Trump

[Tahlvin]

It sounds like he is experiencing at least mild symptoms. Let's hope and pray that leads to some empathy on his part.

[FlameBlade]

I am extending absolutely no sympathy to Trump and his family. They consistently ignored advices, warnings, and has put many people in danger, such as rallies.

Now, for all others who else are infected, I sympathize with them, but by jove, are you listening to Dr. Fauci?

[FlameBlade]

As for empathy, look to Boris Johnson for abject lesson. Didn't really develop any.

[Kyle]

I think that's too harsh. I don't want anyone to have to go through the worst parts of COVID- and possibly die. I don't like him, and I understand how he's a victim of his own incompetence- but this is an awful disease. I don't want anyone to suffer.

[FlameBlade]

It was his actions, his decisions that led up to this moment. Do not think I am harsh.

[FlameBlade]

Evidence 1: before debate, they were supposed to test as agreed upon. Trump arrived too late to do test. Honor system. Family left facility without putting masks back on.

Evidence 2: holding rallies in midst of pandemic. What kind of decisions are that?

Evidence 3: fundraiser in Bedminister, with many donors. Trump not feeling well. Hints of symptoms showing up. No mask. Nobody going, hey, we better stop.

[Kyle]

I do think it's too harsh. I don't think people should ever delight in the suffering of others. I'm not saying I've never felt that way- I certainly have and I think that was me being a terrible person. I understand that this schadenfreude is natural- but I don't think it should be celebrated at all. I think we should have compassion for all people, even the ones we don't like and don't agree with.

[FlameBlade]

I do not delight in his suffering. I am just saying I am not giving him any sympathy.

[poorpete]

He's off to Walter Reed.... by himself... for a few days... as a precaution.

[Kyle]

[poorpete]

Feeling all those feels. When I said "my empathy is not selective" I meant that more as a goal.

[Mike]

I had several hours of drive time today, so I've been thinking about this all day. My own take is that I wish him well, and I hope he and his wife recover swiftly and I hope that he has not seriously affected too many others with his poor behavior.

At first, I was thinking that I wanted him to at least have some symptoms. Not enough to make him suffer, but just enough to scare him, because I want him to learn some sort of lesson here. But the more I've thought about this, the more apparent it is to me that as long as he survives, he is unlikely to change in any significant way. So it would be pain just for the sake of pain. No point in that.

On the other hand, his behavior over the last 9 months put himself at risk, put his family at risk, put everyone in contact with him at risk, everyone who follows his advice at risk, and everyone in our nation at risk. He's a bad person and I don't like him, and it is my most fervent wish that he is not our president by February. It is entirely appropriate to hold up these faults to the American people, place blame as is warranted, and encourage people to vote him out. (Which I don't think anyone here is arguing against).

And from a purely mercenary perspective, if he were to be incapacitated by this disease, it would create such a new host of issues for our electoral process and our country that I don't want us to have to deal with. I think the optimal result is that Trump makes a speedy recovery and is hale and hearty by election day, and after the final count, he loses in a landslide. He'll cry foul and he'll rail against the crooked process, but the numbers will be overwhelming enough that he won't get anywhere and Joe Biden will be our president. I want it to be decisive enough that a sizable chunk of his supporters (a supermajority of them even) just accept the results. That's my dream.

[Mike]

[Phoebe]

The best one I saw was a picture of Herman Cain making a very slow smile.

Anyway, I really do hope he's okay. Genuinely hope it for many reasons. To be honest the assorted news of the day has finally stressed me out so much, it's just over the top. I was already really really stressed out, so this was like a little extra piece of straw.

[Tahlvin]

Seems like the supreme court announcement turned into a super-spreader event. I wouldn't plan on it stopping things completely, but wouldn't it be delicious if the GOP senate was unable to get enough of their members virus-free in time to confirm their supreme court nominee? And I love the GOP senator that tested positive but said he would be healthy in 10 days in time to start the hearings in the senate. Dude, you need to test negative for the virus before you can go out and about again, and you have no idea what course the virus will take with you, so promising to be available in 10 days seems a big bold. But then again, GOP senators were flying on commercial flights on Friday without wearing their masks properly, so thinking that they'd actually wait to test negative before going back to the senate is a lot to ask.

[poorpete]

When many in the Iranian leadership contracted covid, it was a clear sign to all of how foolish they were, putting on airs of invincibility, ignoring protocol, even claiming their perfect genes will protect them.

[Mike]

[Kyle]

Indeed, the House passed rules and Mitch McConnel explicitly stated the Senate would not change the rules for remote voting. I’m not sure if they changed that.

[FlameBlade]

There was a conference with the white house doctor. There may be a chance the doctor mispoke, but it looks like Trump knew he had the virus as early as Wednesday possibly earlier without any mention of prior negative tests at the conference. Latest seem to be Thursday.

Nonetheless, if Wednesday...Trump went to rally in Minnesota. Fundraiser in NJ on Thursday while knowing he is infected.

I would love to see the timeline on this, especially when he knew.

Debate moderator Chris Wallace mentioned that Trump showed up too late on Tuesday to take test for coronavirus despite debate agreements. Biden campaign was never contacted.

[poorpete]

They say they misspoke but who the hell knows. Doctors aren't supposed to be this wrong.

I was curious and checked George Conway's twitter and my goodness, he's amplifying it all. Noting that Trump may have gotten it earlier, put people in his orbit at risk, etc.

I gotta say, it's kinda messed up. What's his intention? He could ask his wife, who has COVID right now, who was in Trump's orbit, if any of this is true. Him amplifying it could be evidence it's true, but honestly I don't think so. Does he ask his wife how she may have got it? Is he caring for her at all? What is he doing on Twitter every minute of the day?

Only two answers possible: he knows Trump got it early and is retweeting instead of saying it directly or he is willfully sowing confusion while his wife is ill. In conclusion, what weirdos.

Update, didn't know this:


Weirdos!