Under Free use, here is the entire live-blogging reaction of
Daily Kos writer Mark
Sumner’s reaction to the train wreck of a news conference held this evening
by Hair Fuhrer about COVID-19 in the U.S. minus his various twitter re-posts
(click on the link to see those). Cheap Shots will follow:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At
the last minute, the start of the press conference has been moved back by half
an hour. Which is exactly the kind of highly organized response you want to see
in a crisis. So … 6:30 PM ET then.
On
Tuesday, Nancy Messonier, director of the National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases, warned that Americans can expect to see the COVID-19
coronavirus spread within the United States, and that “disruption to everyday
life may be severe.“ It will be interesting to see if Messonier is part of the
“Coronavirus Task Force” that Trump is introducing on Wednesday
afternoon.
If
you see people wearing masks during tonight's speech, it's not because of
coronavirus. This announcement is being held in the White House Briefing room.
Which at this point is under about a geologic age worth of
dust.
If
you’re thinking that the team assembled for the Coronavirus Task Force is almost
all white men, don’t worry … there’s no almost about it. It’s all white
men.
Trump
continuing to test the health of his task force at this point by making them
stand there and wait for him.
Trump
begins by acknowledging the murders in Milwaukee. “A terrible thing. … Thank you
very much.” Okay.
Trump
says that the U.S. is … through some “very good decisions that were ridiculed at
the time” America remains safe.
Says
“we have a total of 15 … we took in some from Japan, they’re getting better
too.” Then says “It could have been as many as 42.”
It’s
60.
“We
have a total of 15 people...” Trump says again. This is already off the
rails.
“We’ve
had tremendous success, tremendous success, beyond what people would have
thought.” Says that President Xi is “working very hard.”
Amazingly
Trump has no script at all for this. He’s wandering all over to talk about
China, then the money, then bringing in “a specialist tomorrow who is very
talented at doing this.” And now he’s doing how many people are killed by the
flu.
And
again he says “the 15 people” THERE ARE 60.
Trump
just keeps wandering all over the place -- China, money, experts, 15 people,
flu, 1 or 2 people, one guy "pretty sick," 15 people, John's Hopkins says we're
number 1. Indiana has great health care.
If
the stock markets were still open, they'd be down 2000 right
now.
Trump
announces that he’s putting Mike Pence in charge of Team White Men. Now Pence
gets a chance to speak.
As
Trump is bragging that the U.S. response is going to be modeled after what Pence
did in Indiana …
(Hey,
it’s Chris, the owner of this blog. I would also like to note that Pence’s state
saw an outbreak of HIV under his leadership, and his reaction to the HIV
outbreak was to try to pray it away.)
HHS
Secretary Alex Azar breaks down the numbers 15 in the initial set of cases from
China, three more from evacuation flights, 42 from the Diamond Princess — Trump
apparently cannot get past the first number.
Standing
behind Azar, Trump continues to demonstrate the touching his face a lot that
everyone should not be doing.
As
Deputy Secretary Anne Schuchat speaks, Trump appears to be falling asleep while
standing up.
Anthony
Fauci now explaining that the fastest possible production of a vaccine would
result in a vaccine in about … 18 months.
The
kind word for Trump this evening is … incoherent. Any written transcript of his
statements would be utterly incomprehensible.
Trump
is asked about restricting travel to South Korea or Italy. Says this is “not the
right time” to do that.
Trump
again says “we have a total of 15 cases most of them are totally recovered.”
Then finally admits that “we did take in” 40 more people … who just happen to be
Americans.
“Our
consumer is the strongest it’s ever been… Our consumer is doing great. It’s very
powerful.”
Trump
simultaneously saying that “our flights in are very controlled” while not
placing any restrictions except for China.
“When
you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to
zero … that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”
Because
Trump has now forgotten the other people. Again.
And
now Trump explains how Nancy Pelosi is “incompetent” and “crying Chuck Schumer”
is trying to create a panic. And everyone should work
together.
Trump
promises to sue more newspapers over opinion pieces. “There will be more coming,
you’ll see.” The first point where he’s seemed half awake.
A
note from the man who just put Mike Pence in charge of coronavirus: “Obama just
appointed an Ebola Czar with zero experience in the medical area and zero
experience in infectious disease control. A TOTAL JOKE!” – D.J.
Trump
Trump
is astounded to learn how many people die from flu. “I never heard of
that.”
One
thing about not knowing anything, is that there is infinite opportunity to be
astonished.
And,
for the second time, Trump blames the stock market crash on Democrats … who the
stock market apparently just noticed this week.
The
stock market was down over 1,000 points before the debate that Trump
blamed for crashing the stock market.
“I’m
using Mike because he’s in the administration and he’s very good at doing what
he does and doing … this.”
Trump
explains how “we’ll essentially have a flu shot for this in a very quick manner”
when Fauci just explained it will take more than a year.
Trump
now explaining how everyone is to blame for not
making the GDP numbers he claimed, except him.
Trump
says he agrees with Rush Limbaugh that people are “weaponizing” the coronavirus
against him, then says the CDC is not doing that … which is what Limbaugh
said.
And
Wall Street expresses their opinion on Trump’s response …
(Dow
Futures turned from positive to negative during the news
conference)
Trump
says if you catch Ebola “you disintegrate.” And nobody knew anything about it
when he was talking about it. “Nobody ever heard of anything like
that.”
Again
… ignorance offers endless wonder.
Trump
says he put Pence in charge because Azar is “very busy.”
Pence
… apparently has nothing really to do.
The
man who can’t say “China” corrects a reporter’s pronunciation of
“Xi.”
Trump
says that the flu’s fatality rate is “much higher” than coronavirus … and comes
back again to saying “15 people.”
Sorry
about you, other 45 people.
And
Trump has escaped. That is your reassurance, America.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don’t you feel safer now?
While we watch
the inevitable catching up of how the world works with the policies of the
current administration here are your Wednesday cheap shots (your choice of
libations):
“Everything
is fine! All is well!” Take an extra shot for each step it takes you to get
to Kevin Bacon from that quote.
You want to know why Bernie (and others) were booed when they
criticized Bloomberg? This
is why.
Many of the acts in my Radio Free California broadcasts have
played
here.
So after some criticism, the White House now has a small
response to COVID-19. But
you might catch cold.
And it fits
on a bumper sticker.
Yes, he’s young, but I’d bet
he’s seen all of the “Purge” movies, and maybe even the TV
show.
Speaking of young, you know, some pretty good shit came out
of the 1960’s including yours truly and his wife, and the start of the movement
that eventually allowed Mayor Pete to marry his spouse. Here’s
a partial list. It just didn’t include him (born 1982).
I’m thinking someone needs to hire (and
be refused by) Dr. Jason Bull.
For the record, I have a mustache and beard. Pass
the Robitussin.
Speaking of TV, this
shit happens but Chris Matthews still is on the air.
I’m guessing that Francis might have stumbled
into 4chan.
Did you know we have two moons? We have for about 3
years now.
Medal of Honor recipient commits
treason.
About that swamp…
Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A and
Finish. Thank
you, Hashimoto-san.
And because I love you, Walking on Cars.
And damn it, David Roback. It’s his wonderful guitar on this.
