Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

The title of this TheAtlantic article is Why Trump Was Deaf to All the Warnings He Received. We know the answer (science denier anti-vaxxer afraid it would hurt his numbers) but this part really stands out:

“There has been so much unnecessary death in this country,” President Donald Trump said Monday at his daily coronavirus briefing. “It could have been stopped and it could have been stopped short, but somebody a long time ago, it seems, decided not to do it that way. And the whole world is suffering because of it.”

Before we continue, the full context is in this official WH transcript about 30% of the way down. Cntrl-F and make sure "unnecessary" is in quotes or it'll keep bringing up Trump's name instead. Yes, Trump is blaming China, but this is classic Trumpspeak: everyone else did a horrible job despite Trump having all the power and choosing not to act on it. "Someone" messed this up for him. "Someone". This contrasts directly with his "airtight" quotes we've heard, incidentally.

Back to the article.

The Washington Post reports that the President’s Daily Brief, or PDB, an intelligence report on national-security threats, mentioned the coronavirus “more than a dozen” times in January and February, a period during which the Trump administration was doing little to prepare for a pandemic, and when the president himself was often downplaying the threat the virus posed to the United States. The oversight would come as a surprise if not for the long line of warnings that the president is known to have ignored.

[Partial timeline follows, yes, it includes Jan 22 when Trump was fawning all over China and how well they were handling it, yes it includes the exact quote “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control.”]

In addition, the Post reports that American officials embedded at the World Health Organization‚ which Trump has since blamed for covering up the outbreak, were feeding information about the coronavirus to Washington, starting late last year.

These specific warnings about the novel coronavirus don’t even include the generalized concerns about a pandemic that circulated for years before. Neither do they speak to the steps that the Trump administration took that may have reduced American preparedness, including eliminating a National Security Council office devoted to pandemics and cutting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff in China who might have provided more early warnings.

How many warnings did the president need?

That's a good question. I'll ask the Trump supporters in the audience. I think 24 hours is enough. Oh, and I cut the partial timeline, so be careful about going in low -- it's possible Trump might have been warned more than those listed in that article. As per usual, failure to respond in 24 hours will be deemed admission of cowardice, plus I get to pick for you -- and my answer will be "three, once by Congress, once by Azar, and once by Navarro, covering all the bases, that happened, and he still didn't act responsibly".

But let's return to the article's title.

This is the real context for the president’s infamous “hoax” remark at a rally in February. Trump has complained that his adversaries are misconstruing him to have claimed that the virus itself was a hoax. In fact, his remark was a paranoiac insistence that any warnings about the outbreak could only be intended to harm him politically: “They tried the impeachment hoax. That was on a perfect conversation. They tried anything. They tried it over and over. They’d been doing it since you got in. It’s all turning. They lost. It’s all turning. Think of it. Think of it. And this is their new hoax.”

But even if Democrats’ motives were not completely pure—in addition to real worries, they likely did see the virus as politically damaging to Trump—he would have benefited from taking the warnings and acting.

What would that action have looked like? The answer is not that Trump should have micromanaged the crisis response—though that idea meshes with his own vision of the presidency, which tends to emphasize actions the president can take unilaterally. Perhaps the greatest power a president has is the power of the bureaucracy. By picking up on currents in his briefings and asking a few questions about them, a president can swing the great heft of the federal bureaucracy toward them.

But Trump has long since decided that federal employees are part of a “deep state” determined to sink him, rather than the most powerful tool at his disposal. He is resistant to new information, demanding that events respond to him, rather than the other way around.

The federal government is mighty enough that often a president can drive events, but viruses don’t work like that. In a pandemic, the president has to respond to events. Trump was too incurious and too paranoid to hear the warnings and do so.

And now you see why I stopped early and gave my 24-hour challenge first. As I pointed out, both Navarro and Azar warned Trump that this was going to be a major problem. Trump ignored them, too.

Mr. Only I Can Fix It didn't fix it. Once again we parallel that three-part contradiction usually reserved for deities.
1) Trump is the only one who can fix it, and had the power to fix it.
2) Trump wanted to fix it.
3) Trump didn't fix it.

It cannot possibly be all three at once which are true. At least one is false.

