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Purgatory: Oops - your Trump presidency discussion thread.

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  • Pelosi lighting the touch paper, "don't fiddle, while people die, Mr President". (CNN).
  • stetsonstetson Shipmate
    Eutychus wrote: »
    But it's possible to put together a series of damning soundbites from just about any politician. Of course it's exceptionally easy with Trump, as he says an exceptional amount of bullshit, but a lot of the things that he's quoted as saying are nonetheless taken somewhat out of context, and that can be demonstrated. I think there are stronger criticisms to be made of his leadership, but they probably wouldn't convince anybody either.

    At this stage, I don't think there's much point in trying to move people away from the Trump camp: his supporters are either diehard cradle Republicans, or Trump-cultists who are blind to his faults.

    The thing now is to rally Democats to ensure that they all get to the polls, especially in the swing states: WANT SOMEONE YOU KNOW TO DIE FROM AN ILLEGAL ABORTION? STAY HOME ON ELECTION DAY.

  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    45's lawyers are threatening defamation lawsuits to TV stations that air this ad or revoke their licenses.

    Well, if Trump doesn't want anyone to see that ad we should be very careful about linking to that ad, since that ad makes Trump cry.
    Eutychus wrote: »
    But it's possible to put together a series of damning soundbites from just about any politician. Of course it's exceptionally easy with Trump, as he says an exceptional amount of bullshit, but a lot of the things that he's quoted as saying are nonetheless taken somewhat out of context, and that can be demonstrated.

    First, I doubt that "just about any politician" has a whole series of damning soundbites lying around about how their inaction and incompetence is going to kill a whole bunch of their constituents. Examples, please? I also disagree with your claim that those statements were "taken somewhat out of context". This reminds me of the focus group that had Republican policies described to them in accurate terms and refused to believe that these were real policies proposed by real politicians. (At the time I believe it was Paul Ryan's proposal to severely cut Social Security and Medicare in order to pay for a tax cut for the already wealthy.)
    Eutychus wrote: »
    I think there are stronger criticisms to be made of his leadership, but they probably wouldn't convince anybody either.

    Exactly what kind of criticisms do you think would be stronger than "Trump's incompetence and inaction led to a lot of eminently preventable American deaths"? That seems like a pretty strong criticism. This is another case where describing Republican policy in accurate but non-euphemistic terms makes a lot of people scramble to make excuses about how that can't be the real policy, can it?

    And yes, it is exactly that stark.
    On Feb. 5, with fewer than a dozen confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the United States but tens of thousands around the globe, a shouting match broke out in the White House Situation Room between Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and an Office of Management and Budget official, according to three people aware of the outburst.

    Azar had asked OMB that morning for $2 billion to buy respirator masks and other supplies for a depleted federal stockpile of emergency medical equipment, according to individuals familiar with the request, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal discussions.

    The previously unreported argument turned on the request and on the budget official’s accusation that Azar had improperly lobbied Capitol Hill for money for the repository, which Azar denied, the individuals said.

    The $2 billion request from HHS was cut to $500 million when the White House eventually sent Congress a supplemental budget request weeks later.

    And, of course, the favoritism.
    Democratic-leaning Massachusetts, which has had a serious outbreak in Boston, has received 17 percent of the protective gear it requested, according to state leaders. Maine requested a half-million N95 specialized protective masks and received 25,558 — about 5 percent of what it sought. The shipment delivered to Colorado — 49,000 N95 masks, 115,000 surgical masks and other supplies — would be “enough for only one full day of statewide operations,” Rep. Scott R. Tipton (R-Colo.) told the White House in a letter several days ago.

    <snip>

    Florida has been an exception in its dealings with the stockpile: The state submitted a request on March 11 for 430,000 surgical masks, 180,000 N95 respirators, 82,000 face shields and 238,000 gloves, among other supplies — and received a shipment with everything three days later, according to figures from the state’s Division of Emergency Management. It received an identical shipment on March 23, according to the division, and is awaiting a third.

    I'm sure it's a pure coincidence that the one state that seems to have no problems getting federal aid is a state that Trump needs to win in November to remain president.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    @Crœsos what Trump actually said about chloroquine cannot reasonably be described as an incitement to drink the stuff, although doing so has been laid at his door.

