Trump chooses to self-isolate from reality as deaths increase
AS THE coronavirus continues to spiral out of control, the coming days in America will be like Pearl Harbour or a “light at the end of the tunnel” depending on who you believe.
On one side you have a team of the world’s leading experts, on the other... the world’s greatest liar.
While America’s top doctors believe a face mask can save lives, cheerleaderin-chief Donald Trump says it is entirely optional and not fit for a president.
He’s also resorted to promoting the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure, while his clinical advisors warn it is unproven.
You see, for Trump COVID-19 is the gift that keeps on giving.
Never before has he had so much airtime in which to promote himself – at a time when White House briefings should be about others.
Instead of providing clear direction in the hope of saving lives, the US leader instead uses the platform to boast about his TV ratings and being number one on Facebook (another lie).
“I want to come way under the models,” he said, referring to infection projections.
“The professionals did the models. I was never involved in a model... At least this kind of model,” he added.
Why let thousands of your voters’ deaths get in the way of a bit of X-rated humour, hey?
The briefings provide this slippery salesman and master marketer with the spotlight he craves. Sadly for America, and particularly those who support Trump, COVID-19 is a crisis he can’t sell, joke or cheer his way out of.
At a time when public co-operation is desperately needed to stop the spread of the disease, Trump’s leadership is itself lying in intensive care on a ventilator.
This week, he repeated lie upon lie about virus testing, blaming the previous administration for any failings.
He dismissed a critical report about shortages of hospital supplies and played down problems with his government’s bailout for business. At the same time, his cronies issued promises, predictions and prophecies that give the impression the virus is under control when, in fact, it is way off its peak.
The dishonesty of his frat-pack administration has compounded the rate of escalation. As America braces for the worst of the crisis, the spread of the virus here is no longer attributable to a foreign invasion or act of God, but a monumental failure of leadership.
The country needed a President who could act quickly and effectively to roll out testing, distribute medical supplies and provide consistent messaging of important information.
The months the White House blew with untruths about the threat and its subsequent failures have undoubtedly led to needless lives being lost.
Of course, Trump defends his administration’s performance, describing it as “fantastic” and“incredible” .
Yet the US has recorded more cases than any country and is on track to become the world leader in terms of deaths. Over the coming weeks, people here will be forced to watch the illness cripple their family and friends. Many will not survive. So come November, when the election is held, there must be a reckoning for the lives lost, and for the vast, avoidable suffering about to ensue under his watch.
Trump, the cheerleader? America, now more than ever, needs a quarterback.