Political Wire posted one story at the top of its front page and another to the side: the first says Pence Self-Isolating After Aide Tests Positive for Coronavirus, while the second says the opposite: Pence will not self-quarantine and plans to be at the White House Monday.
Speaking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time in contradictions comes as naturally to Trump as believing six impossible things before breakfast. But as I read this sequence, Pence was originally planning to follow good medical advice after learning that his close aide, Kathy Miller, had tested positive. Then Trump got wind of his plans and ordered him to come in anyway.
It’s not clear from the stories how close Trump will let Pence get to him, but as everyone who has listened to the experts — and of course that excludes Trump — understands, this virus is extremely contagious and passes through a chain of people very easily.
So here’s what’s going on, methinks: Trump is a germaphobe — but he’s also terrified of losing the election if he doesn’t get the economy moving again. Plus, he is absolutely focused on his façade of toughness — what? Me wear a stupid mask? I’m healthy enough to live to 200! My doctor said so; he said I have the best genes! I’d like to see that virus try and get me!
He’s forcing the economy to open again long before the states are ready. He’s forcing people to go to work without protection. If the White House staff start calling in sick, or start wearing masks where the public can see them, that undermines his whole message that we’re past the virus and things need to get back to normal. It’s part of the same calculation that he uses to refuse adequate testing and lock up PPE — if we don’t see it, if we don’t know about it, it’s not happening.
This time, that kind of magical wish thinking is likely to get him killed.
I yield to no one in my desire to see this turd hanging from the ass of humanity wiped out of the Oval Office, but this way he takes a lot of the government with him.
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