    And I'd much prefer the fact-based criticism as in your quotes above to the "let's grab a few damning soundbites" type. I don't think these do anything but polarise and strenghten people's reality bubbles. They are about as useful as speculating on why Dominic Cummings was seen "fleeing" from Downing Street not long after Boris was declared positive.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Learned a new word today

    Cockwomble (noun, origin: Scotland) person, usually male, prone to make outrageously stupid statements and/or inappropriate behavior while having a very high opinion of their own wisdom and importance.

    New name for 45: Cockwomble in Chief.

    Carry on.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Eutychus wrote: »
    @Crœsos what Trump actually said about chloroquine cannot reasonably be described as an incitement to drink the stuff, although doing so has been laid at his door.

    Neither I nor the ad in question mentioned chloroquine, just made the obvious point that a lot of people are going to die unnecessarily because of Trump's inaction and incompetence. He had a month to prepare and wasted it. Why are you trying to change the subject?
    Eutychus wrote: »
    And I'd much prefer the fact-based criticism as in your quotes above to the "let's grab a few damning soundbites" type. I don't think these do anything but polarise and strenghten people's reality bubbles.

    Most people who aren't political obsessives already have a lot of demands on their time, which is why "read my lengthy manifesto" is a much less successful strategy than "here is a thirty second video of Trump explaining in his own words why the thing that's killing all those people is no big deal and he doesn't need to do anything about it". I'm flattered that you personally prefer to read my lengthy diatribes instead of professionally produced videos, but not everyone has the luxury of the time to do so.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Crœsos wrote: »
    Neither I nor the ad in question mentioned chloroquine, just made the obvious point that a lot of people are going to die unnecessarily because of Trump's inaction and incompetence. He had a month to prepare and wasted it. Why are you trying to change the subject?
    I don't dispute any of that. I was giving an example of something unwise he said nevertheless being made out by his detractors to be worse than what he actually did say. I really don't see the need to misreport and/or splice the bullshit he says to make it more impactful, it's bad enough as it is, and no credit to the reporters.
    Most people who aren't political obsessives already have a lot of demands on their time, which is why "read my lengthy manifesto" is a much less successful strategy than "here is a thirty second video of Trump explaining in his own words why the thing that's killing all those people is no big deal and he doesn't need to do anything about it". I'm flattered that you personally prefer to read my lengthy diatribes instead of professionally produced videos, but not everyone has the luxury of the time to do so.
    I know. That's obviously why neither I or (so far as I know) you are in elected office.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Political.advertising is like all advertising these days. It's done because the competition does it. The idea is to big up your product as the best and poke holes in the competition. In 30 seconds!

    It doesn't really add to serious understanding of anything but then it is never intended to do that.

    It may indeed detract from political life but the genie is out of the bottle and can't be put back in.
  • Eutychus wrote: »
    The ad will do nothing to convince his base and makes this all look like the intro to Homeland. Making him look like a movie villain might offer some short-term gratification to his haters but is not the same thing as putting across a consistent and constructive alternative. Then again, when did US campaign ads last do that?

    Never. Because that's how you win arguments, not elections. Nothing will shift his base. But good ads will shift some of his support. At the moment, there is about 20% of his support movable, because he's up around 50% approval because of the Rona.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Oh, goody. The big man says the US will never pay for Harry and Megan's security. (They never asked for it.)
  • edited March 2020
    A mafia boss gives out money and power. Organizing everything about being the centre of things but most importantly hanging on to money and power so as to have it to give out. It's not about favours and being repaid. Its about owning people and being the centre, the guru with all to give. And keeping the money. Which is why he resembles Putin in times up to maybe 5 years ago. As long as people are feeling prosperous and doing well, a mafia boss wants them to be focussed on that and the boss stays contented along with the populace. It's only when the prosperity aspect doesn't comfort the masses and they object that the mafia gov't has to turn into totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Will this be in America? It is where Russia went.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    Crœsos wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    45's lawyers are threatening defamation lawsuits to TV stations that air this ad or revoke their licenses.

