NYT: "A Complete List of Trump's Attempts to Play Down Coronavirus"

[DBoon]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/opinion/trump-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

You may want to bookmark. Yes behind a paywall. I will try to summarize Trump's statements in a timeline

Trump's first statement on January 22:

In the weeks that followed, Trump faced a series of choices. He could have taken aggressive measures to slow the spread of the virus. He could have insisted that the United States ramp up efforts to produce test kits. He could have emphasized the risks that the virus presented and urged Americans to take precautions if they had reason to believe they were sick. He could have used the powers of the presidency to reduce the number of people who would ultimately get sick.

He did none of those things.

I’ve reviewed all of his public statements and actions on coronavirus over the last two months, and they show a president who put almost no priority on public health. Trump’s priorities were different: Making the virus sound like a minor nuisance. Exaggerating his administration’s response. Blaming foreigners and, anachronistically, the Obama administration. Claiming incorrectly that the situation was improving. Trying to cheer up stock market investors. (It was fitting that his first public comments were from Davos and on CNBC.)

Now that the severity of the virus is undeniable, Trump is already trying to present an alternate history of the last two months. Below are the facts — a timeline of what the president was saying, alongside statements from public-health experts as well as data on the virus.

[dweller]

1. read the whole article, no paywall i think

NYT has said they will allow all Covid19 articles free views ...

but yeh, that article is devastating

✌🏼

[dalton99a]

2. Kick

Jan. 22
“Are there worries about a pandemic at this point?”
“No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”

Jan. 24
“It will all work out well.”

Jan. 30
“We have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully.”

Feb. 2
“How concerned are you?”
“Well, we pretty much shut it down coming in from China.”

Feb. 10
“Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.”

Feb. 19
“I think the numbers are going to get progressively better as we go along.”

Feb. 23
"Have you been updated on the coronavirus, sir?"
"Yeah, we’re very much involved. We have it very much under control. We had 12, at one point. And now they’ve gotten very much better. Many of them are fully recovered."

Feb. 26
“We’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.”

Feb. 27
“It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”

Mar. 2
"I really think we’re in extremely good shape. We’re prepared for anything. And here we’re talking about a much smaller range. And, again, we’re prepared for anything."

Mar. 4
"It’s very mild."

Mar. 7
“I’m not concerned at all.”

Mar. 10
“It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.”

....

and the shit show continues

[crickets]

3. K&R for visibility.

[Blecht]

4. In a just world

This would be the prosecutor's case in Trump's negligent homicide trial.