THE PRESIDENT IS in trouble, and not only in the polls. His latest actions—and mendacity—have gotten only worse.
His strategy: Lie, and when caught, double down.
Examples are numerous. Here are several of the more startling ones.
The 2009 Swine Flu Outbreak. In the first 2020 debate (made a shambles by Trump’s crafted and crass behavior), Trump described as a “disaster” Joe Biden’s role in the 2009 H1N1 swine flu outbreak.
The Facts, not the Trumpery. As noted in the October 9, 2020, issue of Science magazine, “Then-president Barack Obama, whom Biden served under as vice president, declared it [the 2009 swine flu] a public health emergency 6 weeks before the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic. That flu killed an estimated 12,000 Americans—far fewer than the 210,000 U.S. deaths recorded so far from COVID-19.”
Trump continues to attack the previous administration.
Trump’s Deceptive Covid-19 “Immunity.” As noted in vice.com, October 12, 2020, “President Donald Trump is trying to get his reelection campaign back on track by lying about being immune from coronavirus, just six days after he left the hospital.”
The report continued, “He first made the claim Sunday in an interview on Fox News, where it went unchallenged. Later in the day he doubled down on social media, saying: ‘A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!!!’ ”
Also cited in the report, “The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), whose guidance the White House says it is following, is clear that there is no evidence that people who were infected with coronavirus were immune to reinfection in the following three months…. …the CDC says on its website that in some cases those infected with the coronavirus can remain infectious for up to 20 days after they first present with symptoms.”
Trump and Fauci. As reported by cnn.com, “A frustrated and at times foul-mouthed President Donald Trump claimed on a campaign call that people are tired of hearing about the deadly pandemic which has killed more than 215,000 Americans and trashed Dr. Anthony Fauci as a ‘disaster’ who has been around for ‘500 years.’ ”
Trump referred to other health officials as “idiots.”
Trump, Barr, and the Hatch Act. The Guardian, October 20, 2020, reports, “Trump Urges Barr to Assign Prosecutor to Investigate Joe and Hunter Biden.”
As described by The Guardian, Attorney General Barr was ordered to “ ‘act fast’ and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter before election day, Donald Trump said on Tuesday, addressing his attorney general via his favorite medium, the Fox & Friends morning show.”
By way of background, as described by Wikipedia, the Hatch Act of 1939 “prohibits civil service employees in the executive branch of the government, except for the president and vice president, from engaging in some forms of political activity.”
According to The Guardian, October 15, 2020, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is “the latest of 14 political appointees to be cited by the government watchdog for violating the Hatch Act.”
“Trump has been openly dismissive of the Hatch Act,” The Guardian reports. Other complaints to the federal Office of Special Counsel have been filed against Housing Secretary Ben Carson, trade advisor Peter Navarro, ex-political adviser Kellyanne Conway, and Attorney General William Barr.
Trump’s order to Barr followed New York Post stories that, according to The Guardian, “had not been verified by other outlets and have been treated with caution by social media platforms.”
The Guardian continues, “Fox News is reported to have passed on the story, meant as an ‘October surprise’ to boost the president as he struggles against Biden in the polls, given concerns over its credibility. On Monday The New York Times reported dissent in the Murdoch paper’s newsroom over its hurried production. One former Post staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Guardian: ‘This reeks.’ ”
Indeed, to many of us, with rare exception the Trump administration reeks. ds
© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2020