    Well, if Trump doesn't want anyone to see that ad we should be very careful about linking to that ad, since that ad makes Trump cry.
    Eutychus wrote: »
    But it's possible to put together a series of damning soundbites from just about any politician. Of course it's exceptionally easy with Trump, as he says an exceptional amount of bullshit, but a lot of the things that he's quoted as saying are nonetheless taken somewhat out of context, and that can be demonstrated.

    First, I doubt that "just about any politician" has a whole series of damning soundbites lying around about how their inaction and incompetence is going to kill a whole bunch of their constituents. Examples, please? I also disagree with your claim that those statements were "taken somewhat out of context". This reminds me of the focus group that had Republican policies described to them in accurate terms and refused to believe that these were real policies proposed by real politicians. (At the time I believe it was Paul Ryan's proposal to severely cut Social Security and Medicare in order to pay for a tax cut for the already wealthy.)
    Eutychus wrote: »
    I think there are stronger criticisms to be made of his leadership, but they probably wouldn't convince anybody either.

    Exactly what kind of criticisms do you think would be stronger than "Trump's incompetence and inaction led to a lot of eminently preventable American deaths"? That seems like a pretty strong criticism. This is another case where describing Republican policy in accurate but non-euphemistic terms makes a lot of people scramble to make excuses about how that can't be the real policy, can it?

    And yes, it is exactly that stark.
    On Feb. 5, with fewer than a dozen confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the United States but tens of thousands around the globe, a shouting match broke out in the White House Situation Room between Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and an Office of Management and Budget official, according to three people aware of the outburst.

    Azar had asked OMB that morning for $2 billion to buy respirator masks and other supplies for a depleted federal stockpile of emergency medical equipment, according to individuals familiar with the request, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal discussions.

    The previously unreported argument turned on the request and on the budget official’s accusation that Azar had improperly lobbied Capitol Hill for money for the repository, which Azar denied, the individuals said.

    The $2 billion request from HHS was cut to $500 million when the White House eventually sent Congress a supplemental budget request weeks later.

    And, of course, the favoritism.
    Democratic-leaning Massachusetts, which has had a serious outbreak in Boston, has received 17 percent of the protective gear it requested, according to state leaders. Maine requested a half-million N95 specialized protective masks and received 25,558 — about 5 percent of what it sought. The shipment delivered to Colorado — 49,000 N95 masks, 115,000 surgical masks and other supplies — would be “enough for only one full day of statewide operations,” Rep. Scott R. Tipton (R-Colo.) told the White House in a letter several days ago.

    <snip>

    Florida has been an exception in its dealings with the stockpile: The state submitted a request on March 11 for 430,000 surgical masks, 180,000 N95 respirators, 82,000 face shields and 238,000 gloves, among other supplies — and received a shipment with everything three days later, according to figures from the state’s Division of Emergency Management. It received an identical shipment on March 23, according to the division, and is awaiting a third.

    I'm sure it's a pure coincidence that the one state that seems to have no problems getting federal aid is a state that Trump needs to win in November to remain president.

    It will get more serious than that. The people who service his mar-a-largo estate, golf courses and hotels will soon be too ill or at home caring for loved ones and unable to do so. He will run out of serfs to run around after him.

  • A mafia boss gives out money and power. Organizing everything about being the centre of things but most importantly hanging on to money and power so as to have it to give out. It's not about favours and being repaid. Its about owning people and being the centre, the guru with all to give. And keeping the money. Which is why he resembles Putin in times up to maybe 5 years ago. As long as people are feeling prosperous and doing well, a mafia boss wants them to be focussed on that and the boss stays contented along with the populace. It's only when the prosperity aspect doesn't comfort the masses and they object that the mafia gov't has to turn into totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Will this be in America? It is where Russia went.

    Horse shit of the trolling variety. America is SO not Russia.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Eutychus wrote: »
    Crœsos wrote: »
    Neither I nor the ad in question mentioned chloroquine, just made the obvious point that a lot of people are going to die unnecessarily because of Trump's inaction and incompetence. He had a month to prepare and wasted it. Why are you trying to change the subject?
    I don't dispute any of that. I was giving an example of something unwise he said nevertheless being made out by his detractors to be worse than what he actually did say.

