As pandemic deepens, Trump cycles through targets to blame

[Dennis Donovan]

https://apnews.com/58f1b869354970689d55ccae37c540f3

By JONATHAN LEMIRE
26 minutes ago

As he tries to distance his White House from the mounting death toll, Trump has cycled through a long list of possible scapegoats in an attempt to distract from what critics say were his own administration’s missteps in slowing the spread of the coronavirus on American shores.

The strategy relies on validation from supportive media personalities and Republicans, evoking White House tactics during other challenging times for Trump’s presidency. The effort is taking on more urgency during a once-in-a-century health crisis playing out just seven months before voters go to the polls.

The list of those Trump has blamed is lengthy, and shifting:

Democratic governors for alleged mismanagement at the front lines of the crisis. The media, first for hyping the threat of the virus and then for not giving the administration credit for its response. Federal inspectors general, believed to be conspiring to make the White House look bad. The Obama administration, for not adequately preparing. China, initially absolved of responsibility, then accused of covering up worrisome health data. And now the WHO, from which Trump has threatened to withhold funding.

Trump himself owns up to no mistakes.

</snip>

[SunSeeker]

1. It appears the latest is blaming the WHO for giving him "bad data."

[underpants]

2. I think we got a hint of the next target from the NY Post reporter's question yesterday

Next one will be Carole Baskin

[Dennis Donovan]

5. I felt bad for that Post reporter yesterday

He set his resume on fire on live TV and replaced it with one containing only two entries:

"2020: Asked about a pardon for a creepy reality show loon during a White House press briefing on a pandemic."

"Acceptable Duties: Will clearly do anything (and I mean, anything) for money."

[MyOwnPeace]

8. The REAL culprit!

My GAWD, it was right there, in front of our eyes - it was Nancy Pelosi!!!!

IQ45 wrote a note to her telling her what she needed to do to help stop the COVID-19 problem - but she tore up the note in front of all of us - without even reading it!

[Demovictory9]

3. How about Clinton and her emails?

[BigmanPigman]

4. He can't blame "the dog" for this one.

[safeinOhio]

6. Boils down to one question

Are we better off than we were 4 years ago.

[JHB]

7. Out comes the Sharpie...

[ECL213]

9. I noticed an uptick in anti-Pelosi and anti-Hillary memes on Facebook yesterday.

That's all they have now. Childish insults to deflect attention from dear leader.

And all I could glean from the 60 seconds of Hannity that I could stomach was that NY's problem is somehow all Cuomo's fault because reasons.

[Dios Mio]

10. WHO

He ain’t no pinball wizard that’s fer sure.

[Harker]

14. He's deaf to reality...

dumb as a rock, and blind to others' suffering.

[olegramps]

11. The lockstep Republican support is the most troubling aspect for me.

On a daily basis Trump has lied to the citizens. His latest onslaught against the truth is especially troubling to me in that it has been met with virtual silence by Republican politicians ranging from the village mayors to the highest branches of congress. The failure of this administration is beyond question of its incompetence to handle a comprehensive response. Yet, he continues to have universal support and even admiration by the overwhelming majority of Republicans. How can supposedly educated citizens totally turn a blind eye to the facts? I realize that many are captives of the extreme propagandist so-called rightwing broadcast medium. However, it baffles me how they can be so oblivious to the facts.

It is situation that I believe has lead to intense polarization that is even more difficult to overcome than that which the nation faced during the Civil War. In that case there were clearly a stark difference of opinion in which each side was absolutely in opposition in that one firmly believed that Negros were inferior and slavery was justified as opposed to the basic concept that all men were created equal and slavery was an abomination. Today there is no clear cut demarcation. It is really undefinable and multifaceted with no clear division. It breaks down to some nebulous charges especially by the right wing that Democrats are unpatriotic, immoral and not really real Americans who are responsible for very short coming. Trump lies, it is their fault; he fails to address the present situation, it is their fault,
they literally mimic his excuse that he is without fault and that is all the fault of Obama and Democrats. The really sad thing is they actually believe this to be that fact.

I can only conclude that the situation has no solution other than total capitulation by the either party. The chances of that happening seem to be very slim at best before the entire fragile structure of our government that is based on constructive compromise collapses in unresolvable polarized illogical and fatal dissention.

Is this the way democracies die? It seems that we are following the same course of action that led to death of democracy in its Athenian birthplace.

[gab13by13]

12. I blame the major news networks for covering these virus rallies.

CNN has done a little by not showing all of Trump's rallies, but c'mon people this is just the same as the networks giving Trump free coverage during the campaign. Reporters who ask tough questions are shouted down. Trump claims at every rally that he did act, he sealed the border with China, that is flat out lie. Even after Trump partially sealed the border we had 40,000 people come into the US from China and some of them from Wuhan.
With that said, the WSJ just published an article that stated that the virus in New York came from Europe, and no Trump did not seal the border with Europe.

This is just one example of 1 big lie that Trump gets to repeat over and over again and he gets away with it, and the MSM is a partner in his lies. It's deja vu all over again, Trump found a way to get around not holding public rallies, he holds them inside the White House and gets a bigger audience than he would have gotten in an arena.

[Ad Infinitum]

13. Tragic

It is so farcical. This president's base can not
perceive that he is a sadist who can not resist
causing more chaos. Movement gives an opportunity
to steal. While we are concerned about our lives.
He only cares about $$$$.

[panader0]

15. "can not resist causing more chaos.

Movement gives an opportunity to steal." That's good AI. That's spanky's MO.

[blakstoneranger]

16. NOBODY IS TO BLAME!!!

Why is he looking for scapegoats when nobody is at fault. Why can't he just shut up and be a mature man and at least pretend to act like a "REAL" president. THE MORE HE TALKS, THE WEAKER DUMBER HE LOOKS. WHY DOESN'T HE KNOW THAT. WHY IS HE FIGHTING WITH THE MEDIA. Why can't he just say nothing, defer the question to someone else, or just say "NO COMMENT". why does he always feel he has to feed the media with useless bullshit!! This is why people want to get rid of him, he's too much, it's too much. He's too consumed with the media. He's more concerned with fighting with the media than the American people who have to suffer under this virus (both covid-19 and trump). We cannot endure 4 more years of crisis after crisis and his lying, bullshitting, posturing, his step-n-fetch-it, slip-n-fall buffoonery for 4 more years. because if he's reelected, he will continue this nonsense and the media will continue to eat it up on TV, Radio, and the internet---I can't take no more, I'M ALL TRUMPED OUT!!!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. The buck stops there - Donald Trump

[Blue Owl]

18. What LEADERSHIP