Donald Trump once again stood in the Rose Garden to brag about his administration’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the message was clear: Mission. Accomplished.
With U.S. COVID-19 deaths having passed 80,000, Trump’s bragging centered on testing—so long a major failing of his response and only now, with the virus raging through the country, getting to the levels it needed to be at long ago. The U.S. has now conducted 9 million COVID-19 tests, Trump said, reading quickly from prepared remarks, with the number of tests conducted each day doubling over the past few weeks. The U.S. has conducted more tests per capita than any other country, he said, still not mentioning the numbers of cases or deaths here in comparison to other countries.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 8:44:11 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
A reporter straight out asks Trump if he’s saying “Mission accomplished.” No, says Trump, “we have prevailed on testing.” For a change, he acknowledges the level of death the U.S. has experienced. But on testing, which he has for this occasion been told to talk about as important, “we have prevailed.”
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 8:47:06 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
Asked about more direct payments to Americans, Trump goes straight to a payroll tax cut and then says he’s negotiating with Democrats. And has he mentioned there’s going to be a transition to greatness? Toward the end of the fourth quarter, in 2021 … it’s going to happen because of “pent-up demand … a phenomenal year next year.” Unless the Democrats mess it up, in case the electioneering wasn’t blatant enough for you.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 8:49:39 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
In response to a reporter’s question, Trump claims it’s already true that anyone can get a test. Brett Giroir of HHS then comes on to say some stuff that sounds helpful, but really only explains why testing is important without explaining how it’s going to happen when it has been so far from happening thus far.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 8:50:47 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
But what about the double standard wherein everyone in the White House is constantly tested and other people can’t be, the reporter asks. Trump predictably attacks: “I understand you better than you understand yourself,” he says, complaining that if the White House wasn’t getting tested, reporters would complain about that.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 8:52:54 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
Next question: How can you tell people they’re safe to go back to work when it’s not contained in the White House?
Trump insists it was one person. Except two people who work in the White House at least some of the time have tested positive.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 8:58:47 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
Why can’t every American get a test?
Trump gets angry, because he just told you people that the U.S. leads the world in testing, so why is he getting these questions?
On the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, Trump somehow manages to mostly sound like he thinks it was a bad thing. “But you have a lot of people looking at it and hopefully an answer’s going to be arrived at quickly.”
As to what he previously referred to that wasn’t on the tape, there’s a moment when the struggle is off camera … but Sen. Tim Scott is disturbed, so Trump is very disturbed.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 9:04:28 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
Does the administration have a plan to bring numbers down?
The numbers are already coming down, Trump says. Rapidly. All through the country. Many of the models have been way off, he says, citing the early prediction of 2.2 million deaths if no mitigation happened. But he sure doesn’t mention the 60,000 he spent weeks claiming would be the number.
What’s the death toll going to be? “I don’t want to think about it, even,” Trump says before going on to blame China/brag about his early move to restrict travel from China.
Monday, May 11, 2020 · 9:08:42 PM +00:00
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Laura Clawson
What crime are you accusing President Obama of committing and do you believe the Justice Department should prosecute?
Obamagate. “Some terrible things happened and it should never be allowed to happen again.” But Trump doesn’t say what Obamagate is. “You know what the crime is, the crime is very obvious to everybody.”
Better things are coming testing-wise, Trump promised—more tests, more help to the states, more tests, more products from more companies. Boy is the Trump administration kicking ass on testing, months after the fact and with 80,000 people dead. Trump did eventually get around to giving lip service to the lives lost and the people mourning their loved ones—lip service that came right after he blamed China for the spread of the virus. He then introduced a new catchphrase that he promised “you’re going to hear a lot.” That catchphrase is “transitioning to greatness,” which will happen in the fourth quarter of 2020 and in 2021, he promised. In other words, go out in November and vote on faith that the greatness is coming immediately afterward.