this Trump decides to play golf. He is clueless and incompetent. We cannot take another 8 months of his flailing about.
I call on the Cabinet and Congress to remove Trump through an Article 25 proceeding and name Mike Pence as President going forward. It is time for America to have new leadership.
1
Charles Blow notes "Trump COULD be making his most ardent supporters a petri dish of disease." (Emphasis added.) Actually, I believe this has been going on for some years now.
It's hard to ignore the blatant lying that trump does daily without a loss of support from his followers...why should this be different...Yes, the virus can kill lots of Americans...many as a consequence of trump actions and non actions....the economic consequences can be dire...but as long as trump is able to blame someone else for negative consequences and claim victory for himself for any progress in treatment...he may be o.k. I believe the key is the economy...people tend to blame the President if their pocketbooks are worse off under his/her administration. But trump is a master at getting lots of people to believe crazy stuff....so we will see if he can spin this...I hope not. But I have to accept that it is possible that spin he will....
1
"And precisely for those reasons, this virus exposes Trump’s enormous weaknesses as the chief executive officer of this country."
And this weakness was on full display while Trump recently toured the CDC. He actually wore a red MAGA hat propped up high on his head. People are dying and he using this somber tour to sport campaign gear. Pathetic. Furthermore, he lied about gas masks being ready for anyone who wants to be tested. And he bizarrely called the coronavirus tests perfect, just like his letter to Ukraine (how grossly inappropriate to bring this up). Also, about the number of virus cases, he relied on Fox News data for his facts, rather than vetted data. Then he had the gall to go off on some rant about ratings for his Fox News town hall. And maybe the most depressing, the CDC director Robert Redfield wallowed in blatant sycophancy complimenting Trump's leadership. The whole CDC tour was cringe theater.
Maybe the only silver lining in this disaster is that could truly expose and destroy Trump.
Trump is as much a public health threat as the virus itself. This might appear to be a gross exaggeration on first reading. But on further reflection Charles sadly has it right.Trump seems incapable of acknowledging the danger and extent of this deadly virus. He will manipulate the numbers to protect his image. Further political rallies are putting his supporters in danger. His inability to tell the truth ensures that the public is not fully informed and confused about the extent of the danger. A dreadful time for America to be LEADERLESS.
1
the piece overestimates the dangers of the coronavirus and understates the damage of Trump. The damage to air and water quality and to global temperatures that Trump is doing every day, will kill far more people than the coronavirus and do it with malevolence.
"When the tide goes out, we'll all see who's been skinny-dipping", or so the saying goes.
The tide is going out, and this administration is buck naked, and anyone with clothes has been fired. The experts are gone, the people who could have helped, are gone. The systems and procedures and offices have been gutted. Those things were competent, so they had to go.
We've had a pretend presidency with a pretend administration full of inept and corrupt cronies, and a sleeping and compliant Senate. This was bad enough when times were good, but existentially life-threatening now that times are bad.
Obama worked diligently and reversed a crisis; Trump sleep-walked and golfed and settled petty scores and hollowed out the government. And now it's naked, and the tide is going out fast.
1
Unfortunately, Mr. Blow is preaching only to the choir. You cannot overwhelm a true Trumpist with facts as their ego will never allow them to be changed from their position. Besides their only thought income is from Faux News and they couldn't let down their friends and change their position.
1
Sir:
The die is cast, the Rubicon is Crossed, the Emperor is Naked, for all who wish to see. This is Trump’s Katrina, and it’s not a heckuva Job.
He and his regime have only one goal: Re-Election. How best to escape the Ramifications of an Epidemic ? Lie, blame and deny. In addition to their usual gross incompetence, they have a new twist. If you don’t Test, you can’t Confirm. So, do not
“ allow “ Testing, and delay sending Test Kits where needed.
It’s ALL about “ keeping the numbers down “. Unnecessary Deaths and suffering are inconsequential in the grand Scheme of things. There’s a perfect word for their handling of this Crisis:
DEPLORABLE.
1
Like the President, it disproportionately infects men of a certain age and the damage it inflicts is powered by false, misleading and incomplete information. It should be called the “Trump Virus”.
After all the lies, the racist/sexist/homophobic statements and the acts of cruelty had no effect on his popularity with Republicans, Democrats had to know, deep in their bones, only a Trump-caused disaster would shake Trump supporters loose. Trump did not cause the virus but he will exasperate its effects by his calculation that it is best for him to act like it’s a seasonal flu caused by Obama or Hunter Biden. Until now Trump hasn’t faced any crisis that required a carefully considered response. With his hand selected ‘team of yes-folks’, it will be hard for him to craft a thoughtful, vetted response which means we could be in for an unneeded disaster.
1
So is the right finally going to open their eyes and see Trump for what he is, or are they still going to blindly follow him like sheep?
1
Those Trump supporters who think him intelligent because he gets away with it are like those who admired John Gotti because he kept getting away with it. The Teflon Don and the Teflon Donald make a dynamic duo of fake intelligence. We know its fake--it's been reported in the news.
But now we face a case of the Teflon Donald being too intelligent by half. Thanks to his ordering ICE and the border police to brutalize and harass Latins and other none-natives in general, we now have an invisible underworld of possibly tens of millions who avoid all contact with the police, hospitals, and anything else that elevates visibility. Add to this the tent armies of the homeless, and these classes of misery that the Teflon Donald has done so much to grow are likely to spread the virus rapidly and more widely out of the view of public health authorities. This is a cost yet to be paid for the country as a whole for his lack of any sense of common humanity.
Who here thinks it is likely that the November election will be cancelled, with the coronavirus as an excuse?
Who also thinks it will never be rescheduled? With the Democrats’ spreading of a virus deadly to Trump voters as an excuse?
If he isn't intelligent... how then did he get to the highest office in the land? There is a saying "crazy as a fox"; do not underestimate him... that error would be tragic and costly.
"This is a thrice married man" Mr. Blow, I agree entirely with your characterization of Trump, except for this statement. I know many people who have been married three or four times and who are at least as "morally upstanding" as you are. You would never use this line against a Democrat. Don't gaslight yourself!
And yes, Trump has met his match in Covid-19. I certainly do not want to see Trump re-elected, but I don't want to see him lose because Covid-19 has beat him.
I am glad that someone put pen to paper and scribed these thoughts. It is exactly the hunch that has been niggling at me for 10 days or so: Trump's chicanery is no match for natural forces, and his foolish insistence on acting as if he can outmaneuver a virus exposes just what a megalomaniac he is.
Things will play out, and it makes me wonder just how the GOP will spin this one...
Your statistics re Republicans and GOP leaning Independents are the stuff of nightmares.
Even though Trump gained close to three million less votes than Secretary Clinton he still got elected.
I despair for what this country has become and shudder at the real possibility of a Trump re-election.
It certainly is true you can fool some of the people all of the time.
Who would have thought they would be enough to elect a Trump.
1
It is difficult to believe that Trump supporters actually believe he is intelligent and honest. Do they not have eyes and ears? It has been obvious since Day 1 that Trump suffers from a narcissistic personality disorder that distorts everything that he does. He craves constant attention, he lives in an alternate reality constructed to flatter himself, and he makes erratic and impulsive decisions, a sign of extreme present hedonism. This is what makes him so dangerous. This is why he must be defeated.
1
It just blows my mind America that this man, this man is the best you can do for a president and not only that about 50 percent of you love him.
This seriously is the man you want to be your president?
@BTBurr
No, but unfortunately since only about 30% of voters wanted him, there wasn't much the rest of us could do about it.
And yes, I know what I said there, & yes, I am most definitely being completely serious, no sarcasm. :(
Someone on an internet post site said, "if I get the virus, I'm going to a Trump rally".
I hope this person was joking, or just trying to be ironic.
This is not a time for humor.
1
While the appreciate Mr. Blow’s columns, I think he’s stating the obvious here and preaching to the choir.
Everything has been, is and will be about Trump, only him, all of the time as his “ world view” never includes the world let alone this country, if it isn’t about how he can profit.
