Live and Let Die

Over a period of about 48 hours this week, it became very clear what Donald Trump’s latest plan is for dealing with the coronavirus…..which is to, say his plan for getting re-elected, given that he clearly only cares about the former in terms of the latter.

Several sharp-eyed observers wrote about it: Bob Cesca, Jay Rosen, Amanda Marcotte, Heather Digby Parton. I am here only to climb up on their shoulders when I point out what it is:

He has decided just to declare victory.

What could be more Trumpian? Realizing that this deadly virus isn’t going to magically disappear, and seeing that his dogshit-awful response is not stopping it or even seriously slowing it down, he has fallen back on his usual lifelong strategy — lying his ass off — and hoping no one notices.

He may believe it, in his usual pathological way, or he may merely be talking himself into it, magical thinking wise, or he may know it’s asinine and be deploying it only cynically. Does it really matter? (That question applies to his entire life, frankly.) But any way you slice it, it’s a batshit thing to claim, if you’ll pardon the expression, and even more batshit to expect people to believe.

That of course has never been a barrier for Donald, because some people surely will.