The Pandemic: Trump Lied -And Thousands Died

Since the days of Watergate, Bob Woodward has distinguished himself as the journalist whose articles have been the final word on presidential decision making and actions.  Yet for all his monumental previous works, none have been as impactful as the forthcoming book, Rage.

The book is supported by back-up tapes and interviews with President Donald Trump.  It was summarized in a column by Robert Costa and Phillip Rucker, published in the Washington Post around noon Wednesday, and here are the first excerpts from the story – Click here.

The book has revelations on a number of important topics that reinforce what we already knew about this president.  In particular, it will henceforth fail the laugh test for a Trump supporter to deny his essential racism.

We learn that Trump does not believe that the concept of White privilege prevails in American society.  We further hear of Trump’s dismissive racially-tinged references to his predecessor, President Obama as “Barack Hussein.”  And finally, in support of his disrespect for his African-American predecessor, we find that Trump is willing to go so low as to refer to the derogatory opinion of Obama expressed obscenely by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

Yet there is little in Woodward’s disclosures of Trump racism that will come as a surprise to the American Republic.  American voters have now become inured to Trump racism.

The shock and ultimate historical impact from Rage will come from its major disclosure of Trump’s actions on the Coronavirus.

Specifically, we learn that on January 28, 2020, Trump national security advisor Robert C. O’Brien told Trump the following:

“This will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency. This is going to be the roughest thing you face.”

Matthew Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser told the president that after reaching contacts in China, it was evident that the world faced a health emergency on par with the flu pandemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

The Trump response was a classic case of criminal gross negligence.  Rather than alert the nation to the danger, Trump actively concealed from the American public the truth for nearly two months. This delay resulted in the deaths of additional thousands of Americans.

And in explaining the delay to Woodward on March 19, Trump admitted his grossly negligent concealment with the following words:

 “I wanted to always play it down.” 

It is obvious to any observer with a minimum of objectivity that Trump’s cover-up of the truth was motivated by a desire to protect his reelection prospects.  Now his defeat is certain, but unfortunately for the American public, they will be governed for the next four months by an admitted liar whose word is worthless and without credibility.

The consequences for our nation are horrific.

Americans will be without a leader whose word they can trust on the life and death issue of vaccines.

Americans will be facing a continued rising tide of deaths without a leader who can give them trustworthy reassurance as to when the Pandemic may end.

America will continue to be led by a disgusting anti-science incompetent parafascist who refuses to wear a mask and expects his adherents to follow his example.  His politicization of the Pandemic constitutes a contemptible criminal abuse of power.

Trump’s concealment of the truth from the American public constitutes an impeachable offense, but we know that won’t happen.  If he had any conscience at all, he would resign, but we know that won’t happen.

Trumpland is a political Jonestown, with Trump’s fanatical adherents who attend his rallies drinking his political Kool-Aid.  Trump’s followers will find specious reasons to excuse his egregious abuses of power and criminal negligence, no matter how flagrant.

January 21,2021, the day Trump leaves office, cannot come soon enough.  I often end my columns with the words, “God Bless America.”  Given the mortal continuing threat that Donald Trump’s leadership poses to America, I must end this column with three other words:

God Save America.

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Alan J. Steinberg served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.

Alan Steinberg is one of the most insightful voices in not only Republican politics but in then entire political arena. He has been involved in campaigns most of his adult life. He served as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as Executive Director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission under former New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman.