Ducey takes some baby steps toward responsibility

What a difference a bad week in the national spotlight makes.

Suddenly, Gov. Doug Ducey has awakened to the fact that the coronavirus has been raging through Arizona since he reopened the state a month ago.

That hospital beds are filling up. That contact tracing to try to limit the spread of the virus is woefully lacking.

Suddenly, the governor who refused to allow cities to take any action to protect their communities is at least willing to allow cities to take the lead and mandate the wearing of masks.

Possibly because several of them – most notably Tucson – were on the verge of doing so anyway and he certainly can’t do it, given the number of Republicans who see masks as a symbol of weakness.

Suddenly, the governor who has refused to acknowledge that Scottsdale bars and nightclubs are openly flouting his orders – that they’re partying like it’s 2019 — is at last acknowledging that there are “bad actors” and calling for a crackdown ... of sorts.

Suddenly, the governor who has been kissing up to President Donald Trump ... OK, well, maybe it’s asking a bit much for that to change.

In fact, Ducey plans to do precisely nothing about Trump’s planned rally in Arizona next week, when thousands of people will stand shoulder to shoulder to cheer him, trampling CDC

guidelines that warn against indoor public gatherings of this sort.

“These are voluntary events and people will voluntarily make the decision ...,” Ducey said, when asked what he plans to do about the June 23 Students for Trump rally at a 6,000-seat north Phoenix church. “We’re going to protect people’s rights to assemble in an election year.”

Overall, however, Ducey did at least strike a new tone on Wednesday even if his actions didn’t go far enough.

It started with the mask on his face and an acknowledgement that the coronavirus is headed in the wrong direction one month after he reopened the state.

“COVID 19 is widespread in the state of Arizona and Arizonans must act responsibly to protect one another,” he said. (Note: Except for when Trump comes to town.)

It was a welcome, if overdue, admission from a governor who just six days earlier insisted the COVID-19 increase was merely due to increased testing.

It wasn’t – and isn’t – and public health officials across the land have spent much of the last week holding Arizona up as the poster child for bad behavior.

Did Ducey go far enough in changing course on Wednesday?

No. I’d have liked to see him impose a regional requirement that people wear masks where social distances cannot be maintained in Maricopa County and in other places where the virus is spreading.

I’d have liked to see Ducey spell out a plan for real enforcement when businesses refuse to follow the rules he set out requiring social distancing and safe practices. His new order merely says that law enforcement and regulatory agencies “should focus first on educating and working to promote best practices.”

What, bar owners don’t already know that a crammed club constitutes a Petri dish of disaster?

I’d have liked to see Ducey implement a wholesale ramp-up of testing and contact tracing, which has been woefully lacking in Arizona. Assigning 300 members of the National Guard to the task will at least help.

And I’d have liked to hear him lay out what further steps he’s prepared to take if Wednesday’s baby steps aren’t enough.

Still, what Ducey did on Wednesday was a start, at least.

Too little but hopefully not too late.