This opinion column won’t influence or change minds if NYT readers. It needs to reach swing voters who don’t read the Times. Those voters helped elect a chronic liar and pathological narcissist with only his self enrichment as his motivation for seeking office at the country’s expense.
1
At least 80% of Republicans have given up their brains to Trump and Fox. They don't think at all anymore, if they ever did. All they want is to stick it to liberals, even if it's liberals who would do better for them than Trump is doing.
Shades of H.G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds.” After all the best efforts of mankind had failed, it was the humble microbes that brought down the monster and saved the world.
Trump: "Every one of those doctors asked me ,'How do you know so much?'"
My guess is that every one of them actually asked him, "How do you claim to know so much?"
2
Apparently you can't gaslight the stock market either.
1
I disagree Charles, you can gaslight a virus and Trump will get away with it because the majority of Republicans prefer to live in the world he creates. Republicans have been voting against their own self interest for decades. The possible risk of an illness that may or may not affect them is a small price to pay in exchange for the promise of a lifestyle that will be insulated from non-whites and non-Christians. With that comes a free pass to rant against everything that is considered an invasion of their narrow culture. In other words Charles, you can gaslight anything provided that the gaslighted party is in on the con job.
1
I love the image Trump tweeted of himself playing the violin on another golf weekend spouting Q-Anon conspiracy theories. Covid-19 has no ear for music, and cares not for conspiracy theories. Lives are at stake, Trump cannot cope with that fact. Time for him to go.
1
We really have to ask how it is that a majority of so called conservatives; people who normally don't (or aren't supposed to) just swallow the newest fad, or theory; are suddenly refusing to admit what their eyes and ears are showing and telling them. These are many of the same people who haven't yet come around to Darwin's theories.
It's like watching a version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" playing out as a documentary instead of science fiction.
What happens when the germ-a-phobe in chief starts seeing the zombies in the front row of his rallies coughing and sneezing on each other? Does he don a mask? Does he run off the stage waving away germs he sees in the air?
And since his zombies mostly seem to live in states without expanded Medicaid/ ACA benefits are they likely to suffer more exposure and less treatments?
The phenomena that Charles writes about the republican perception of this spawn of Satan in the White House is just beyond belief.
1
At first I thought this illness might be Trump's Katrina, but now it looks more like 2008, when the Bush administration watched the financial crisis heading its way like a runaway train but failed to recognize the magnitude of the danger. That terror is compounded today by the fact that this administration, unlike Bush's, is led by a man blinded to the gravity of the situation by narcissism.
2
This isn’t just a Trump issue. It’s a problem with the entire Republican Party and every single voter who voted for Trump. Predictably with the Republicans at the helm everything falls apart.
4
“I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it,” the president went on. He started talking about his tour of the CDC he’d taken before his talk to the press. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”
There is too much to unpack and comment on regarding Trump's narcissism, lack of empathy, and hubris for a Monday.
5
@Chrisinauburn
My comment suggests Alabama and the other states that put a lunatic in charge lose their privilege of picking the once upon a time World leader lose the privilege of selecting leadership. If you are a believer or not a believer the Earth is still 4.5 billion years old and the bible is still the myths legends, allegories and value lessons of a Semitic people of long ago.
They teach us a lot but they don't take into account 2000 years of human and planetary evolution.
1
As a resident of Washington State I can attest that Trump's lies about the virus, and the impact that he has had on CDC policy, have led to unreasonable restrictions on testing, which means that the virus has been spreading untested and unchecked in our community for well over a month now. Precious time has been lost and it wasn't an accident -- it was a Trump administration policy. To make matters worse, just this past week he called the Governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, a "snake," leading to the suspicion that he might be enacting passive-agressve political revenge on our state because he does not like our leadership. The results are already tragic.
6
The main stream media/ press knows full well, that Trump is not a very unstable genius. So why don’t the networks send reporters across the country to get in-person testimonials of weather they think Trump can will the pandemic away. It’s like the Middle Ages and the art of bleeding people to make them better. The press shouldn’t be complicit with the plague. And, Trump is as much part of it and responsible as the Coronavirus.
4
The information that 80% of covid-19 infections are mild to asymptomatic suggesting the infection is not to be overly concerning is a false way to look at it. If the current knowledge is 20% of those infected need some hospitalization, that is I believe way higher a rate of virulence than the common flu. Community spread will better validate the numbers if we ever reach adequate testing numbers. It seems the Donald sees 80% mild to absent symptoms as being no need to be urgent. I see the same odds as just the opposite. That means 1 in 5 infected needs to be hospitalized. An even greater number if you're over 60.
3
All this is understood, but we don't need folks like the Democratic Senator Chris Murphy tweeting out falsehoods about Trump closing 38 pandemic offices around the world. We need the truth coming from at least one side.
The main stream media/ press knows full well, that Trump is not a very unstable genius. So why don’t the networks send reporters across the country to get in-person testimonials of weather they think Trump can will the pandemic away. It’s like the Middle Ages and the art of bleeding people to make them better. The press shouldn’t be complicit with the plague. And, Trump is as much part of it and responsible as the Coronavirus.
Trump commented on his own intelligence, more honestly than he intended to, when he threatened to sue the schools he attended if they released his grades. Think about that for a moment. This is a man who loves to brag endlessly about himself (including about many things he has never done, but that is a side issue). If there were bragging material here, we would all be tired of hearing about it over and over. There clearly is nothing to brag about there, and Trump's threats confirm that a release would be pretty dismal.
As for his non-reaction to the threat of disease, understand that this is a man who cannot--absolutely cannot--live in the real world. It is far too dangerous to his extraordinarily fragile ego. He has the money to have constructed his own little world, where he lives apart from fact. It's the only way he can survive. It is, unfortunately, not a way that we can survive.
4
Given. However, I'd suggest Trump also sees an upside in the coronavirus. Self-interested as he is, there's always a silver lining. Assuming the disease persists through November, Republicans will use disease to suppress voter turnout in key urban areas throughout swing states. Urban areas which will disproportionately favor Democrats. Pandemic as political weapon.
If I were you, I would forget about Trump's pandemic failure. He's going to blame liberal states anyway. If I were a clerk employee, I'd set up mail-in ballot systems now. As a voter, I would submit an absentee ballot request immediately if you don't already have mail-in ballots. The virus will impact Trump's political future alright. Maybe not in the way you think though.
Organizers better get on it.
2
So, no gas-lighting a virus? They're working on doing just that.
This morning I got an email from the hospital where I work with CDCs updated requirements for testing. We're now back to only testing if the subject had travel in China or exposure to a known case within the past 14 days.
If we don't test for a disease, we won't find it. And the coronavirus epidemic will go away. Just. Like. That.
4
The elephant in the room, which the media is is loath to address, is that [at least in my opinion] our president appears to suffer from serious mental illness -- probably narcissistic personality disorder, that renders him psychologically incapable of competently discharging his duties. His symptoms include the very observations made by Mr. Blow and others: a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need of excessive admiration, a demand for loyalty from others while showing none to others, impulsivity, hypersensitivity to slights or criticism, an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality, an affinity for conspiracy theories, a lack of empathy, envy of others or a belief that others are envious of him, and arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
If one considers this constellation of symptoms, the president’s impeachable conduct regarding The Ukraine, his behavior during and following the impeachment proceedings, and everything else that he has said and done during his tenure—including in the course of this current crisis, makes sense. It saddens me that so many of my fellow Americans, especially those who support mainstream Republican policies, are blind to the president’s illness and the way it undermines the very policies they claim to support. The president needs an intervention, but nothing will happen if his own “family” of supporters are not willing or able to even acknowledge his illness.
4
@Charles : And now the non-Fox media wants to switch a narcissistic, possibly sociopathic leader for one whose mental facilities are quickly sliding into the realm of Alzheimer's. He doesn't seem to know where he is (Ohio or Iowa? New Hampshire or Vermont), what day of the week it is (Super Thursday!), or what office he is running for (Senate or President?).
He was mostly deer-in-the-headlights at the debates, and seemed to only be able to speak competently about the past.
