I'm Glad Trump's Tone Has Changed. It's Not Enough To Prepare America Though

[berni_mccoy]

Trump, seemingly defeated yesterday, is changing his tone on dealing with CV-19. I'm seeing that tone reflected on Fox and with my relatives and friends who are Trump supporters. This is all good, albeit too late.

Setting a goal at keeping the number of deaths down to around 200,000 is admirable. It is however, not realistic. The virus is far more contagious than originally thought. 50% of the spread is from asymptomatic carriers. This realistically means that 100s of millions of Americans are going to be infected at this point. We know for a fact that the actual number of reported infections is far below reality as the number of affected has ramped up geometrically as testing has come online in the last 2 weeks.

LAST 2 WEEKS.

The incubation period is over 2 weeks and when you factor asymptomatic carriers into the mix and the fact that we've only been testing those who are symptomatic, you can easily quadruple the number of reported infections. That means we're on the verge of 3/4 of a million infected easily. And if half those people are asymptomatic, and we aren't testing them, they are spreading it to 3-4 people. That means in 3 weeks we'll have at least 3 x 300,000 more infected that we don't know about today.

With millions of infected within the next 3 weeks and half of them asymptomatic, we will still not have enough tests to test everyone. It will be simply impossible to quarantine the known infected and not even imaginable to deal with the unknown.

As some states go on complete lockdown and others don't this presents a problem of inter-state spreading. Suppose one state gets it under control. They start to relax social distancing and other restrictions. It only takes one asymptomatic person from another state to start it all over again for that state.

Without a federal response that involves a nationwide lockdown, grounding of flights and production of tests and equipment, this disease, sadly, is going to run its course through the American populace. It will likely infect everyone.

And let's assume optimistically that it only infects half of the population. With everything we know today and assuming the best death rate possible, we will be looking at 1 million dead in this country before summer is over. That is the reality we live in. Unless there is a UNIFIED, REALISTIC, FEDERAL RESPONSE, this is going to be the outcome.

[northoftheborder]

1. I'm resigned to staying at home through the summer.

There will not be a UNIFIED, REALISTIC, FEDERAL RESPONSE. I take a deep breath and tell myself to face the consequences beyond my control.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Nice writeup. I heard / read somewhere that some are suing the state of FL for putting their...

citizens (some neighboring states) at risk, being open still (in FL). I forget who/where, but I wonder if this is the start of a trend? States suing other states, etc.?

[liberalmuse]

3. Wonder how long he can keep it up?

While I'm glad he's finally taking this seriously, I'm waiting for him revert back to his usual grotesquery. I have zero faith in this person to continue to do the right thing or take the "right tone" for even the shortest length of time.

[maxrandb]

4. JFC! NOOOO!

Please don't ever grade this asspickle on a curve.

That's the media's job.

[berni_mccoy]

5. I'm not sure what you are referring to?

I'm not grading anyone. I'm simply saying that a change in tone is not sufficient to prepare America for what is to come.

[maxrandb]

10. Glad his tone has changed??

I've seen enough of that on DU already.

Gee, I'm glad he didn't come out and eat glue yesterday.

Let's get it through or heads.

Please, if we have learned anything about this moron, it's that EVERYTHING HE DOES is fucking performance art.

My God! Don't we know yet that everything... and I mean EVERYTHING is an act?

He's a truly authentic fake.

He's a fraud.

Oh, I doubt he could cry on cue, but he sure as hell would rub cayenne pepper in his eyes if the scene called for tears.

Giving him credit...any credit... just pushes all further and further into some fantasy world where he has any business being within a 1,000,000,000 miles of the White House.

"Oh, the president didn't drool on himself today, I'm 'glad' for that"

[berni_mccoy]

12. Wow.

Yes, I am glad his tone has changed. It's changed the tone of the ridiculous Trumpers who have been behaving as this is no big deal.

It is an important development.

Would it be better if he were still denying it? FFS.

[coti]

13. I'm sure he IS still denying it.

If you need him to be an asshole again, just wait until tomorrow.

[berni_mccoy]

14. FWIW, just because someone is relieved that Trump is seeing reality

Doesn't mean it's a full on endorsement or grading him on the scale. Get off your high horse for a second and look at the reality of what's happening. It's beyond politics.

[coti]

16. High horse, lol. I'm trying to REMIND you of reality.

Of who this man is and what his behavior is like. Whatever positive change you think has occurred in Trump's mindset isn't real.

[zackymilly]

19. I agree with you. I'm glad trump is starting to see some light. n/t

[maxrandb]

20. Sorry, but I think the sooner we realize that we have to move forward on our own, w/o the MAGAts

the sooner we can start to fix the soup sandwich our country has become.

[coti]

11. Totally agreed. He hasn't changed or learned in the slightest.

He's the exact same asshole he was and he'll always be, and he doesn't care in the slightest about the facts or reality.

Anyone needing a reminder need only wait until tomorrow.

"Only" 200,000 dead. Please.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. don't believe it. bullshit. an act. he is toxic. everything he touches dies

[crickets]

8. True. The 'tone change' is just a conversation change for the media.

Coverage was getting too real.

[cayugafalls]

7. 200,000 is just the number they are throwing out there this week.

If things change, so will the number. Rinse, repeat, spin.

The orange one had one day where his tone was subdued. Let's see how long he can keep it up. I am betting he will be back to glib before long and they will have to do more damage control to his message. But spin they will.

[Tech]

9. Ask anyone who has been in an abusive relationship. It will not last.

[Caliman73]

15. I am not even giving him the benefit of the doubt on tone.

Trump changes from day to day. He was maybe more subdued yesterday than on previous days. However, he still lied and he still pumped himself up, simply in a less bombastic tone of voice.

I will not give him any credit for "changing his tone". Everything he does is a transaction. If he thinks that being loud, aggressive, and bombastic will benefit him, he will do so. If he thinks that being subdued will benefit him, he will be subdued. I have doubts that this tone will last any given time.

Trump is fundamentally unfit for leadership or any task that requires compassion, ethical behavior, or even any sense of the normal range of human emotions and behaviors.

[coti]

17. This

Having ANY positive expectations or giving any credit at all to this administration is ALWAYS a mistake.

The perfect example of why it's a mistake was when people held out hope that Barr would treat the Mueller Report honestly- look at the damage that did, how it allowed him to twist reality, just by giving them a tiny bit of credit.

Don't EVER give Trump credit or hope for positive things from him or his collaborators. Always maintain the pressure and keep expectations lower than low.

[Caliman73]

18. Evidence. We should be based on evidence.

Look, if the asshole does anything positive for the country, I will give him credit for that. The problem is that he always says that he has done, "the greatest, most bestest things for the country" never with any evidence of that fact. He expects people to trust him because of the office. First, he has a history of lying since way before he became president so there should be no trust whatsoever. Second, we should not really trust anyone without evidence. Certainly there are people, because of their history of being forthright and transparent, that we can reasonably expect to be truthful. Trump and ANYONE in his administration are not in that category. Even Faucci and Brix have shown the propensity to agree with pretty open lies.