    I guess I (and other detractors) aren't as blasé as you about government disinformation. Blaming people for correctly figuring out what the president* is hinting at as strongly as possible without coming right out and saying it seems like victim blaming. Government statements should be as clear as possible, not some oblique riddle that you have to parse very carefully like the pronouncements of the Oracle of Delphi. And yes, it's the government's fault when it issues confusing, misleading, or hyperbolic statements, not the recipients' fault for being confused.

    I'm having flashbacks to Bush II saying "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud" when making the case that the U.S. should invade Iraq. While strictly accurate (no one likes mushroom clouds, Bush strongly implied Iraq had a nuclear weapons program that was on the verge of success and a desire to use such weapons. The same with Trump hyping chloroquine as a miracle drug. It's easily anticipated that someone listening to him would correctly realize what he was hinting at, that "Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure" (direct quote from the surviving half of the chloroquine-poisoned Arizona couple).

    The American president* is giving daily briefings on lethal health crisis, flanked by doctors and scientists. Those who follow the president*'s advice are actually more at risk of infection or death, and I find this problematic. The chloroquine thing was just the most directly reckless example.
    Eutychus wrote: »
    I really don't see the need to misreport and/or splice the bullshit he says to make it more impactful, it's bad enough as it is, and no credit to the reporters.

    [ citation needed ] None of those statements in that ad seem like misreporting to me, but rather a brief and accurate summary of Trump's position on COVID-19 from the first known American infection up until about mid-March. What specifically do you find inaccurate?

    This goes back to my earlier example of people simply refusing to believe Republican policy positions when stated in accurate and neutral language. Thinking that Donald Trump is taking COVID-19 seriously when he clearly and unambiguously states the opposite is the same kind of perversity.
    Boogie wrote: »
    It will get more serious than that. The people who service his mar-a-largo estate, golf courses and hotels will soon be too ill or at home caring for loved ones and unable to do so. He will run out of serfs to run around after him.

    Mar-A-Lago is closed. Six of the top seven revenue generating properties in the Trump Organization are closed, which may explain Trump's eagerness to lift social distancing requirements.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Crœsos wrote: »
    citation needed ] None of those statements in that ad seem like misreporting to me, but rather a brief and accurate summary of Trump's position on COVID-19 from the first known American infection up until about mid-March. What specifically do you find inaccurate?

    I don't think they're specifically inaccurate, but I deplore the lack of context, as anybody paid (in happier times) to translate would. And I continue to dislike criticism based on soundbites.

    The main reason I dislike criticism based on soundbites is that it can be used to attack virtually anybody's credibility. Few public figures make absolutely zero comments that don't look stupid or worse with hindsight. It's a poor metric by which to really assess somebody. I don't understand the enthusiasm for weapons which can easily be turned around and used against the user.

    (For a notorious example from over here, see the 1990s public health case involving HIV-contaminated blood, former Social Affairs minister Georgina Dufoix was lambasted for saying that she felt responsable mais pas coupable (responsible, but not guilty). This phrase has become synonymous with her name ever since, and not in a good way. The fact is that she never said that in so many words, and that what she did say, in context, not only made perfect sense but also corresponded to the verdict of the special court set up to investigate the matter.)

    I disagree that Trump's comments on chloroquine can be compared to Bush's comments on mushroom clouds. I don't belive Trump was implying that people should take chloroquine or its derivatives (although I can see how it can be understood that way), whereas Bush was clearly sending a deniable message with his statement. The difference is that on most occasions, I don't think Trump is delivering any policy line or strategy in his pronouncements when he's in front of the press. He just says whatever comes into his head to say. I would not have said that was the case of Bush.

    I can't remember who said it here first, but I find the criticism that Trump is handling this pandemic as a Public Relations crisis rather than as a Public Health crisis pithier, more accurate, and just as devastating.
  • Eutychus wrote: »
    The main reason I dislike criticism based on soundbites is that it can be used to attack virtually anybody's credibility.

    Even the devil used soundbites to attack Our Lord. Matthew 4:1-11
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Eutychus wrote: »
    I disagree that Trump's comments on chloroquine can be compared to Bush's comments on mushroom clouds. I don't belive Trump was implying that people should take chloroquine or its derivatives (although I can see how it can be understood that way), whereas Bush was clearly sending a deniable message with his statement.