If anyone has any doubts about the precipitous decline of our former vice president, watch some clips of him from when he was senator and then from when he was VP. You may not agree with his political stances (he's a fairly conservative Democrat), but you will see that for all his inappropriate comments about race and his inappropriate behavior around women, he was a competent and cogent speaker.
The different between 2016 and 2020 is astounding. And sad. He should be hanging out with his grandkids, reliving the good ol' days with his buddies, taking a mid-day nap. Not out on the campaign trail running for president.
1
@Charles You're being too kind. I would feel sorry for somebody with a mental illness. I could even feel sorry for somebody who has suffered psychological damage from their upbringing. I don't feel sorry for somebody who is simply a bad person.
Trump is only concerned about appearances not substance. His life has been devoted to being the center of attention. He does nothing to accomplish anything else. The basics of life and how people secure them is not his concern. He is unconcerned about this pandemic as a biological crisis but he’s very concerned about how it affects things like economic measures and stock markets which he thinks are crucial to his message that the prosperity of Americans depends upon him. But he cannot see that an effective leader during a time of crisis can also win elections but he cannot lead.
2
In order for Trump to get his message out, it is probably in his best interest to visit as many places as possible and shake as many hands as he can. I would recommend him visiting Cruise Ships, those infected in Washington and California and reassuring his base at multiple rallies.
15
Just imagine for a moment if Trump was in charge of say the Chernobyl disaster. If we only lose 50% of Americans 60 and older we will be lucky with Republicans in charge.
6
The slice of the 35 percent who see him as prejudiced but do not care were likely, with a little help (and overlap) from the Goodfeathers contingent, the group who pushed him through an excessively redundant field in the GOP primary.
The problem is only a little bit how Trump has handled this episoode. His constant lying and loyalty purges mean no one would really trust what he or any of his stooges said about the outbreak anyway. People would revert to their favored media outlets, and the "pro-insurgency channels would constantly contradict the others just to drum up ratings.
One cannot conjure up credibility as easily as the next batch of conspiracy theories.
2
You didn't mention the fake Trump U that had to refund $25M in tuition to defrauded students or the Trump Foundation, which had to send millions to charity and fined $2M for using the foundation to pay business debts and even to pay a bribe to the Florida AG, $25K so she wouldn't indict the Trump U. He was also ordered to never run another charity. Running the US is ok however.
12
The poll figures that MR. Blow quotes are just staggering. We have a sizeable portion of the US adult population who have bought the snake oil that Trump pedals. We can only pray that if the corona virus outbreak worsens, their self-preservation instincts will prevail and they will do the right things for themselves and their fellow citizens.
6
"an overwhelming majority of Republicans and independents who lean Republican viewed Trump as intelligent." I think this says it all. Intelligence is perceived as relative, so we know how bright his supporters are.
Trump is the smartest person he knows. He got his IQ test scores back - "75. That's passing, isn't it?"
8
@Nunov D’Abov I concur. I don't see how any intelligent person can listen to Trump speak more than five minutes or so (or less, depending on the day) and not realize that he is an ignorant blowhard.
I have to admit that when I read about the quarantines in Italy and other countries, I immediately become concerned that Trump's getting ideas.
Quarantines and martial law, right around the first week in November.
7
It took many years for the United States Navy to learn the lessons of science. For many years, they laughed at the Royal Navy as "limeys" while their sailors struggled and often succumbed to the effects of scurvy, a completely preventable disease if given vitamin C. Spontaneous bleeding and re-opening of old wounds were commonplace occurrences on long voyages--in the days of sail most voyages were long. Even 75 years after its creation, the US Navy disparaged the Royal Navy's use of citrus juice for sailors begun in 1795, calling them by the pejorative term above.
Science will still be true but politics and dogma may trump it for years. Even though more sailors died from scurvy than battle, the hard-won lessons were not appreciated.
We have learned how virus may kill us; learning how stupidity and willful blindness kills will take many more years.
2
The Emperor has no clothes. Major financial markets down around 7% at the opening.
Biden/Whitmer 2020.
Make America healthy again.
3
@Kevin Rothstein you do know Bidens beneficiaries are Wall Street folks?
1
@petey tonei Yes. And your point is what, exactly?
I'm no fan of the Wall Street people who almost brought the world to a complete stop 12 years ago. I also realize that you can't demonize the wealthy, either.
The most telling report I have heard of Trump's attitude toward diagnosis and mitigation of the coronavirus was when he stated that he didn't want the cruise ship to come into harbor and off load it's passengers because it would make the numbers go up. Really, I guess this should be like the famine ships that had to stay out of harbor and bury at sea those infected with disease.
3
Maybe he could visit that CPAC conference person who has the virus. Trump was at that conference. He could demonstrate what he says in his speeches that it is nothing to worry about.
4
Great thinking, Charles, thanks for putting it all into cogent expression. I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering if we will have ANY candidates for President come November....after all the top 3 contenders are pretty much targets for the pulmonary collapse of COVID-19. To be clear, I wish all to be spared. The reality is that this virus is “the angel of death” for those over a certain age, round about 75, depending on individual health. If you allow for a +/- of a few years, well, we may end up with another round of primaries in both parties prior to November. Who knows? Coming out the other side of this worldwide epidemic, life is going to look very different to most survivors. The losses and suffering promise to be torments from which the opportunity to blaze a better path may find purchase. The species will survive, many will be stung by grief, and hope springs eternal.
1
There was a photo from Trump's trip to the CDC in which a virologist was showing him a colorful, large scale model of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Trump was looking at it with a blank and empty stare. I bet he was thinking, "Dang, forget the N95 masks, can't we just use butterfly nets."
3
In addition to providing another case proving the incompetence and sociopathic megalomania of the person in charge of our country (and essentially in charge of our well being), this also shows that the state of the USA’s healthcare policy/system is reactionary. The lack of preparedness and proper response on all levels is astounding. Leadership? It’s coming from those in the trenches who are taking up the slack. Listen and learn.
1
The numbers that Charles gave concerning republican's view of trump's intelligence and honesty are astounding. No wonder they are referred to as cultists. One man has single handedly gaslighted an entire party.
6
Another dog-bites-man account of President Trump's leadership. I don't think anyone, even those on the right who ridiculously responded to the survey cited, would put their safety in Trump's hands. It's horrible, of course, that the president can't be trusted to deliver factual information about a health crisis. But at this point in his presidency, his mendacity really doesn't pose a threat to public safety, as everyone knows anything his says can't be trusted. It's his competence that poses the real threat, of course. I appreciate the chronicling of Trump's deceit, but I sometimes wish the Times and other news outlets would report about Trump when he actually does something out of the ordinary -- like tells the truth. Now that would be newsworthy.
Health, weather and natural disasters are the great equalizers.
1
The shock for me is not that Trump is a vile and dishonest man, that should be obvious to any rational observer. What shocks me is that so many Americans are guided by their political affiliation to not see what is right before their eyes.
Politicians and particularly the far right have learned to play their voters like a fiddle and turn them into zombies voting against their own self interests and the interests of the country. That has reached a peak in the dystopian Trump era where up is down and right is wrong and the future of the US is very much in doubt.
5
Why is he wearing a campaign hat during a national emergency? The man has no sense of decency other than to himself.
5
No responsible person wants a potentially lethal virus spreading through the world. The fact that it is putting a spotlight on Trump's flaws as a person and as a president is cold comfort indeed.
If Trump manages to twist this around to some version of--
1. It's Democratic fear mongering;
2. It's a Democratic plot;
3. It's a Ukrainian plot to help the Democrats; or
4. Under Obama the epidemic would have been much worse--
and his followers buy into it, that will remove any cold grain of comfort we can take from what is truly a potentially tragic situation.
2
I just wonder how Trump will play it when there is an outbreak of COVID 19 among his cult supporters following one of his abhorrent rallies. Will getting sick and not being able to get a test make any difference to his followers? Probably not. They fail to recognize that Trump's constant underfunding of scientific based agencies has aggravated this public health crisis. Trump is the biggest threat to our national security and public health. May COVID 19 lay Trump low at least politically.
6
I believe Mr Blow underestimates President Trump’s gaslighting capabilities. He’s already blamed C-19 on Democrats, and we all know who’s lurking around the next corner? President Obama, of course.
