He knew
How interesting. Trump told Bob Woodward on February 7 how very dangerous the coronavirus is. February 7.
President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed US coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and “more deadly than even your strenuous flus,” and that he repeatedly played it down publicly, according to legendary journalist Bob Woodward in his new book “Rage.”
“This is deadly stuff,” Trump told Woodward on February 7.
In a series of interviews with Woodward, Trump revealed that he had a surprising level of detail about the threat of the virus earlier than previously known. “Pretty amazing,” Trump told Woodward, adding that the coronavirus was maybe five times “more deadly” than the flu.
So it’s not manslaughter, it’s first degree murder – of many thousands.
I figured he’d been told all that of course, but I didn’t assume he’d listened or grasped it. Interesting to learn that he did and did.
Trump’s admissions are in stark contrast to his frequent public comments at the time insisting that the virus was “going to disappear” and “all work out fine.”
No kidding; that’s why it’s murder.
The book, using Trump’s own words, depicts a President who has betrayed the public trust and the most fundamental responsibilities of his office. In “Rage,” Trump says the job of a president is “to keep our country safe.” But in early February, Trump told Woodward he knew how deadly the virus was, and in March, admitted he kept that knowledge hidden from the public.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19, even as he had declared a national emergency over the virus days earlier. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
In which “to create a panic=to lose the election.”
If instead of playing down what he knew, Trump had acted decisively in early February with a strict shutdown and a consistent message to wear masks, social distance and wash hands, experts believe that thousands of American lives could have been saved.
And he knew that and did it anyway.
And it isn’t just that he played it down. It isn’t just that he didn’t do the right thing. It is that he blatantly, deliberately, and consistently did the wrong thing, demanding opening up, threatening, bullying, and belittling. He did everything he could to guarantee the virus spread and killed.
If he gets re-elected in November (which is a frighteningly high possibility…actually, any probability over 0 is frighteningly high), we are all doomed. If he doesn’t get reelected, we may be doomed anyway because his followrs are so rabid.
Worse than doing nothing. At least some governors, mayors, and millions of ordinary citizens were able to moderate Trump’s murderous impact.
I think you do not really grasp how the mind of a narcissist works. His reality is always shaped in the moment from what he at that moments needs to be true. When talking to Woodward, he probably felt the need to look earnest, serious and in full control of the facts and he thought he could impress Woodward by telling him what a terrible threat he is dealing with.
But when talking to the public, he needs everything to be fine, he needs there to be no threat, so there is no threat.
Facts exist in the mind of a narcissist only at the moment, according to his needs, there is no permanency of reality in that sense.
Something else: So Woodward knew that Trump knew this in February/March and he told us only now, 7 months and 180000 deaths later? Why did he not speak out earlier? Because he needed more interviews?
Just saw that you adressed both points later in the blog…
Sequential reading for the win…
It’s interesting though, that you see it too. Many people see it, independently of each other – and yet nothing happens. Trump is psychologically unable to do the job responsibly, and that’s always been obvious, yet we couldn’t stop him. Problem.
A friend suggested “create a panic” referred to stock market turmoil.