“A few weeks ago, during Trump's reopen-by-Easter flirtation, he admitted that he based the new deadline on nothing more than his gut and how ‘beautiful’ it would be. Now he offers a ‘science-based reopening’ plan, which includes a vague and uncertain three-stage path for states to resume everyday life. Yet the main precondition for doing so—widespread testing—is not only not in place but, according to Trump, not his problem. ‘The federal government shouldn’t be forced to go and do everything,' he said on Thursday evening. This might as well be his slogan for the crisis, and for his entire Presidency: ultimate power and no responsibility.”

— Susan B. Glasser, “Trump's Pandemic Plan: ”Absolute Authority,“ No Responsibility,” The New Yorker

Last night, after another reading another Glasser article on the absolute ineptitude of the Covid respoinse by the bumbling Trump team, I was so angry I had trouble sleeping. This morning I awoke to the president of the United States, in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, attacking state governors who are trying to take care of their citizens. 

You worthless, gaping asshole.

Everyone was begging for tests in March. But you want loyalists, not competence, so the response has been incompetent.

“Anyone who wants a test can get a test.” Remember that? You said it on March 6.

Another lie. As people die.

— Erik Lundegaard (@ErikLundegaard) April 20, 2020

Try to imagine a president who would‘ve been on top of things and listened to advisers and saw the dangers and didn’t discount them, one who didn't blame the media or the opposition party but worked hard to get test kits and PPE to every state—who might even have had virus specialists in China at the time to help there and get word out to the rest of the world. Try to imagine the thousand decisions such a president would‘ve had to make, and maybe getting half of them right, or one-third. Imagine how better off we would be right now. Instead we have this monstrous idiot who is at best 1 for 1,000—a squib single—but in his mind keeps hitting homeruns. He sees the ball clear the fence and land in the upper deck and doesn’t understand why no one is cheering.