Trump’s already claimed that it’s the Obama administration’s fault why we don’t have enough testing kits, and a vaccine.
Not sure how he’ll gaslight CPAC and Cruz on the self-quarantine. But Trump the invincible, standing next to Pence will try to gaslight the virus should they fall victim.
1
Smack in the middle of this article is the nexus of our current political turmoil. Everyone agrees that Trump is self-centered. The difference is that Republicans like and identify with this; Democrats hate it.
It's the old problem of individualism versus social contract. Republicans believe that people contribute best when they are motivated by self interest. Democrats believe that unadulterated self interest is destructive. Both have an element of truth, but Republicans have taken it much too far, to the point of dogmatism. It no longer matters what the practical repercussions are. So, we have an existential crisis on our hands.
3
@Dan There's "self-centered" and there's "sociopath." These are two different things.
1
Even for those who don’t believe in climate change, the hot air emanating from Donald Trump, his family and his advisors is sufficient, all by itself, to cause global warming.
That Trump is so willing to play fast and loose with the facts regarding what is quickly becoming a global pandemic is a more than sufficient indicator that he is not only emotionally unsuited for the presidency, but also that he is intellectually stunted beyond even what his detractors suspected.
The 2020 election could not come at a better time, but it appears that the price America will have to pay for the privilege is going to be staggeringly high, and for some, perhaps literally not survivable.
Trump supporters wanted a vapid, immoral, unethical and unqualified reality show television host as their president? Well they got what they wanted, and it’s getting very, very real, very very quickly. Do we have your attention yet?
2
Trump knows that the more positive cases there are in the USA, the worse it is for him.
What's the easiest way to avoid positive tests? Don't test people. Trump always does what's in his personal best interest. So you do the math.
The only question is once Trump's corruption and incompetence results in deaths in this country (rather than in say Ukraine), will the Republicans do something?
5
Trump at the CDC with his hands in his pockets (despite the accompanying picture) is a perfect representation of his leadership in this growing viral and now oil, crisis. We are about to see exactly how incompetent he and his administration are. The only remaining question is whether the Republican Party, such as it is, will finally abandon him.
1
@Andrew They will not - cowards all of them. The Red Party is no longer the party of Howard Baker, John McCain. It is the party of lies and greed.
No doubt Trump and his Republicans will deny the truth of how Coronavirus is spreading and how many Americans are dying. They can spin their lies through Fox, Facebook and Twitter, but they are shaking in their blood covered boots about how to spin the Wall Street collapse which is driven by the virus's real impact on business and profits. Trump encouraging the infected to go to work will only exacerbate the spread of the virus, the number of deaths and the downward spiral of the markets.
No matter their cunning, reality ultimately bites those who weave lies and defy science.
2
Mr. Blow is right: Trump can’t gaslight a virus.
I can’t wait to see Bernie Sanders debate Trump, and point out that Trump dismantled the CDC agencies Obama put in place to stop a pandemic like the one we are now facing.
When masses of virus-fearing Trumpsters, used to seeing their President constantly praised to the high heavens on Fox News, witness the spectacle of Trump squirming in the face of such irrefutable facts, of having his lies proven as lies, and sense they have been badly gaslit, that one moment may turn the tide of the election right there.
I look forward to that moment.
No, I do not believe Biden possesses the rhetorical power to prevail in such a situation; but Bernie surely does.
1
@K.C. He won't squirm. He'll just call Bernie a liar and say that Obama is the one who got rid of the competent professionals. Remember, "I'm no puppet, you're the puppet"?
Death by sickness is where the rubber meets the road between science and pretend. Trump et al have elevated the art of illusion to such heights that altitude sickness becomes a mortal illness.
With their lives on the line, people can smell the difference between coffee and covefe.
1
71% of Republicans think Trump is honest. 71%? Finally something more terrifying than the coronavirus.
5
Although it is very mean-spirited and petty, a large part of me hopes the Trump rallies turn into huge infections of the Coronavirus.
Maybe then, these people will realize how much Trump is lying to them. Those that survive, that is.
Wash your hands, and vote Democratic.
The 2 most important things you can do this year.
4
As much a public health threat as the virus itself???
With respect, Trump is FAR MORE a public health threat and has been ever since he took office. By working to dismantle Obamacare and repealing protections to our environment, Trump is public health threat NUMBER ONE.
4
I understand that Trump is seeking legal advice as to whether as Pres he has the authority to postpone the election so as to protect Americans from assembling in close quarters until a corona virus vaccine is available. If so, he is prepared to accept that such a vaccine won't be available for two years.
1
As bad as Covid is, it may well be another warning shot fired by nature across our bow.
The ultimate virus might possibly come from bush meat hunting and selling in Africa.
Climate change is going to play a factor in all of this and in many other areas as well. I might add that we would do best by preparing, but I'm wasting my time. In my 70s, that is not a good idea.
1
It is a sad commentary that a person like the President can influence so many people. And the sadder thing about it all is that they think and act as he does. Are the people 'fiddling,' as Nero did, while the nation burns?.
1
It's no lie that I went to the supermarket yesterday, and they were completely out of hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol. And we know about people hoarding things like toilet paper.
China locked itself down, and coronavirus cases seem to be stabilizing there, even decreasing. Can America do the same? I don't know about that. Trump can't stand it that his precious stock market is taking a hit. He'll want people to go into work, to keep things moving. But that will be a tragic mistake.
China appears to be weathering the storm. It is unclear that the US can do the same, especially with our malignant narcissist of a president and his appointed lackeys at the helm.
As coronavirus in America continues to spiral out of control, and with Trump willing to do pretty much anything to remain in power, I fully expect invocation of presidential emergency powers sooner rather than later. That's the best chance Trump has to win in November.
And Trump will not think twice about taking it.
268
@Blue Moon - I agree with most of what you are saying, but the virus is not "spiraling out of control in America". Please, watch what you say. There is the potential for that to happen, and I don't trust Trump/Pence one bit, but it is not out of control right now, there are good people (not including Trump or Pence) working on it.
I would say that by the end of March, we will either have it substantially under control, or it will be substantially out of control.
22
@Blue Moon
Actually, I expect him to return to Trump Tower in New York (or someplace else) and barricade himself inside. With armed guards ready to shoot anybody who knocks on his door.
17
@Blue Moon Asia and Europe are way ahead of the US, with toto & bidets and such, which makes toilet paper irrelevant!
8
Of course, Donald worries only about the "big things." Not the military aid to our ally in defending against Russian aggression, but how it affects his re-election prospects.
The acquittal vote in the senate was the last straw. The virus is Divine Intervention to end the Trump presidency.
3
Trump has gas lighted the nation. He could not have done it without the mind bending influence of social and conventional media from Russia, the Republican Party, Erik Prince, Fox News and more, both foreign and domestic.
The covid 19 virus may have a side effect of denaturing those malign forces. Like an antibiotic attacking an infection, this new disease might counter the political dysfunction we are being sickened by.
228
Call it a conditioned response after the last three years, but I really don't pay much attention to what President Trump says.
What counts is what we as a nation are doing.
My impression right now is that the best people and organizations to manage this crisis, the CDC and the NIH etc, are doing pretty much what they should. Mr. Pence is organizing communication from those agencies pretty well too, in contrast to Mr. Trump's comments.
So in this case (unlike, say, EPA or the Department of Education) our government agencies that should be doing things are in fact doing them, pretty much unhindered. For that I am grateful.
My great, and hopefully unfounded fear, is that at the end of the day, Trump will attempt to use the pandemic as an excuse to postpone the 2020 election.
8
Thank you, Mr. Blow. Of course, it never was possible that Donald Trump would respond to an epidemic in any other way. The longer that people can get away with ignoring important parts of reality, the harder it's likely to hit them when they can't ignore it any more.
6
The battle cry of the right sounds to me like "We're people of very small character and we vote!"
8
@Chris
I had a similar thought. The battle cry of the left sounds to me like " We are people who believe anyone that does not agree with us must have small character and we vote"
@Jack Agree with us? How does one agree with believing lies?
