Perhaps more alarming than the news that the sitting president, his wife, and other members of the WH staff have been exposed to and tested positive for COVID-19, is that the first response of some was not one of sympathy or well wishes for the afflicted or even concern for the stability of government — it was suspicion over the veracity of the news, particularly as the information was first confirmed in a Presidential tweet.
On first hearing the news, I will admit to thoughts of karmic justice, and even (short of true harm) some temporary, but serious complications — if only to find some spark of empathy and import within the occupant of the White House. Nonetheless, I took the reports at face value but have since been amazed at the many suppositions including:
• faking it to get out of the rest of the debates
• faking it and using the news to ultimately prove that the virus has been overblown as the president makes a dramatic and remarkable instant recovery
• using it as a distraction to avoid recent issues such as his dismal debate performance, Brad Parscale’s many issues, a subpar Jobs report, white supremacy, his taxes, and Melania’s tapes
• using the news to cover up something equally or more serious — such as another “mini-stroke” (which, I know, Mr. Trump denies ever having had).
I would love to think that I instantly disavowed any of these suppositions as preposterous. Given an executive branch led by a man who has verifiably lied to the American people tens of thousands of times, a White House in which transparency is barely allowed for windows, and the constant diminishment of any seriousness to the COVID-19 pandemic or logical health precautions – that concept gets increasingly more difficult.
Thirty two days left until Election Day.
VOTE
Vote for a return to sanity