Trump, Coronavirus, And Stupidity

The country is in the midst of a deadly pandemic. More than 200,000 citizens have lost their lives prematurely. But it is known that wearing a face covering, and observing a distance of at least six feet from others, significantly reduces the risk of transmission. So what does the President, and his political allies in Government, do to demonstrate to the nation that they are setting a responsible example to others?

We know what the sensible answer would have been. We also know that Combover Crybaby Donald Trump and his gang ignored such niceties, and weekend before last, gathered at the White House without face coverings, not observing social distancing, and indeed making close contact including giving out hugs. The result was that the gathering became a Covid-19 super spreader event. Many of those present are now infected.

Former Trump confidante and spinner Kellyanne Conway became infected; she took it home with her and her 15-year-old daughter has now caught the virus. If Vice President Mike Pence goes down with the bug, the Constitution dictates that, should Trump become indisposed too, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, would take charge.

The stupidity at work here was significant. The lack of responsibility was worse. And then there was Trump himself. On Wednesday last, he tested positive. But before admitting it, he waited on a follow-up test result, being interviewed by professional loudmouth Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel (fair and balanced my arse) and not coming clean.

All the while, the virus was rampaging through the White House, many of whose employees are low-paid and without the kind of health care enjoyed by The Donald. Eventually Trump became sick and had to be given oxygen, before being taken by helicopter to the Walter Reed medical centre. But the stupidity did not stop there.

Trump wanted to get back to work; his doctors did not want him to be discharged just yet. A compromise was reached: he would be driven past the medical centre in a motorcade to wave to his supporters who had gathered there; in this way, he would show he was still strong. Two secret service personnel rode with him; they were therefore exposed to the virus. It was stupid, it was irresponsible, it set a dreadful example, it was terminally selfish.

As the Guardian has reported, “At least two other people, presumed to be Secret Service agents, were in the vehicle wearing respirators and eye protection … But James Phillips, doctor of emergency medicine at George Washington University and a visiting physician at Walter Reed, called the stunt ‘insanity’ and said Trump had placed the lives of the other people in the vehicle at risk”. Ten more of those present at the White House have Covid.

Much of the stupidity has occurred because Trump sees being unwell as an unforgivable weakness. Perhaps this is another of those events that makes people “losers” and “suckers”. If anyone thought that the behaviour of some in and around the UK Government was bad, they clearly haven’t seen what the Trump Gang have been getting up to.

What a way to run a country. The one silver lining is that, ahead of next month’s Presidential Election, Trump is now trailing Joe Biden in opinion polls by a far larger margin than before he tested positive. Maybe that electorate has seen enough stupidity.

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