This is not an April Fool’s joke. I spent the best part of two hours this morning watching the live briefing (31 March 2020) to the press by President Trump and his Coronavirus taskforce. You are a very lucky country to have that man leading you during this Coronavirus pandemic. Whatever his faults and foibles, he is a great President, even if he does nothing else than what is already done.

What came through loud and clear was the pure leadership ability of President Trump. He let his team speak for him and while the situation is stark – a best case estimate of some 100,000 deaths, there is solid evidence that there is a plan. It is working. The American can-do attitude is taking hold very quickly and the team is firing on all cylinders. Trump ain’t Churchill. But then Churchill didn’t have the ability to pull a team together like Trump has.

I will not go into specifics except for one question later. The plan is more social distancing for another thirty days. During that period we are going to see a lot of people die, no matter what. Medical supplies and resources are being found or manufactured and being deployed where they are needed most. The defence forces are being employed to help. Deaths will lag action, so what is done today won’t show for two weeks. Drug treatments are being trialed. Vaccines are under development. However, the message is clear. We will get through this and emerge stronger than ever.

I was not impressed much by the hostility of press. I think President Trump handled their questions very well and showed considerable mastery of the details, if necessary deferring to the doctors and Vice President Pence – another surprisingly capable leader.

The matter I want to raise comes out of a press question, I forget which media company asked it; “What would be the death rate without the mitigation measures now in place and Trump’s early travel bans?” The answer to that was over two million Americans. In answering the question Trump stated that he had been under early pressure from people, presumably advisers and lobbyists, just to “ride it out” – do nothing, carry on with business and accept the casualties. It was already clear even then that the casualties in such an event would be older Americans, the poor, the sick.

I want to know who advised him to do nothing?

I suggest you watch it yourself.

Author: ‘Walrus’

Republished by permission Sic Semper Tyrannis.

President Donald J. Trump returns to the Oval Office following a White House Coronavirus Task Force coronavirus update briefing Sunday, March 29, 2020, at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks). Public domain.