It’s too bad that while scientists search for a COVID-19 vaccine that they can’t also develop one that immunizes a person against stupidity and immaturity — because Donald Trump needs both. In a childish and epically selfish display of temperament Sunday, Trump left Walter Reed Hospital to go joyriding in an SUV and wave at his supporters. He did this because he has to let everybody know he is a big tough guy. In doing so, two Secret Service agents were forced to don PPE and now they will have to quarantine for 14 days. But hey, who cares? Trump had his moment in the spotlight and that trumps all, right? Daily Beast:
Via Twitter, Dr. James P. Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed, was more explicit in his condemnation of Trump’s actions. “That presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack,” Phillips wrote. “The risk of COVID-19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding.”
Phillips wrote in an earlier tweet that the agents in the car would now need to be quarantined for 14 days after having been put at risk of severe illness or death “for political theater.”
The joyride was the latest sign of how the White House has been trying to manage the optics of the president’s illness.
Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, admitted on Sunday that he hid from the public how high the president’s fever got and the fact that he needed supplemental oxygen before being hospitalized because he wanted to present an “upbeat attitude.”
It’s all about show, but you knew that. This is all reality theater. Who cares if 200,000 people are dead. Trump doesn’t know any of them personally — oh well, yeah, Stan Chara, but he was old.
“God bless our president, I will die for him.”
Trump pulls a surprise drive-by visit with supporters outside Walter Reed Medical Center pic.twitter.com/EfUMDRgFVO
— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) October 4, 2020
Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary Presidential “drive-by” just now has to be quarantined for 14 days. They might get sick. They may die. For political theater. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theater. This is insanity.
— Dr. James P. Phillips, MD (@DrPhillipsMD) October 4, 2020
Caligula wanted to make his horse a senator, because the theatricality of that appealed to his childish and cruel nature. Trump doesn’t care if he puts two of his gladiators at risk of death — why should he? It’s all about him and they are there to serve.
The joyride has been compared to Michael Jackson dangling the baby over the balcony. And we know from Jackson’s lawyer, the late Johnnie Cochran, that Jackson, “was in now way a mature man in his forties.” Neither is this clown a mature man in his seventies — but at least Jackson wasn’t the titular leader of the free world.
Another subbasement reached in the quest for “can you bottom this?” and another humiliation logged.
Read it also as a sign of fear. If the weakness is admitted to, as it eventually must, his legion of enemies will pounce. I’m reminded of the more talented Sarah Bernhardt, who had to have her leg amputed from overwork and arranged to be ferried from place to place on a settee by two strong men. She too didn’t want to admit the inevitable and yet it came to pass.
Let’s see if he gets discharged AMA tomorrow. I would say there’s a 50/50 chance of that. He’s making it clear that he won’t cooperate or be an adult. He’s going to do things his way and I’m sure that there will be at least one attending physician who will tell the truth and say that Trump will not listen to medical advice.
My first thought also is that he is scared sh**less and realizes he may never do another [superspreader] rally.
Scared, yes, but he’ll do as many rallies as he can between now and Jan 21 – or whenever he collapses and has to be put in ICU.
Is it just that he wants things ‘back to normal’ before the stock market re-opens Monday morning?
The futures market opened at 6pm EDT.
I said to my husband he would do something If he really gets sick shame on him for putting the SS in danger.
I want to point out that the mask being worn by the person in the front passenger’s seat has an exhalation valve. Photos on other sites show this more clearly than on this site.
https://e3.365dm.com/20/10/1600×900/skynews-president-donald-trump_5118862.jpg?bypass-service-worker&20201005012542
The mask appears to be a 3M 8511 N95 mask with an exhalation valve – these masks are designed for use in industrial settings to reduce heat and moisture build in the mask when it is worn for protection from toxic dust, sawdust, and other things encountered by workers.
Because of the valve, the wearer exhales, everything they exhale go out into the surrounding air TOTALLY UNFILTERED.
The CDC says such masks should not be worn for protecting of those around you. While they may protect the wearer, they do nothing to stop the spread of the virus it the wearer is infected.
I am shocked to see someone who might be a Secret Service agent wearing a non-CDC approved mask. It is actually worse than that – it is a type of mask that the CDC as specifically disapproved.
Again, a mask with an exhalation valve might protect the wearer from the virus, officially named SARS-CoV-2, but it does nothing to protect those around the wearer from anything the wearer exhales.
I think that Trump is scared sh*tless! I have as much sympathy or empathy for Trump as he has for the 209,000 that are dead at his hands, as much as Trump has for their families and friends, as much as Trump has for all of those now out of work and facing evictions…NONE AT ALL!!!
For those reasons, I said to my mother that I hope the casket closes on him, that the casket is cast into the Potomac and that curses follow him into the afterlife. Hate Trump though she does, she was genuinely scared that I said that. But it’s what he deserves.
My sister and I feel that way about him too. We weren’t brought up that way but he doesn’t have one redeeming quality
If he gets out tomorrow, i dont care. It doesnt matter where he is, he is an agent of chaos anywhere. He will continue to be a stupid fool, and f u c k stuff up. I want him to recover so he can watch Biden win in an overwhelming victory.
At this point, I’m quoting Paul “The Waiter” Ricca: “I want him to go away.” And I’m caring less and less about how it happens.
Trump is incorrigible this latest fiasco shouldn’t surprise anyone but I’m really ticked off at the morons who’s allowing this. Seriously, not one person, not one doctor, not one adult stood up to this brat?
Is this a trick question, Gus? Aside from Nancy Pelosi, who’s left to stand up to him at that level of government?
Aside from Nancy Pelosi, who ever did stand up to him on anything?
Malignant narcissists have no ability to consider anyone else other than themselves. When Hitler’s generals told him the war was lost & he should negotiate with the allies, he vehemently insisted all Germans, including children, fight to the death. I believe the biggest disadvantage most have in dealing with this is the inherent decency that makes one blind to the murderous hypocrisy that these individuals are capable of. Often, the disbelief is fostered by lies & propaganda. With disastrous results.