    Well let's roll the tape, shall we?
    It's been around for a long time, so we know if things don't go as planned it's not going to kill anybody, where you go with a brand new drug you don't know that that's going to happen. You have to see and you have to go along test, but this has been used in different forms, very powerful drug, in different forms, and it's shown very encouraging, very, very encouraging early results, and we're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.

    I think a reasonable person would conclude from that statement that taking chloroquine was perfectly safe ("it's not going to kill anybody", something you should never make a blanket statement about any prescription drug) and that the results of testing this drug on COVID-19 are so "very, very encouraging" that the federal government plans to "make that drug available almost immediately" for use against COVID-19 presumably, since this is, after all, a briefing about COVID-19. That seems a pretty clear and straightforward message, by the standards of Trump's rambling delivery style.
    Eutychus wrote: »
    The difference is that on most occasions, I don't think Trump is delivering any policy line or strategy in his pronouncements when he's in front of the press. He just says whatever comes into his head to say. I would not have said that was the case of Bush.

    This brings to mind another phrase from the Bush II administration: "the soft bigotry of low expectations". The President* of the United States is holding a public briefing on a lethal health crisis facing the entire country. The presumption is that everything he says from behind that podium reflects the policy and/or strategy of his administration*. I don't get why people keep giving Trump a pass for being an incompetent fuck-up. Worse, they excuse Trump's actions because he's an incompetent fuck-up. Maybe the fact that the president* is an incompetent fuck-up is a problem, not an excuse?
    Eutychus wrote: »
    I can't remember who said it here first, but I find the criticism that Trump is handling this pandemic as a Public Relations crisis rather than as a Public Health crisis pithier, more accurate, and just as devastating.

    That was me three decades weeks ago.
  • stetsonstetson Shipmate
    Re: low expectations. A notable aspect of the 2016 campaign was the way that, after a while, Trump got implicitly praised to high heaven simply for not screwing up as badly as he had the week before.

    It was kinda like a version of The Prodigal Son, with a completely hyperbolized ending: not only do they welcome him back and throw a party, they're so happy they decide to make him boss of the whole business.
  • Simon ToadSimon Toad Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    I don't think they're specifically inaccurate, but I deplore the lack of context, as anybody paid (in happier times) to translate would. And I continue to dislike criticism based on soundbites.

    The main reason I dislike criticism based on soundbites is that it can be used to attack virtually anybody's credibility. Few public figures make absolutely zero comments that don't look stupid or worse with hindsight. It's a poor metric by which to really assess somebody. I don't understand the enthusiasm for weapons which can easily be turned around and used against the user.

    There is a flood of election related disinformation in the United States, from the GOP to the Bernie Bros. Nobody is playing nice. Nobody is sticking to the facts. Some people are even being dishonest about who they are and who they really support. There is a strong push on to get progressives to stay at home - Bernie or bust. I suspect that some people encouraging this line want Trump re-elected.

    You worry that weapons can be used by the other side. The other side invented them, and are using them. The social media universe is a dream come true for liars and bullies like Roger Stone.

    This ad does not lie. This ad does not misrepresent. This ad takes Trump's statements and places them over a graphic showing the growth of Rona cases in the USA. This ad makes it obvious that Trump is a dangerous fool. Again, not a lie. It is message delivery targeted at people's emotions, short and to the point.

    @Eutychus from an onion patch of lies you have picked out a petunia.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    The president announced the sending of navy ships toward Venezuela as the US intensifies counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific following a drug indictment against Nicolás Maduro, who still controls the country.

    Is this for real?

    Coronavirus will be on those ships. All navy ships should be birthed, emptied, service wo/men tested, and the virus free ones sent to help the national effort in combatting the virus.

    Whatever is he thinking?
  • TonyKTonyK Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Diversionary tactics? The whole pandemic thing is in a mess, so let's make all the sheeplepeople look elsewhere!
  • Boogie wrote: »
    Whatever is he thinking?

    He doesn't think -- ever.
    :angry:


  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    45 is using this pandemic to get by with what he has always wanted. His Environmental Protection Agency chief is no longer enforcing EPA laws. The DOJ is announcing it will retain individuals without trial indefinitely (which is against the constitution.) The virus is giving the Interior Department the excuse to close down all Monuments and National Parks (though this is a wise move now, the question is will 45 allow for them to be reopened).