@Jack You're one of the 35%, aren't you?
The overarching responsibility of the President is to keep the nation safe and secure. Trump has failed spectacularly. He has allowed continued hacking of our electoral process, he has decimated federal agencies of expertise, including the State Department, EPA, DOJ, and yes, the CDC. He has relied on his "gut" rather than experts. He walked away from international agreements, angering our traditional allies, as well as countries with which we disagree. He has lied over 16,000 times. The sooner he is out of office, the better.
6
@jfdenver
From your lips ( fingers ) to God's ears ( eyes ). :-)
1
So only 19% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents view Trump as intelligent.
Yet he outsmarted all the experienced Republican politicians and managed to be nominated for and then win the Presidency. And he's outsmarted a sizable percentage of the citizenry. And continues to do so.
So what does that tell you about the 19%?
Wasn't it Sun Tzu who said there is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent?
@Gerry
I think the problem is with the 81% that think Trump is not intelligent. They are conflating ignorance and intelligence.
However, no matter how ignorant or what level of intelligence Trump has, he managed to outperform all of the Republican candidates and the Democratic candidates and become President. I have my doubts that the current Democratic candidates are up to the task of defeating a President that they consider so feeble-minded.
@Gerry Trump hasn't 'outsmarted' anyone. He's revealed the lack of smarts in this nation. So it's more like he's "out-dumbed" the nation.
Actually, Trump, and for a long while Sanders, benefitted enormously from the procedural shortcomings of the primary process, in both parties. Trump never won close to a majority in early primaries, just enough to “win” over a highly splintered field and suck up all media attention. Same with Sanders ... he saw 75 percent of voters choose someone else in Iowa and NH and about 55 percent in Nevada, yet he was the big winner, it was his nomination to lose, etc. Pete and Amy and then Bloomberg dropped out, unlike many Republicans in 2016 till it was too late. That changed the Dem race dramatically, as we have seen.
This process, especially with Iowa first and two of the first three contests caucuses, has got to go. How we choose candidates is senseless and exhausting as Trump himself.
Responding to the rapid spread of CoVid-19 and the impending need to care for unknown thousands of Americans who will need intensive medical treatment would be challenging but possible for any competent Administration. With an incompetent Administration that is more focused on controlling spin than controlling the spread of the disease, however, we are facing a deep crisis that could have been avoided.
11
But, whatever happens, it won't touch Trump. He can do whatever he wants. Social media has changed the concept of honesty in America. People that care about evidence-based policy have not found an effective way to counter social media and until that occurs, Trump and others like him will continue to rule America. Social media giants could do the right thing and close down their sites but that would cost them money. This is why Trump exists in the first place: he is good for the rich.
9
Trump has a very dim view of the voters he needs to get him across the line in the electoral college. He is betting that they aren’t paying attention and/or don’t care and/or will have forgotten all of this by November because they have the attention span of a gnat. If you view people like that, it only follows that you’d happily encourage them to come to a rally. The gnats are expendable. The gnats have only two valuable things: a vote and adulation for Trump. Without the rally he risks losing both and gains nothing.
Ask yourself. Is he wrong?
5
I would like to once again recognize our Senate Republicans for choosing Trump over America, the Constitution, and the rule of law to hopefully solidify their power and enhance their own personal gain.
It appears that real facts might be more helpful than “alternative facts” after all.
Who could gave guessed?
15
This phenomenon of Republikans goose stepping behind Trump is not a Republican vs. Democrat choice. The nation and the world is divided between two types of people- the People of Faith and the People of Reason. The People of Faith follow Authority as a guiding principle, while the People of Reason follow measured facts and logical conclusions. As it turns out, neither is right and neither is wrong... it just is what it is.
The advantage the People of Reason have is a documented and functional view of reality. The advantage the People of Faith have is consistency and solidarity. Right now, the People of Reason have the greater grasp of the reality of Covid-19, its potential danger and cost. If the virus does not cause a seriously pandemic outbreak with many deaths and if the virus goes away in a month or two, then both sides will feel rectified and justified. This is the way of the World.
8
Funny, but I don't hear DJT, Pence or McConnell saying that those who have become ill from COVID are "in our thoughts and prayers". No such comment about the people on the cruise ship off San Francisco, nor those in the skilled nursing facility in Washington.
Perhaps this relates to the fact that understanding a virus demands an understanding of science. Modern leaders understand that science and fact are part of their responsibility, not to be ignored in order to cultivate a party's base.
9
@Jeff On the one hand, Trump acts as if the virus is nothing to worry about, but then on the other, he doesn't want those poor folks on the cruise ship docked off the CA coast to be allowed to disembark--lest it increase the number of cases in the US and make Trump look bad.
Aren't folks getting tired of catering to Trump's ego instead of the country's needs?
I am one of those who have stocked up on canned and frozen foods that I would be using anyway - think of it as buying forward. We're also retired, and although my husband and I are highly active, we have the ability to attempt to reduce our exposure to other people by hiking more and attending museums etc. less. I don't know if we can out-run the virus until there is a vaccine (probably not), but at least I believe it's real and not a Dem hoax. I must say, Trump's voters sure stuck it to us libs, didn't they?
17
Since he has narcissistic personality disorder, Trump is incapable of all the things Mr. Blow would like to see him do. But I hope that is blundering around does not really affect the people who know what to do and are trying to do it. I hope he is like a child in a car with a toy steering wheel, who thinks he is driving as he turns it left and right.
But Trump and the Republicans generally have starved the beast--the Federal government--and the CDC et al. are weakened and less well able to respond to a crisis. This may be the main cause of problems.
12
On the power of lies to destroy a country, watch episode 5 of the HBO series "Chernobyl." The parallels with Trump's mismanagement of this crisis are horrifying. Is this Trump's Katrina? Or his Chernobyl?
In his testimony, Jared Harris's character, nuclear physicist Valery Legasov, reveals the cheap construction and the fatal design flaw that plagued a dozen Soviet reactors. This flaw would have embarrassed the USSR, so it was kept secret, even from the reactor operators.
To the court, Legasov confessed lying to the IAEA in Vienna that the accident was due to operator error.
"My testimony in Vienna was a lie. I lied to the world. I'm not the only one who kept this secret. There are many. We were following orders. There are many who kept this lie. From the KGB to the Central Committee." When the judge reminded Legasov that suggesting the state was responsible fo the disaster put him "on dangerous ground," he responded:
"We're on dangerous ground right now, because of our secrets and our lies. They're practically what define us. When the truth offends we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later that debt is paid. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. Lies."
Legasov was sent into internal exile, stripped of his academic position, and 2 years after the meltdown, committed suicide.
Gorbachev would later say that the Chernobyl disaster was the event that destroyed the Soviet Union.
14
If people can't see Trump for what he is by now, they are beyond educating. They can look right in the face of his malign incompetence and see a historic statesman; they ignore, I guess, his lies; they admit, but downplay his many sexual transgressions; in fact, they would argue that he may be the best president ever. Ever!
On them, unfortunately, I give up. Furthermore and worse, the DNC and its anointed ones are no longer the working man's friend. Don't let the formerly benign category "Liberal" fool you; they are status quotitians (a neologism: I like it). Incrementalists, they offer some help for many, but not all people. Millions of Americans, to them, are expendable: "We can't help everybody." Which means that millions are left behind. Sorry!
So we have the Party of Trump and Republican Lite to choose from at present. We need a people's party, but creating one is nigh-impossible. How many working stiffs can drop everything and work for social justice? We're trying to survive: Most of us don't have $400 for an emergency. Most personal bankruptcies are caused by high-priced diseases like cancer, heart problems, and for a growing number COVID-19 tests.
I don't mind people doing well financially, but I do not accept that millions of people live their lives in financial anxiety; your brothers and sisters are walking a tightrope with no safety net.
And I see no bright future either. Bernie will be crushed by the MSM, corporations, FOX, Trump, and Hate Radio.
5
I believe David Leonard’s column today has an answer for what ails you.
