Today, we have asked a celebrity talking head to regale our cable-news TV audience with his unique no-holds-barred punditry. Our topic: What does our guest really think of the performance of America's 45th president?
Let's give a warm New York studio welcome to the star of television's hugely rated reality show, "The Apprentice." Here, taking perhaps his first up-close look at politics, is the self-styled boardroom billionaire and man-about-Manhattan _ Donald Trump!
Citizen Trump, we are devoting today's show to looking at what you really think of the way 45 responded to what history will call the defining event of 45's presidency: the COVID-19 pandemic that began in China and enveloped the world.
Here's the background: The leaders of the developed nations throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand reacted much the same when COVID-19 first hit their countries. They treated the threat as real and dangerous. They shut down their economies and ramped up aggressive testing and tracing. They ordered their population to wear masks _ mainly to prevent the wearers from becoming spreaders. At first, they had major spikes in case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths. But as the virus was isolated, those numbers flattened and eventually dropped. Their countries began to reopen their economies, and social life. But they kept insisting citizens wear masks and maintain separation in public venues.
But it didn't happen that way here in the USA. America's 45th president responded from the outset with public statements of denial and derision. He called the virus a "hoax," hyped by his political opponents and the "fake" news media to damage him politically. He didn't want to permit reentry of Americans who fell ill overseas. Didn't want to encourage testing or do anything to show increasing case numbers. He insisted America's first 15 cases would soon fall to zero and vanish when spring's warm weather came.
Also, 45 wouldn't wear a mask in public or set an example his supporters would follow. Not if it made people think America had a COVID-19 problem.
In New York, the strong and presidential-quality leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo educated his state and us all about what we all can do to isolate and defeat the virus. Shut down the economy. Stay home. Wear masks in public. New York seemed destined for a tragedy. But finally the problem plummeted.
But 45 wouldn't go that route. He had been sure he'd win reelection if America's economy continued growing. He viewed COVID-19 as being about hurting him. When the U.S. economy was forced to shut down, 45 plunged into a panic that set him apart from the other leaders of Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 45 wouldn't push Americans to wear masks or maintain separations in public _ visual reminders that we had a problem. Instead he ignored his experts _ indeed, publicly demeaned his best, Dr. Anthony Fauci _ and pushed America to reopen too swiftly, especially in the Sun Belt states run by governors who wanted to please 45. So 45's people massed and partied at beaches, sandbars and urban playpens.
Then 45 insisted on a massive campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His team packed supporters cheek to jowl; few wore masks. 45 missed his leadership moment. He could have insisted that everyone wear "MAGA" masks and started a national lifesaving trend. But no. Tragically, COVID-19 cases _ hospitalizations and deaths _ have spiked ever since in Oklahoma and throughout the Sun Belt.
Donald, you've seen the charts on TV showing the difference between 45's response and that of the rest of the developed world. They show that in April, the United States and European Union all soared to seven-day averages of around 30,000 new cases. Then the European rate plunged and wound up well below 10,000 (the same as Canada and South Korea).
But the U.S. case numbers began spiking anew _ exceeding 40,000 new cases every seven days. United States cases are now by far the world's highest. And 45's economy _ which he pushed to reopen too swiftly, is now being forced to shut down again.
Most tragically: COVID-19 is on another mass-killing spree. And the mass killer's enablers have nowhere they can hide.
Now, as we turn to our guest pundit, Donald Trump, America's midsummer reality is a tragic, paint-by-the-numbers big picture that all the world can see.
So, compared to the performance of the leaders of all the developed nations of the European Union, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, how does America's 45th president look to you?
"Everyone knows I've got the best words," says Citizen Trump, our guest pundit. "But when it comes to 45's performance, I've got to skip all my best words and go back to my all-time New York City favorite. 45 has made himself into the world's biggest LOSER. Sad. Tragic, heartbreaking and sad."
