It’s no secret that the Trump Administration has invested itself in downplaying the threat posed by COVID-19, the virus that is quickly becoming a serious global pandemic. Just today, we had this from the President himself:
Mr Trump has also told his toadies at FOX News that people who are sick should still go to work; the virus is just not that big of a deal. He’s also argued that any attempts to discuss the virus in a serious way are intended to hurt him politically, all but guaranteeing the members of the MAGA cult will automatically dismiss news reports about it as such. The President and those around him appear to be trying to downplay the seriousness of the crisis in an attempt to keep it from effecting Mr Trump’s reelection efforts.
This was no different at CPAC, movement conservatism’s big yearly bash:
Other Trump aides openly dismissed concerns about the coronavirus while speaking at CPAC on Friday.
Mick Mulvaney, the longtime acting White House chief of staff said onstage at the event, “The reason you’re seeing so much attention to it today is that [media organizations] think this going to be what brings down the president.”
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow sounded a similar note and warned the real threat to the U.S. economy was “socialism coming from our friends on the other side of the aisle.”
I, of course, was not at CPAC, but from all reports this theme was carried out throughout the conference. Coronavirus is no big deal. Most people will have mild cases. The hype has been manufactured by the media and Democrats to hurt Trump.
Then it happened.
It was announced that an attendee of CPAC tested positive for the virus.
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other administration officials attended the conference, though the ACU says the attendee did not come into contact with the president or vice president, nor did they attend events in the main hall.
The infected individual did not come into direct contact with the President, although he apparently did with Sen Ted Cruz and Rep Paul Gosar, both of whom have announced they are self-quarantining*:
This quarantine appears to have made Mr Gosar philosophical:
Which is an interesting reaction from someone exposed to a virus that is not a big deal, right? This has received the predicted response on Twitter:
Other CPAC attendees have also been quietly reflecting on the possibility of their own mortality. Ah, just kidding! They’ve reacted with the rage indicative of their movement:
Mr Kassam is the Editor in Chief of the National Pulse and the host of a right-wing podcast. He goes on:
Here’s the thing: I would be scared too. I would be angry probably. But I haven’t spent the last few weeks declaring that All is Well! and More People Die from the Flu!
Also the reactions to Mr Kassam’s thread have been predictable:
...which is the bed these people made, honestly.
So if your conservative uncle happens to mention to you that the concerns about the global pandemic are overblown and are a hoax intended to keep Mr Trump from being reelected, please point him to the way the very people who created these talking points reacted when they, themselves were exposed. They know better. They know how serious this is. But they are still insisting that rank-and-file Republicans have nothing to worry about and have made it less likely that these people will take steps to protect themselves and others.
*Please note that I am not criticizing Mr Cruz and Mr Gosar for self-quarantining. They are doing the right thing. I am also not wishing the virus on anyone. I sincerely hope that the virus exposure at CPAC was minimal and that no further cases appear.
Updated to add: I would appreciate it if we could refrain from wishing that people we don’t like become infected with this virus. I understand the impulse, I really do, but it comes awfully close to wishing violence on them. Also, this virus does not care about politics and an infected politician or activist can spread the disease far and wide. It’s not a joke. Thanks!