1+2) means Trump solved the problem. I'm sure some members of the rabid fanbase will raise their hands and try to wordplay around how this is their choice, and I can think of thirty-three million five hundred thousands reasons those attempts are bullshit. What we're looking at is not fixed. "It's better than it could have been" is not "good".
1+3) means Trump flat-out didn't want to do it, which I believe is the author's choice. Trump, and Trump alone, bears the responsibility in this outcome, as he's the only one with such power, but it still wasn't done. Possibly because he didn't think it would be a problem as much as even his own Cabinet was directly telling him.
2+3) means, of course, other people can help here, like governors. Maybe you think this is true, but Trump does not. He has blamed governors for failing him at pretty much every option, and also, has been stealing their bought and paid for medical supplies and delivering empty boxes. Therefore, a Trump supporter who picks this option is admitting that Mr. Only I Can Fix It lied, and should not be taking all the credit when things go well. Which is acceptable. I'll allow that.

But my choice is 3)

I don't believe Trump took the coronavirus seriously when it was early enough to do something useful about it. I believe I've cited his exact quote from Jan 22, standing next to Xi, enough times to make that clear. And I also think governors are both wiling and able to help out here -- we're seeing that all over the country except maybe FLorida. And he did it, because he's felt, he's always felt, that his feelings, that his gut, that "everyone is saying" made-up lies are more important than facts, even when the facts come from the people he chose to help him run the goddam country.

I don't need the Trump supporters to answer this one. I've already ruled out half the answers anyhow, and I'm not interested in them trying to weasel out of 75,000 deaths from Trump's "someone could have done better but I win at everything" claims while the country falls apart. I'm not interested in the hypothetical millions of lives Trump saved by not doing nothing. (Check it out, I didn't go down to the hardware store, bash in the window with a brick, and take a propane tank. That's one theft I prevented. I'm amazing. )

I will take submissions for that "how many times did Trump need to be warned?" question. You have 24 hours. Time starts now.

[Breccia]

Oh for fuck's sake.

A second member of Vice President Pence’s staff tested positive for the coronavirus Friday, a day after a valet to President Trump did the same.

"Second?"

The first was back in March.

[TigTone]

Oh for fuck's sake.

A second member of Vice President Pence’s staff tested positive for the coronavirus Friday, a day after a valet to President Trump did the same.

"Second?"

The first was back in March.

Seeing how life seems to go for tragic comedy, I’m predicting trump and pence get covid-19 and get through it like a regular flu.

In turn causing all trump fans to spread the virus even more then they are now.

[Thepersona]

Seeing how life seems to go for tragic comedy, I’m predicting trump and pence get covid-19 and get through it like a regular flu.

In turn causing all trump fans to spread the virus even more then they are now.

Yeah. This 3,5 years have convinced me that the existence of a loving deity is almost impossible, because if it existed it wouldnt let... That thing fail upwards to the presidency, and continually fail while in charge of the most powerful 3rd world country.

[Zan15]

Oh for fuck's sake.

A second member of Vice President Pence’s staff tested positive for the coronavirus Friday, a day after a valet to President Trump did the same.

"Second?"

The first was back in March.

don't worry their solution is just to get tested twice a day.
as for the other workers in the WH you ask, naaah

"we don't need to wear mask we've been tested....."

[Xyonai]

Isn't Devin Nunes great?

Matt Gaetz, too!

God they sound like MMO-Champ political shitposters.

[Thepersona]

PS: the person infected is Stephen Miller's wife

[Zan15]

We knew for years there wasn’t collusion, now it becomes clear they did too. Funny thing; they knew there wasn’t collusion but kept updating/forging FISA warrants, kept the Flynn investigation open and other things to keep the Mueller probe alive.

During that time; 19 lawyers, 40 FBI agents, 1000s of hours of testimony and 100s of thousands of documents, and they found not one fucking thing they could legitimately charge Trump or his admin with. The petty process shit they did have, completely unrelated to Trump, were used to press those people and they had nothing.

Even Flynn, forced to plead guilty because they threatened his son, had nothing on Trump.

They. Found. Nothing.

And CNN should ask for money back they paid Clapper and Brennan, they robbed them.

It’s going to be hilarious when these people start turning on each other when the indictments start flying. And the left, who actually believes CNN, will continue to melt down cause MUH justice......or something.

So have you explained or come up with some crazy conspiracy theory on why multiple people are still in jail and fined tens of millions of dollars because of the investigation?

Odd in looking at your post history you never seem to have railed on the dozen Benghazi or email investigations that actually resulted in zero charges, but you think this is a Left problem...CNN something something.....?

[Draco-Onis]

PS: the person infected is Stephen Miller's wife

Even Coronavirus doesn't want to infect Stephen Miller.