    Meantime he wants to move on to an infrastructure bill and not deal with a follow-up relief package.

    Guess who is unofficially running FEMA now? If you say Jerold Kushner you are right. The same son in law who is trying to force the Palestinians to give into Israel.

    What this country needs right now is a Pandemic Czar who has all the power he/she needs to insure increased production and distribution of needed supplies and personnel to all hotspots first and then secondary areas.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    What this country needs right now is a Pandemic Czar who has all the power he/she needs to insure increased production and distribution of needed supplies and personnel to all hotspots first and then secondary areas.

    Interesting idea.
    The “pandemic response team” firing claim referred to news accounts from Spring 2018 reporting that White House officials tasked with directing a national response to a pandemic had been ousted.

    Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer abruptly departed from his post leading the global health security team on the National Security Council in May 2018 amid a reorganization of the council by then-National Security Advisor John Bolton, and Ziemer’s team was disbanded. Tom Bossert, whom the Washington Post reported “had called for a comprehensive biodefense strategy against pandemics and biological attacks,” had been fired one month prior.

    I'm beginning to think "undo everything Obama did" may have some drawbacks as a governing strategy.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Now that the Second Court of Appeals has ordered the accounting firm that Trump uses to turn over eight years of his tax returns to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, do you think he will comply? Na, too easy.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    I wonder if some part of T is contemplating making the biggest confluence of...events...that he possibly can: e,g,, keeping All Those Nasty Outsiders (ATNO) away; closing borders (whenever and however); impressing all his "strong-man leader" friends; presiding over the crashing of the US economy (he's seemingly trying to stop it, but he would find some way to spin a crash as a good thing and/or his success); making big, noisy war wherever he can, etc.

    Basically, literally bringing down the house/country. And dancing in joy. When he was a kid, he would kick down other kids' block constructions...maybe he never outgrew it.

    Having grown up fundamentalist, I confess that much of what T has done checks off items on a mental checklist of End Times hints. Not obsessively, just occasionally. But when he does things like downplaying and misinforming about a pandemic; and simultaneously pulls this crap of sending two Navy ships off to deal with drug cartels (when they could have been added to the ships filling in as hospitals); and God knows what else...
    (:votive:)
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Did anyone notice how T made such an abrupt turn from wanting to open up the economy by Easter (nod to his evangelical supporters) to suggesting everything should stay shut down at least through April?

    We know he can't read, but he does seem to understand graphs.

    Here is the story behind the turnaround.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Did anyone notice how T made such an abrupt turn from wanting to open up the economy by Easter (nod to his evangelical supporters) to suggesting everything should stay shut down at least through April?

    We know he can't read, but he does seem to understand graphs.

    Here is the story behind the turnaround.

    Good information but the writing is awful. Inversions and run-ons abound. I was reading sentences twice and once thrice just to figure out what they meant.
  • Yes, I was reading that the Imperial College team were predicting 2 million US deaths, if no action was taken, while Trump was prattling about his hunches. Of course, there are lockdowns now, but I think some Republican states are lagging behind. Here's the effects of anti-science.
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    Just heard that Trump is recommending everyone else wears masks, while saying that he won't.
  • Just heard that Trump is recommending everyone else wears masks, while saying that he won't.

    Which of course means the Maga Minions won't.
  • He says he will not because when he is sitting behind his wonderful desk and meeting kings and queens and important heads of state it would not look well for him to be in a mask. Like a whole bunch of important heads of state and going to be hurrying to Washington just now.
  • HedgehogHedgehog Shipmate
    He says he will not because when he is sitting behind his wonderful desk and meeting kings and queens and important heads of state it would not look well for him to be in a mask.
    Oh, let's get the quote right. He said it wouldn't look good while he was meeting "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens." I find it interesting that dictators get pride of place ahead of kings and queens.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Now his lowness is saying he will start taking Hydroxychloroquine as a precaution.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    We're dealing with someone who phoned American-style football player A-rod to discuss the pandemic, and possibly for advice.

