I Have to Laugh (Because Crying or Screaming Would Be So Debilitating)
Now, our president and his medical lackey, Dr. Deborah Birx, are trying to spin 100,000 to 200,000 deaths as a good result “if we do things perfectly.” Yes, Dr. Birx said that this morning on the Today show. And I have zero faith that this crew will “do things perfectly” because why start now?
Meanwhile, the president said this yesterday in the Rose Garden:
“I felt even better about what we did last week with the $2.2 trillion, because you’re talking about a potential of up to 2.2 million, and some people said it could even be higher than that. So you’re talking about 2.2 million deaths. 2.2 million people from this. If we can hold that down as we’re saying, to 100,000, it’s a horrible number. Maybe even less, but to 100,000, so we have between 100 and 200,000, we altogether have done a very good job. 2.2, up to 2.2 million deaths and maybe even beyond that?”
Got that? It was only earlier this month that the president and his mouthpieces on Fox News and elsewhere, including plenty of folks on Facebook, Twitter and other social media, we’re braying that, “This is no worse than the flu!” And, “We have it under control!” And that, “This is all media hysteria intended to bring down the president!”
And just a couple of weeks later, if only 100,000 or 200,000 of our fellow citizens die, it will be a “very good job” because 2,000,000 of our fellow citizens could have perished “if we had done nothing.”
But I thought it was no worse than the flu?
Right, Mr. President? Right, Sean Hannity? Right Laura Ingraham and Lou Dobbs? Right, so many folks on Facebook?
Of course, the scientists, medical professionals and epidemiologists — you know, the experts who understand this stuff — have been fighting since January to have the president and his administration take the consequences of this virus seriously. Even lackey Dr. Birx was undoubtedly trying to convince the anti-science, conspiracy theory-driven president and the sycophants who surround him that this was a highly contagious and often lethal virus.
No dice, until the cold, hard reality set in. Body bags have a way making it real, even to the ignorant and disbelieving. (Though new conspiracy theories spin out daily.)
The past is erased, apparently. Hell, yesterday the president angrily denied what he had told Sean Hannity just two days earlier:
Yamiche Alcindor: (45:35)
Thank you, Mr. President. I have two questions. The first is you’ve said repeatedly that you think that some of the equipment that governors are requesting they don’t actually need. You said New York might not need 30,000-Donald Trump: (45:46)
I didn’t say that.Yamiche Alcindor: (45:47)
You said it on Sean Hannity’s Fox News.
He did say it:
President Trump cast doubt Thursday on New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s assertion that his state, which has become the epicenter for the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, will need 30,000 ventilators to properly care for the influx of patients anticipated to flood hospitals in coming weeks.
“I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in a phone interview. “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes they’ll have two ventilators, and now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’”
I know. Not a surprise. This president lies. All the time.
Also notably absent from yesterday’s Rose Garden briefing were any words of condolence, sympathy or comfort for those who have lost loved ones to this pandemic. There were plenty of words about how he has been impacted of course, but not a single word of condolence or sympathy to the families of those who have died.
Not. One. Word.
As I wrote in my previous piece:
Can you imagine any other president not offering words of comfort to fellow citizens who lost loved ones in such an epic tragedy? Can you imagine Bush after 9–11 and Katrina not consoling families? Obama after the numerous mass shootings while he was president?
Trump’s malignant narcissism is on full display. No doubt, mentioning those who have died would be too damaging to his fragile ego. It would indicate a failure on his part, in his mind. Thus, not a consoling word. Not a caring word. Just more braggadocio about all that his administration has done and some ugly attacks on governors who, he believes, have not been deferential enough to him.
A complete and total lack of humanity. Not surprising, but horrifically sad…
So I have to laugh. The deaths of somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 of our fellow citizens will be played as a yet another “win.” I have to laugh or I would cry. Or scream. Or both.
I think I’ll go for a bike ride instead.
