President Trump's son-in-law appeared on Fox News on Wednesday to declare victory over the coronavirus: "We're on the other side of the medical aspect of this," Jared Kushner said. "We've achieved all of the different milestones that are needed. The federal government rose to the challenge, and this is a great success story." Really?
Over 65,000 Americans dead and the number climbing. States, hospitals, and nursing homes desperate for equipment. Testing widely unavailable. No cure, no vaccine.
If we're truly on the other side of this, let's give the Disaster in Chief credit for his accomplishments:
1. He ignored the warnings contained in the President's Daily Brief as early as January, failing in his fundamental duty to protect the American people.
2. He downplayed the danger, saying on February 26, "You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down close to zero." We currently have over one million cases.
3. He failed to manage testing for Americans. When asked about this on March 13 he said, "I don't take responsibility at all." Instead Trump blamed--you know who--Barack Obama. We still don't have enough tests today.
4. He fomented xenophobia and racism, calling the virus the "China virus" and continued to defend his use of the term.
5. He failed to coordinate the purchasing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the states, leaving them to compete with each other and with the federal government, driving up prices more than 1,000%.
6. He attacked, and continues to attack, the press, calling them "horrid," "nasty," and "third-rate." His belittling, abusive language demeans us all.
7. He promoted unproven and dangerous treatments: think bleach, UV light, and hydroxychloroquine.
8. He criticized governors as they attempted to manage the crisis on their own. "She doesn't get it done," he said of Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer, and Jay Inslee of Washington "shouldn't be relying on the federal government."
9. He incited, and continues to incite, violent protests against state stay-at-home orders. Calling on protesters to liberate Michigan, Virginia, and Minnesota on April 17, he also defended the mob in Lansing on Friday as "very good people."
10. He communicated clearly about the danger that lies ahead, saying on April 29, "If it does come back--it's not going to come back--and I've spoken to 10 different people, it's not going to be like it was . . . If we have embers of corona coupled with the flu, that's not going to be pleasant, but it's not going to be what we've gone through in any way, shape or form . . . You may not even have corona coming back, just so you understand." Huh?
So go ahead, Jared. Declare victory and see what happens. Wasn't it George W. Bush who famously said, "Mission Accomplished?" Now how'd that turn out . . .
