Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Gorsameth]

I dunno. But maybe it would have put more pressure on Trump to "DO SOMETHING". I don't think it would have made everything magically better by any means, but I'm hoping that it would have at least made things less awful and they actually turned out to be.

Then I wonder if you have been paying attention for the last 4 years.

I feel very confident in saying that absolutely nothing would have changed and the administration would have been in no way pressured to take the virus seriously.

[Bodakane]

I don't see why it is one or the other....

Trump would likely have tripled down on it being a hoax, if the Woodward tapes came out in Feb.

AND

Woodward should have released them then regardless.

[smityx]

At this point who really cares about what Woodward should of done or not done. Sure bash woodward, cancel him, convict him in the court if public opion whatever but this is really whataboutism. The main focus should totally be this is about Trump's willfully held back and worked against doing anything about covid.

[Warning]

Man, I'm glad that Woodward got this shit on tape and all but...

There's definitely an ethical question that comes up resulting from this.

Woodward has known since the beginning that Trump was demonstrably lying and misleading the public. He had the recordings to prove it. Yet he did nothing with it, sitting on the tapes until it came time to promote his next book and after nearly 200,000 Americans have died due to the virus.

He could have said something. He could have shared the recordings. He did nothing.

Agreed, Woodward is no hero in this. He really should've released this far earlier and really its inexecusable.

That said, of course the greater sin is how we now have the leader of the "party of personal responsibility" on tape admitting to practices that aren't too much different from Soviet style patronizing of its citizens. Covid has basically become the Trump admin's Chernobyl.

Apparently, unlike in most of the rest of the world where leaders told their citizens the truth and took serious measures against the dangers of the virus, Americans had to be treated like snowflakes that needed shielding from harsh reality lest they break into panic. How painfully ironic.

[Kaleredar]

The main focus should totally be this is about Trump's willfully held back and worked against doing anything about covid.

Was this really... news to anyone?

I suppose with deaths cresting 200,000 now's a (note the quotation marks) "good time" to break that information, but... unfortunately I don't think it will sway too many minds.

[DingDongKing]

New ad by the Lincoln Project.

[Adam Jensen]

Oh, and McEnemy has already denied the allegations despite the audio recordings and a book Trump literally signed off on.

That lasted all of what, half a day?

[Benggaul]

Given that the numbers for this week are still all kinds of screwed up because of the holiday I'm not going to do the full-blown report probably until next week. I can tell just by looking at them today that it's pretty useless to infer anything from them and most states still haven't gotten back on track. It's ludicrous that this happens because of one day off, but here we are.

Instead, here are the quick facts: About 35k new cases, 1,209 dead and 195,239 total. The death total is probably caught up but the turnaround on tests will likely need the rest of the week to completely shake out given the backlog from the holiday. Florida posted over 200 deaths. Fuck, Florida.

And in more depressing news, experts say the US should be conducting 200 million tests a month in order to ensure a chance at controlling the pandemic. The US is currently doing less than 1 million a day....less than 30 million a month. That's not going to be turning around, I fear.

Stay safe, folks.

[beanman12345]

That lasted all of what, half a day?

Her lying doesn't even annoy me, Spencer, Sanders the hat trick is complete. What annoys me is that she wears that little cross around her neck when she does it.

[Breccia]

1,209 dead

I was hoping that the lower numbers we saw were at least close to the real thing.

*sigh*

At least the school year hasn't made these numbers balloon out of control.

[Benggaul]

I was hoping that the lower numbers we saw were at least close to the real thing.

*sigh*

At least the school year hasn't made these numbers balloon out of control.

Sorry to burst your bubble. On the one hand, that death total includes numbers from the previous two days that weren't counted, so it's likely closer to 1k or maybe even slightly under.

On the other hand...the school year has JUST started in most of the country. Throw in that long incubation period and it wouldn't surprise me if numbers start going up again in a week or two. You've already seen it firsthand in New York.

[Breccia]

You've already seen it firsthand in New York.

Yeah...add UNH to the list.

I know I barely mention the K-12 system, which I'm honestly surprised isn't figuratively on fire right now. From my professional experience, not only are K-12 teachers paid less and given less control over their destiny, but they also pass their students back and forth more than university/college. K-12 schools are also criminally underfunded and probably don't have access to the tools I do, and I teach at a mid-level state university. How we're not getting dozens upon dozens of headlines/day about yet another school district changing plans is beyond me.

- - - Updated - - -

So Pompeo said there was a substantial chance the recent poisoning of Navalny was ordered by senior Russian officials, but um...then said this.

I think people all around the world see this kind of activity for what it is. And when they see the effort to poison a dissident, and they recognize that there is a substantial chance that this actually came from senior Russian officials, I think this is not good for the Russian people. I think it’s not good for Russia. I think people see this and say this is not the way countries that want to be powers, that want to be important and play on the global stage, this is not the way that they should engage in activity.

Yep, instead of "that's fucking murder" it's "noooo, Russia, you don't want to hurt people, you want to help people!" It's about the strongest language he can use, however, without cutting off all that Russian aid to the Trump campaign.

[postman1782]

That lasted all of what, half a day?

She was lying before she took the job.

[NoiseTank13]

I can understand people being upset with Woodward for holding onto that tidbit, but on the other hand I don't see much of a difference, that's how bad the political climate is.

[Themius]

So what are the trumpeters saying ?

[cubby]

I can understand people being upset with Woodward for holding onto that tidbit, but on the other hand I don't see much of a difference, that's how bad the political climate is.

Woodward holding onto is irrelevant - it's amazing anyone cares about that particular tidbit. The fact at hand is the issue, that Trump knew COVID-19 was worse than he said, and literally lied to the United States about it. That's the issue. And we need to jam it down his throat, along with everything else, as the election approached.

- - - Updated - - -

So what are the trumpeters saying ?

They are still awaiting talking points. Should be out tomorrow or Friday. The recording part is going to be tough to beat. McEnema might have hinted at the line they will take, but not sure. Doesn't matter - won't (and wouldn't) change any minds at this point.

[smityx]

Was this really... news to anyone?

I suppose with deaths cresting 200,000 now's a (note the quotation marks) "good time" to break that information, but... unfortunately I don't think it will sway too many minds.

No not really news to anyone but he's actually on tape about it now as opposed to 3rd person heard from a cousins, friend wife type situation we've been having.

The only way you're going to change any of his bases minds if it affects them personally in some way. Other wise it's the Democrat Wuhan hoax that only old people are effecfed and children are immune and injecting bleach, hydroxychloroquine, colloquial silver or shoving a UV light up you ass can cure it and that it will go away in the summer and will probably disappear in a few weeks.

[Blur4stuff]

Right now I see Trump supporters pointing the finger at everyone else while at the same time claiming Trump did a good job against the virus.

They don't seem capable of accepting anything negative about Trump. Either it's someone else's fault or they pretend its fake.

[Paranoid Android]

So what are the trumpeters saying ?

My point here is when Trumpeters come back to and post a few days or week from now, we should always ask them about why they chose not talk about topics such as Trump calling troops losers or of course him now saying Covid is dangerous. Instead of them a few days from now bragging about Trump was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.

Yes, we all know they hide under their rock til it's time come out. When they do we should squash them with relevant topics.

[DingDongKing]

So what are the trumpeters saying ?

Don’t like political hitjobs. He was trying to keep us calm. President didn’t lie to us. It’s all good. Yet, these are the same people who won’t condemn the President for hysteria about Joe Biden, the Squad, BLM, Hunter Biden, suburbs being destroyed, Mexicans, Muslims, the economy...