You may not be able to gaslight a virus but you may be able to gaslight roughly 40% of the population who are willingly gas lighted every day by trump. When will we find a way to point out the truth? What right do these masters of misdirection and misinformation have to try to hide a fire in a theater? When we allow lies to hold the same power as the truth then we are gaslighting ourselves.
13
Excellent, Brian Whistler, but it was not Teddy Roosevelt, it was Harry Truman who said "the buck stops here."
3
Mr. Blow, everything you have said is correct. Trump is the worst leader for this sort of situation precisely because he doesn’t see it as a situation that will impact the country and people’s lives but a menace that will hurt his re-election chances. At best, it’s a “cold” that is being hyped up by awful Democrats aimed at hurting his political career. He sees this public health crisis only through the lens of his own ego, which is how he has apparently viewed everything in his life. Only this time, millions of people are at risk. I think part of the reason people are panicking and buying up all the hand sanitizer and whatnot is that it is so clear that there is no responsible leadership at the helm. When there is no responsible leadership, there is only chaos and fear left.
372
@Lindsay K
All correct except the statement that "technically" a virus isn't even alive. The biological definition of life includes growth, reproduction, metabolism, change and death, all of which are exhibited by viruses.
11
@Lindsay K
Before its Golden Age Athens almost collapsed . The bankers controlled everything including the lives of its best and brightest. Solon the statesman, poet and philosopher was summoned to get the train back on the track.
Solon instituted the reforms that were needed and disappeared for two years so he wasn't compelled to undo the reforms.
Biden is the fear candidate and that alone has me worried. I don't know whether Sanders is wedded to the past but when a country is in the midst of a cold civil war that has destroyed all trust in the integrity of its foundation maybe a hiatus in instituting reform is in order.
The only problem is that with forty years of needed reforms not undertaken an hiatus during existential danger does not sound optimistic.
5
@Patsy Not to be a Debby Downer here but viruses don't grow, they don't reproduce without a host and they don't create their own energy.
10
A pandemic is not to be trivialized given the global hardships and misery that will be results, but I can’t help but appreciate the irony that this most tiny and invisible foe will likely bring Trump down
11
Deadly viruses don't read Tweets. Deadly viruses don't watch Fox News. Deadly viruses don't care what Rush Limbaugh and Breitbart say. Deadly viruses don't wear a MAGA hat or a "Feel the Bern" hat. Deadly viruses don't vote.
Deadly viruses do require acceptance of science. Deadly viruses do require an ability to understand and assess facts and risks. Deadly viruses do require strong, ethical leadership and action from our president and other leaders.
Heaven help us.
401
@Jack Sonville
God helps those who help themselves.
Want to not be “ruled” by the Republican Party for another four years? Register and then get out and vote Democratic on the entire ticket in November.
Kick out the brain dead, zombie Republicans under the control of The Donald, who are, along with the coronavirus, killing our democracy and our economy, not to mention fellow citizens.
31
@Jack Sonville You make an excellent point about (basically) a type of evolution and the need to use science to understand it. But then you ask heaven to help us, tongue-in-cheek I think.
No heaven will not help us, and as another commented added, 'god helps those who helps themselves'....
What utter and complete nonsense. It's a separate argument and I'm not here to disparage anyone's faith, but references like these (for me) do not add anything to the solution.
No heaven, no god, just good ole' evolution, as always, eventually taking the lead based on the tiniest gap of opportunity. Now THAT is extraordinary!
9
I am confused. I thought Trump supporters disdained the ‘elites’” and the “so-called experts” respected by the liberal left. Now they are looking to the scientists for information about the coronavirus? Are these NIH and CDC experts now NOT part of the “deep state”? So, when there is an ACTUAL emergency (apparently defined as one which might effect them), they are interested in the previously disparaged expertise hard working government officials?
14
@Babs Actually, man of his supporters are not listening to experts. They listen to Rush, who told them that this virus is no worse than a cold.
3
Donald isn't smart as much as he's clever, keeping one step ahead of events by manipulating the media. As Mr. Blow implies, the virus is several steps ahead of trump and it won't go away like any of his earth shaking outrages that trump delivers three or four times a day.
Another acting director won't help. Corrupting the Supreme Court won't help. A cowardly Senate won't help. Building a new tennis pavilion won't help. Nor will campaigning with our tax dollars and the typical trump extortion.
9
Maybe not on topic, as this Mr. Blow is writing about Truth vs trump.... But definitely worth a loud echo : "87 percent of Republicans and their leaners say that Trump fights for what they believe in, while at the same time 35 percent say that he is prejudiced. There is clearly some overlap here. Allow that to sink it."
7
On the coronavirus epidemic: Trump's incompetence, delay, denial, delusions, lying, and relentless self-absorption will lead to the deaths of many Americans -- perhaps many hundreds, even thousands. Let that sink in.
10
He is concerned with occupancy at his hotels -- period. Re-election is second to his business concerns.
7
@Bobi No, re-election is his central concern. He understands he may end up in jail if being president doesn't protect him until the running of the statutes of limitations on some of his crimes. See, Southern District of NY.
This is one of the days when I agree with you completely.
The bravado of Trump and his crowd in the run-up to a train wreck is breathtaking. As you note, a virus cannot be gaslighted. When Trump claims credit for the health of the economy or declares his phone call to Zelensky perfect (an awkward genteelism for "strictly legit"), he sets people arguing; but the argument rumbles on or peters out, leaving each side to believe what it likes.
The virus, in contrast, is going to win its argument. People are going to suffer in Trumpland. As always, they'll remember what they heard from Trump and Fox News, but this time they'll be left believing something they don't like one bit.
6
I realize this post will never see the light of day but please pass it on to the writer:
His sentence below missed its most important description :
“Trump is a lying machine. It is pathological. It is compulsive. It is unrepentant.” What it is most of all is TECHNIQUE.
Donald Trump doesn’t make normal statements , he generates rubik cube answer blocks to every possible circumstance asked or not even thought of.
Example: his 360 degree explanation of crovd19. It was dangerous. It is Not dangerous. Could be dangerous. It’s retreating. It could be worse but maybe not. Etc .
In one long breath he gave every possible answer and then moved on. To do it all over again. While throwing spears and praise like candy tossed from a Mardi Gras float.
So if you like the guy, you agree. If you hate the guy, he just proved why you are correct.
He is able to pull this off because he believes that any publicity is good publicity. Even publicly that everyone else would abhor.
When you put that all together with the other identifiers in Mr Blows piece, it explains why he comes thru all his crisises essentially unscathed, while his erstwhile pursuers are left like rumble along the side of the road. Even the fact checkers do his bidding when they report: Trump lied again.
Go figure.
9
A really interesting article would be to interview the 7% of self-identified Democrats who admire Trump.
8
@JCX Yeah, who are these people? For real?
@JCX The are all Russians!
"Only science, honesty, prudence and genuine concern for public safety will work now."
Unfortunately, Putin's hump does not know any of these words: "science, honesty, prudence", and especially "genuine concern for" anything else or anyone else other than himself - probably not even his family if there is conflict between them and him. Maybe with the exception of Putin who is, after all, his handler and/or master and may have something on him.
5
@petey tonei
Would you like to see the campaign that Trump is running? Send him a small contribution, say $5, and you’ll get on his email list. You will be amazed.
“The fact that that the people infected and fearful of becoming so are real people who desperately need the steady hand of a steady leader is lost on him.”
Trump is incapable of seeing “real people” behind what he so shockingly referred to recently as “the numbers.”
Whether tossing paper towels to hurricane victims, shrugging off the separation of toddlers from their parents, or the possibility of those at his rallies spreading the coronavirus among themselves and others, his lack of empathy for fellow human beings in distress appears pathological and all encompassing. Trump will never see the world except through the lens of his own self interest and other people are will always be just “them.”
8
I like the metaphor. But...
In the movie "Gaslight," Charles Boyer is an elegant, subtle, conniving villain. His gaslighting relies upon secretiveness: in small, incremental ways he seeks to drive the heroine, Ingrid Bergman, insane. Small objects disappear; pictures are rearranged; mysterious footsteps are heard at night as the gaslights dim.