    BTW, an unexpected good thing:
    "Chelsea Clinton Takes A Not-So-Subtle Swipe At Jared Kushner's Pandemic Role" (HuffPost, via Yahoo).

    Turns out Chelsea is trained in dealing with public health...She specifically said *she*, with her training and experience, isn't qualified for the job of handling US pandemic.

    And she also tore into T.
    :)

    Can we draft her to take over Jared's job? Please?
  • He says he will not because when he is sitting behind his wonderful desk and meeting kings and queens and important heads of state it would not look well for him to be in a mask. Like a whole bunch of important heads of state and going to be hurrying to Washington just now.

    They all already think he's a buffoon anyway. Can't see how it would hurt.
  • One journalist's summary of Trump made me smile, trust me, I'm not a doctor. Not really funny, as he will cost lives.
  • OhherOhher Shipmate
    One journalist's summary of Trump made me smile, trust me, I'm not a doctor. Not really funny, as he will cost lives.

    Share, please? Linky-linky?
  • Ohher wrote: »
    One journalist's summary of Trump made me smile, trust me, I'm not a doctor. Not really funny, as he will cost lives.

    Share, please? Linky-linky?

    It's in the Guardian's live US column, can't do a link.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Golden Key wrote: »
    We're dealing with someone who phoned American-style football player A-rod to discuss the pandemic, and possibly for advice.

    Ummm . . .
    Golden Key wrote: »
    Can we draft [ Chelsea Clinton ] to take over Jared's job? Please?

    Which one? In addition to running a shadow COVID-19 response team (the official one is being run by Mike Pence) Kushner is also supposed to be solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reorganizing the federal government, and reforming the criminal justice system.
  • My brother, who notices these things, has noticed that Dr. Deborah L. Birx has worn a different color scarf every day as she stands behind the fartletter-in-chief at his press conferences. He's made a game of predicting what the next color will be. His current prediction is red for Palm Sunday, white for Maundy Thursday, black for Good Friday.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Umm A Rod (Alex Rodriguez) is a baseball shortstop.
  • We have a few very smart football and rugger players, lawyers and doctors inter alia after their professional careers. Is Rodriguez one of those by any chance? Also wasn't the guy who featured in the 'magic spit ball' episode of Seinfeld, who Jerry had a crush on, called Rodriquez too?
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    I found last night's briefing to be the worst yet. Particularly when Trump prevented Fauci from answering a question. His obsession with encouraging people to try treatment untested for COVID-19 will kill some. It's all about getting the country back to work quickly to restart the economy and therefore help him get re-elected. It's all about him as usual.

    Don't know how many of the US Shipmates saw it but our 93 year old Queen broadcast as Head of State last night and in my book did a very remarkable job. When it comes to grace, class and wisdom, she makes Trump look like the cheapskate he is.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    Ok, ok. :) I knew A-Rod's an athlete, but not what kind. I thought maybe basketball, then I heard something that sounded like he was a football player.
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate, Glory
    Re the Queen's speech:

    I saw it online, and it was very good. Invoked a WWII spirit, which she probably remembers very well. Must be hard, though, at her age, to experience this level of problem again.
  • Golden Key wrote: »
    Re the Queen's speech:

    I saw it online, and it was very good. Invoked a WWII spirit, which she probably remembers very well. Must be hard, though, at her age, to experience this level of problem again.

    Especially when her successor was found to have the virus.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Barnabas62 wrote: »
    I found last night's briefing to be the worst yet. Particularly when Trump prevented Fauci from answering a question. His obsession with encouraging people to try treatment untested for COVID-19 will kill some. It's all about getting the country back to work quickly to restart the economy and therefore help him get re-elected. It's all about him as usual.

    Don't know how many of the US Shipmates saw it but our 93 year old Queen broadcast as Head of State last night and in my book did a very remarkable job. When it comes to grace, class and wisdom, she makes Trump look like the cheapskate he is.

    We certainly did see Her Majesty in rebroadcasts everywhere.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Seriously? You couldn't make this stuff up.

    My late dad had this phrase. "He's so low he could crawl under a snake's belly with a top hat on".
  • Has nobody told Trump that he can't take the $$$ with him?

    That there are no pockets in a Shroud?

    :rage:
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