It would be both pointless and exhausting in the space available to address, point by point, a recent My Turn on the coronavirus. Nothing I might say would alter the author’s view, or the view of anyone anxious for an anecdotal dismissal of a deadly virus.
There was one particularly egregious point, however, that deserves an examination, the claim that Donald Trump was or is “prescient.” (Having or showing knowledge of events before they take place.) That notion is easily rejected by quotes regarding COVID-19 from our “prescient” president:
1/22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China.” — CNBC interview
1/30: “We think 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. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for us … that I can assure you.” — speech in MI
2/10: “We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.” — At the White House
2/23: “We have it very much under control in this country.” — Speaking to reporters.
2/24: “The coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.” — In a tweet
2/26: “So we’re at the low level. As they get better, we take them off the list, so that we’re going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we’ve had very good luck.” — White House briefing
2/26: “And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” — Press conference
2/26: “We’re going very substantially down, not up.” — Press conference
2/27: “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” — White House meeting
2/29: “And everything is under control. . . . Everything is really under control.” — CPSC speech
3/4: “[W]e have a very small number of people in this country [infected]…. we’re talking about very small numbers in the United States.” — White House meeting
3/4: “Well, I think the 3.4% is really a false number.” — Interview on Fox News, referring to the percentage of diagnosed COVID-19 patients worldwide who had died, as reported by the WHO.
3/7: “No, I’m not concerned at all. No, we’ve done a great job with it.” — When asked if he was concerned about the arrival of the coronavirus in Washington, D.C.
3/10: “And we’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” — Post-meeting with GOP senators
At this writing, there are more than 1.91 million confirmed cases and 110,000 confirmed dead in the U.S. alone from the coronavirus. Trump, prescient? Oh, indeed. Clearly, he’s a veritable Nostradamus.
Seeking Trump’s “prescient” advice on a global pandemic would be like seeking pointers on maritime safety from the captain of the Titanic. “There are very fine icebergs on both sides! And they will go away! Just stay calm! In the spring they’ll all melt! Full speed ahead!
Have you tried the hydroxychloroquine at the buffet? It’s right next to the disinfectant and the lights. Delicious! And many people tell me it prevents freezing to death in the ocean! Not to worry though, I’m not concerned at all about freezing to death in the ocean! It’s one person from Hoboken. We’re down 12 degrees by the bow and taking on water, but we have only 15 people in the water, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, so that’s a pretty good job we’ve done!”
In more recent days, where was President Prescient’s Spidey-sense on anticipating the reaction of the country and the world to his tear-gassing peaceful citizens and co-opting the military into suppressing the Constitutional rights of speech and assembly to clear a path through a park for a staged photo-op? Perhaps his Magic 8-Ball was out of order that day?
The only thing worse for the US right now than COVID-19 is COVIDIOT-45.
Gary Greene is a resident of Greenfield.