PotUS Is Going to Get People Killed

It was a weird day today, getting a text message from my coworker reading 'I have the flu and will need to take the next five days off' and thinking 'that's good news!' He's a responsible guy, he doesn't want to get anyone sick, so he will stay home, rest, and get plenty of fluids. Unfortunately, the Occupant of the White House is not acting in a responsible fashion:

In this clip, Trump:
1. Denies WHO's coronavirus death rate based on “hunch"
2. Calls coronavirus "corona flu"
3. Suggests it's fine for people w/ Covid-19 to go to work
4. Compares coronavirus to "the regular flu," indicating he doesn't get the difference pic.twitter.com/uC9c03zX31

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2020

He's making up mortality rates that contradict WHO estimates and telling people to go to work sick. Meanwhile, CDC officials don't seem to be aware of the statements the president is making about the outbreak:

Q: Is it helpful to get your message out when you're being countermanded by the president on TV?

NIAID DIRECTOR FAUCI: I don't think I'm being countermanded

Q: He was on TV last night suggesting people w/ Covid-19 could go to work

FAUCI: I haven't heard that

AZAR: Me neither pic.twitter.com/uv7jLDXe3U

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2020

Vulgarmort is citing poll results (from about two weeks ago) to suggest that his response to the outbreak is adequate:

Gallup just gave us the highest rating ever for the way we are handling the CoronaVirus situation. The April 2009-10 Swine Flu, where nearly 13,000 people died in the U.S., was poorly handled. Ask MSDNC & lightweight Washington failure @RonaldKlain, who the President was then?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2020

During a 'town hall', he also suggested that an outbreak which causes people to eschew international travel benefits the US economy:

Trump tries to find a silver lining to the coronavirus during Fox News town hall: "I have to say, people are now staying in the United States, spending their money in the US -- and I like that." pic.twitter.com/lbERhrSq6t

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2020

Trump's rhetoric is incoherent, his advice is horrendous, and the response of his administration consists mainly of obfuscating infection rates and virus virulence. We need smart people running the country in a situation such as that which we are facing, and smart people are in short supply in Trump's kleptocracy. Hat tip to Vox journalist Aaron Rupar for covering this topic in such detail.

Now, excuse me while I juggle the work schedule because one of my key colleagues will be recuperating at home for the better part of a week.