[Thepersona]

Even Coronavirus doesn't want to infect Stephen Miller.

Dude. There's a person who willingly married that... Thing. It honestly surprised me.

[Benggaul]

Dude. There's a person who willingly married that... Thing. It honestly surprised me.

Really? If Rule 34 has taught me anything it's that there's ALWAYS one person who will willingly rub their genitals on something everyone else in the known universe finds appalling.

[Milchshake]

Second White House staffer to test positive for covid this week. They’d be dealing with a major outbreak if not for constant testing that isn’t available to other businesses being told it’s safe to open back up.

NEWS: Pence flight to Iowa delayed an hour after a staffer tested positive for coronavirus, I’m told. Some aides disembarked AF2. Wheels up now for Iowa.



Can you imagine Trump and Pence getting the virus at the same time. And how incapacitating the symptoms can be...


Third ni-line to the Presidency would be epic.


Sit done Al Haig, it's not you!

[Draco-Onis]

Dude. There's a person who willingly married that... Thing. It honestly surprised me.

Meh there are women who are as much scum as he is, I just find it funny that the virus has higher standards

- - - Updated - - -

Second White House staffer to test positive for covid this week. They’d be dealing with a major outbreak if not for constant testing that isn’t available to other businesses being told it’s safe to open back up.

NEWS: Pence flight to Iowa delayed an hour after a staffer tested positive for coronavirus, I’m told. Some aides disembarked AF2. Wheels up now for Iowa.



Can you imagine Trump and Pence getting the virus at the same time. And how incapacitating the symptoms can be...


Third ni-line to the Presidency would be epic.


Sit done Al Haig, it's not you!

On a serious note I want them to get the virus maybe then they can take that shit seriously look at Boris Johnson.

[Thepersona]

Second White House staffer to test positive for covid this week. They’d be dealing with a major outbreak if not for constant testing that isn’t available to other businesses being told it’s safe to open back up.

NEWS: Pence flight to Iowa delayed an hour after a staffer tested positive for coronavirus, I’m told. Some aides disembarked AF2. Wheels up now for Iowa.



Can you imagine Trump and Pence getting the virus at the same time. And how incapacitating the symptoms can be...


Third ni-line to the Presidency would be epic.


Sit done Al Haig, it's not you!

So... Within a month we could get Nancy pelosi to be president?

[Shadowferal]

So... Within a month we could get Nancy pelosi to be president?

If it gets that serious...Yep!

[Zan15]

Second White House staffer to test positive for covid this week. They’d be dealing with a major outbreak if not for constant testing that isn’t available to other businesses being told it’s safe to open back up.

Trust me there will be daily if not multiple test done at corporations...!!!!

of course it will be the CEO and the few other multi millionaires they want to protect...workers are on their own!

- - - Updated - - -

So... Within a month we could get Nancy pelosi to be president?

I'd give almost anything just to watch.....even if it was just for a day....

[Shadowferal]

I'd give almost anything just to watch.....even if it was just for a day....

Both Pence and Trump would have to be on ventilators...
Not saying I hope such a thing happens but...it would be very interesting!

[Smitzelplix]

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the correction. Thanks, you three. (@Breccia; @Nellise)
Unlike those "I come on a few days every couple months when a piece of news favorable to my deplorable views" folks, I prefer facts and accuracy. So again, thank you.

While Pence didn't deliver empty boxes for a photo op there is still something sinister about this photo op. Remember there have been reports of states getting their ppe taken away by the feds, which has led some states to even try to conceal their ppe shipments from the feds. I would not be surprised if these boxes of ppe delivered by Pence were originally meant for states that ended up having their ppe shipments intercepted. In fact being able to do photo ops like this might be one of the driving factors for the ppe seizures that the Trump admin have been doing. The Trump admin have screwed up their response to this virus so badly that what better way to earn some good pr than to deliver some ppe to places making them look like they're doing a good deed, all the while hoping people didn't pay attention to the stories of all the ppe that they took from states.

[Tenlo]

So... Within a month we could get Nancy pelosi to be president?

Not that I want to wish death on anyone but holy shit that would be the most apt end to this admin. The rage would be glorious

[Edge-]

The mind boggles. People support this fool and even consider him intelligent....

She'll be fine. She's been putting a little bit of her paycheck towards her healthcare every month for years, and when she needs to cash it in when she's older she'll have a beautiful health care plan with lots of money in it.