Perhaps the link here is "gas." We've had lots of it from Trump (most of it false). Unlike Ingrid Bergman, his audience eagerly consumes it and doubles it. I think the metaphor of "Ship of Fools" or "Ship of State of Fools" is more apt.
But "Gaslight" will do. Because you're right: you can't gaslight a virus.
180
@MHN Great comment. I saw Gaslight a couple of weeks ago. (It's an outstanding movie; Boyer's virtuoso performance was perfect.) Boyer's character gets his comeuppance in the end, the redemptive quality of the movie.
Let's see if reality plays out the same way.
31
@MHN
Perhaps something other than a ship, please. A train on which the puffed up demigods careen in twists of corkscrew turns only to end up where they began, now coughing their lungs out and bluing up while checking their trading, banking, and real estate accounts. All the money and power in the world, yet they die just as assuredly as the dispossessed. Vaults of wealth and not a breath of air.
9
@MHN
Excellent summation of a movie I often recommend. I watched it a couple of years after my 20-year marriage to a trumpian sociopathic gaslighter ended and it hit home. Explained a lot.
I think the movie "Gaslight" is right up there with "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Manchurian Candidate" to be required in High School.
I also would love to see a completely rewritten modern script soon that includes all the methods of "gaslighting" that we have to cope with nowadays coming from all directions. So many people have no clue, no understanding of the fact that they need to discern information and separate truth from lies.
I might have paid more clear-sighted attention to the red flags before I married in 1990, had I understood "gaslighting".
16
We must remember, Trump makes bad, bad decisions because I does not understand his ignorance and is too lazy to know. He has skated through life this way. When confronted with the truth, he resorts to bullying, lying and lawsuits. None of this works when science is involved. This is a crisis entirely of his own making.
6
Demagogues succeed, because they give their supporters what they want.
Trump voters believe that non-white immigration and empowerment are a threat to their way of life, and that their jobs were stolen by insidious foreigners, who were aided and abetted by globalist liberals.
As long as Trump builds his wall, issues travel bans, and appears to be standing up to China and America's other trading partners, everything else is forgiven.
The same could be said about Netanjahu. As long as a he is annexing territory, he can line his pockets as much as he wants.
Will the virus change that? Probably only if there are hundreds and thousands or even millions of deaths, and no matter how much I may despise Trump, his policies (and his supporters), I do hope that his luck holds, even though it doesn't look like it.
1
Sadly for the American populace, but fortunately for Trump, viruses don't vote. The trait that they share with Trump's supporters is that they also don't reflect. They don't question. They just swarm, destroy, and kill.
I'm not convinced that Trump can engender any greater sense of cognitive dissonance than the gas-lighting we have collectively been forced to endure thus far.
4
For more than 35 years I have voted a solid R. Inspired by Teddy Roosevelt & the creation of a national park system, enamored by the organizational skills demonstrated by Eisenhower, followed by the moral leadership of Reagan, my party allegiance has been unwavering.
Until now.
The corona virus bungling by Trump has demonstrated he is a worthless parasite. His callous indifference became undeniable when the virus devastated Wuhan City and Trump failed to rally our nation & prepare. Three months into the crisis we remain woefully short of test kits and nationwide policies.
Whereas Eisenhower organized WW II allies with amazing alacrity and went on to build America's national highway system, Trump can't even muster a unified message between himself and CDC. As a nation we are floundering in the face of crisis.
So now I am a registered independent. I pray millions of other Americans will follow suit to send an undeniable message to Trump's cohorts in the senate. Break with Trump or follow him out of office in 8 months.
14
@Bean Trader The "moral leadership" of Reagan? You were being gaslighted then.
All of Trump’s traits were fully on display during the 2016 election campaign, and for many years before.
Democrats were rightfully horrified at the thought of a person like him being even nominated, much less elected.
But remember, all the Republican messaging, from center right to far right was: “That is not the real Donald Trump. This is all just campaign bluster. Once elected he will settle down to businesslike, presidential behavior.”
Now we know that was not true, and anyone who thinks it will change upon re-election is just making the same mistake again.
9
When, will he protect his constituents, and his followers? The answer is never. He doesn’t have a thoughtful bone in his body. Vote blue
6
One cannot help but wonder if the coronavirus is not Trump’s “perfect storm.” His need to convince the public a pandemic is a nonevent crashing against his need to keep it contained. His overwhelming need for adoring crowds crashing against his infamous germaphobia. His “I-alone-can-fix-it” persona crashing against a force that does not respond to insults and lies, an ailing economy that does not respond to political props or sugar highs. His claim to deity crashing against his feet of clay.
5
I teach rhetoric (how to be persuasive) to college students, and one of the basic lessons of that discipline comes from Aristotle, who wrote "we believe good men more fully and readily than others." In order to be persuasive, one must display both credibility and good moral character. I have never had reason to doubt this teaching - until Donald Trump ran for president, won, and continued to maintain a steady level of support from his base despite over 3 years of corruption, lies, embarrassing incompetence, needless cruelty, and a shocking inability to provide leadership when it is needed. Now I am not so sure that Aristotle was right. Of course it is complicated, but the heart of the problem seems to be in a tribal public that values party affiliation over what should be the basic human virtues of honesty, decency, truthfulness, competence, etc. If that surmise is correct, then we are a truly debased and decadent society, and the rot is so deep and prevalent that I fear we may never recover.
11
It is Monday in Australia and New Zealand. Both sharemarkets down. Australia share market down over 7% and has had $140 billion wiped off it. The BNZ bank in NZ said to prepare for a probable recession. Not looking good.
2
You can't gaslight the coronavirus, but you surely can gaslight yourself. So many people now are engaged in panic buying of toilet paper and water, while those of us with a more sanguine view of the world have 30 days of emergency supplies and medicines on hand at all times, in case of power blackout, earthquake, tornado, hurricane, or whatever. People who gaslit themslves into thinking nothing bad will ever happen or that people are basically good, and are not prepared for emergencies ,are more of a threat to the common welfare than a President who says stupid things, because they will put others at risk with their crazy panic buying. The time could come soon if you don't have a backup 30 day emergency supply on hand of your blood pressure medication or anti-psychotic, you'll be out of luck.
An astute column, as usual. But will this crisis expose Trump? In this era of silo'ed news combined with deep dark internet hate mongering, is it possible he will slide through, as he thinks he will? One commenter noted that Trump is now using the playbook that stood him in good stead in hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico: browbeat scientists and leaders, obfuscate the facts, and "What did you say, 16 people died in this hurricane? So much better than during Katrina?!" "Yessir, 16." Three months later, scientific data shows the actual number of deaths to be 3000, a whopping 18,000 %+ differential, and instead of investigative committees, there is....Nothing. Who even remembers this incompetence? He is using the same ploy now. Hide the numbers, silence and punish those who want truth and transparency, and voila, black is white, again. And, American citizens are hurt, again.
3
@Bibi It might be tougher to hide the number of deaths caused by Covid-19. If the mortality rate is really 2% as it seems to be. We are a nation of 300+ million people. If only 10% of us get the virus, it will mean 600,000 deaths (assuming we don't come up with a vaccine)! If it develops into a true Pandemic as predicted by some health experts, 40%-70% of us will be infected by this time next year and there will be millions dead.
@Independent One According to Trump, any spike in deaths will be either "fake news" or a spike in the flu. And his followers will buy it.
To the commenter who thinks only Trump and Sanders are holding rallies:
Biden held a Missouri rally last night, and there are more to follow. He has not done anything differently.
“Democratic candidate for president Joe Biden stopped in Kansas City Saturday evening for a rally at the WWI Museum and Memorial.”
Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article241001016.html/video-embed/amp/kansascity#amp=1#storylink=cpy
1
A good test of Trump supporters' confidence level in their president will be turnout at his rallies.
Will people travel from their rural areas to see him in a large, crowded urban arena?
Will they cheer as he downplays and outright lies about the virus?
Will Trump even hold such rallies, out of his own fears or advice from within his administration?
I'm eager to find out.
2
Mr. Blow's point that President Trump can't gaslight a virus raises the following question:
Can President Trump get away with standing in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue and shooting us?
3
John of Montana,
I assume you mean that President Trump did not want the cruise ship to dock in California and not Montana. The people in San Francisco did not want them to dock and neither do the people in Oakland where it will eventually land. Maybe Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff could quarantine a few.
the worst part is that it gives the do nothing Democrats the chance to say things trying to make it look like Trump doesn't know what he's doing, and, somehow, they know better. of course they are not beyond politicizing a global epidemic.
@Steve Borsher Trump does a fine job of showing that he doesn't know what he's doing every time he opens his mouth. Quoting what he actually says or tweets is not "politicizing".
@Steve Borsher Goodness. It's hard to give you enough credit for all the hours of Fox you have watched to come up with this comment.
One thing to point out: COVID-19 was introduced into major urban areas, and like most infectious diseases, will spread more rapidly among people in close proximity. Many Trump supporters live in rural areas and have yet to see the impact, so they may not share the same fears at this time.
Aside from the current understanding that COVID-19 seems more infectious as well as likely more deadly than influenza which is in itself anxiety-provoking, we have the failed rollout of testing.
Because we cannot trust Trump or his administration to be honest, it's not too much of a leap to wonder if that failed rollout was deliberate, to inhibit testing so that we wouldn't see the true numbers.
And it's also not too much of a leap to think that, given Trump's negative "feelings" about California (threatening to withhold relief for wildfires of the past), his statements about Washington Governer Inslee, and of New York City, that maybe his hoping to see some damage there.
When President Trump lies so frequently, and so vindictively, what are we supposed to believe?
The handling of COVID-19 might lead to Trump's fall, but this thought doesn't provide relief to those who are ill, or relieve anxieties that a quarantine can lead to financial ruin to many.
7
We kept asking ‘what will it take for people to take blinders off?’ It is hard for us to realize that it might be more than a president attacking our democratic institutions and our allies, more than an impeachment, more than a global pandemic, more than a market crash, MORE? I fear for my family’s health, well being and our country’s. Justice must be served. The rule of law must be reestablished. The day of reckoning will come.
13
The question is not whether the virus will disappear or not sooner or later. Of course it will disappear. That's what viruses do. They come in, kill a bunch of people, and then leave. The only question is how many people will it kill.
Left to itself, a plague can kill somewhere around a third of the population. That would be about 2.5 billion people in today's world population. It all depends on the skills of the people fighting the plague.
3
@Sisifo
Whether this virus would kill a third of the world's population is unknown, however, the early numbers suggest a much lower mortality level.
However, one third less Homo sapiens would be one of the best ways to jump-start serious climate change measures and all of the non-Homo Sapien species would be grateful.
The tricky part is sorting out who is going to be part of the one-third who help solve climate change.
If the majority of Republicans think Trump is morally upstanding and honest, and the majority of Democrats do not, and they are looking at the same man's behavior, then there must be an enormous difference in their interpretation of those words themselves. I would be horrified to discover that someone I trusted treated others the way Trump does. Republicans, on the other hand, hearing lies and calling them honesty, seeing cruel behavior and calling it morally upstanding, have lost (or abandoned) the basic foundations of human decency.
20
@AA All true, but I'm betting that enough Republicans are concerned about getting sick and dying, that they will not trust Trump on the Cononavirus.
Convid-19 has exposed the warped mind of Donald Trump. Millions of his admirers have bought in to his never ending litany of lies, from declaring global warming a hoax to claiming he has concrete evidence that Barack Obama was not born in this country and everything in between. Instead of admitting that we are in a national emergency, Trump continues to pooh-pooh warnings from every agency from the state department to CDC and bald-faced lie that we have everything under control. To Trump, the loss of lives is nothing compared to the loss of value of the Dow. This presidency has reached the abyss.
9
I am an Uber driver. Yesterday I had a passenger who said the coronavirus was not an issue and just a chance for liberal media to discredit Trump. I mentioned the economic impact, and he said "Yeah, that's what I mean". I changed the subject and in other conversation my passenger seemed smart, aware, and otherwise reasonable. Later he discussed how Laura Ingram and Tucker Carlson had a much clearer bead on reality than anyone. His assertions about coronavirus reflect the position of Fox, absolutely.
It's terribly alarming how otherwise thinking people subordinate their ideas to the blather spewed by the media. Which is exactly what he would have said about this editorial. Ignorance is very scary.
22
@Tom Harrison
You should have asked him if he knew the grains of rice on the chessboard fable....and that Covid-19 is doubling every 3-4 days in the US.
If he still didn't get it, sell him some magic beans.
@Tom Harrison Horrifying.
It is probably just a matter of a few days or a week or two before Congress will be forced by overwhelming public opinion to take charge of the management of this crisis.
Passing veto-proof bills for emergency funding, choosing a “Czar” to manage things, or even a re-impeachment. Pie in the sky?
4
First of all, Trump supporters like to say that 'he tells it like it is'. To them, that means he says what's on his mind. That is, he is sincere. (Can't argue with that). Whether or not his words would stand up in a court of law is another matter.
Secondly, the power of the conman lies not in his ability to fool his victims. It lies in his victims' refusal to admit that they have been conned. Trump supporters have been backed into a corner. They have to accept all of it, or face the prospect that te entire Trump experience has been a shakedown. So, they believe all of it.
Spin, misinformation, lies and propaganda can go really far in manipulating people. But a pandemic wont fall any of it. As the deaths mount, the number of hospitalizations increase, and work lost, you just can't spin that away. Of course blame can be targeted to the usual suspects, Hillary, Obama, Schumer, this paper, and the rest. But the financial losses will smack everyone in the face. Sooner or later, people will ask how did this happen and what did we do about it? What will be Trump's answer for that and how many will believe it? We will find out by next November.
15
"Trump is a much of a public health threat as the virus itself " ? Not really true. I think the coronavirus is far more benign than the White House variety.
9
From our experience here in Europe the coronavirus is fought on a personal level as well as a public level. Americans have an appalling self centered President incapable of taking proper command but remember we can each reflect on what we can do to stop or at least slow down the harm this virus is doing.
5
If you talk to Trump supporters or watch Fox announcers, you will find that they parrot Trump's views and conspiracy theories. They dismiss rebuttals to their arguments as based on Fake News. I don't see any signs of the base crumbling.
6
@Edward B. And to further your comment. His supporters place blame, just as he has done and has taught them to do.
There is no example for listening to, nor respecting the integrity of information coming from the experts and the major news sources. There is no acceptance that their president’s personal responsibility is to teach us how to get through this health crisis by providing verified facts.
Yesterday a reporter questioning a woman standing outside in a crowd, about whether she believed the coronavirus was real, got this answer. “I don’t believe anything the democrats have caused.”
1
Trump is going to win the coronavirus. First, it isn't all that dangerous, he's right about that. The mortality rate is certainly less than the 1919 flu. When we consider how many people have it but have not been tested the death rate drops even further. Second, if the first point is true then it does look like a liberal media/democratic hoax. Third, if it all goes south he can blame Pence, which is why Pence was put in charge to begin with. Fourth, for his supporters anything he does is a win.
Less than two weeks ago Trump said the “15” cases would be down to nearly zero. We’ve reached more than 500 cases. Now even conservatives Cruz and Gosar are self-quarantining. How will Trump spin this for his supporters this week?
9
@PABD Is Fox covering the guy who tested positive at CPAC, or Cruz self-quarantining? I'm guessing not so Trump won't even have to "spin" it.
The New York Times
Your comment has been approved!
There's informed gaslighting and then there's Trump's brand. We know that because contrary to the advise of pandemic experts, Trump has said that it's ok to go out to work when exhibiting the symptoms of the Corona virus.
And so instead we are depending on the scientists and doctors that Trump has tried to muzzle and we can only hope that our government officials are too.
But in a nation where the Governor of Texas once stood along side the ex Governor of Alaska on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and attempted to pray away the BP oil spill, that hope is problematic. Add in the Trump selected Virus Czar; gaslighting, praying Pence, and you can never be sure whether the science will be funded and followed, or denied and denigrated in the service of Trump's never ending P.R. campaign.
1
People who don’t believe in government shouldn’t run for office.
8