Trump Lies, Distortions, and Deceptions About Coronavirus

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  1. My Esoteric profile image86
    My Esotericposted 4 years ago

    This forum is to catalogue the many lies, distortions, deceptions, and misinformation Donald Trump has made about his administration's effort to combat the coronavirus.  He is doing his damnedest to make you think is doing a 10 out of 10 job when, in fact, it is more like 3 or 4 out of 10 (yes, I will agree he has done a few things right).  But the things he has done wrong has COST LIVES, lots of lives - and people should know.

    People need to know that Trump is deceiving you.  Feel free to add your own but include a date and a quote.

    I'll start off with the first one from today.

    "We have made great progress with the antibody testing, fantastic progress," Trump said at a media briefing April 5. -  NO "we" have not.  There is only one FDA approved antibody test available now and the FDA has taken off controls for the production others, many of which can't tell the difference between a cold virus and a COVID virus.

    https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/14/health/c … index.html

    1. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      On 4/14/20, in defending his very deadly decision to not fund the World Health Organization Trump said ""I don't talk about China's transparency," Trump responded. "You know, if I'm so good to China, how come I was the only person, the only leader of a country, that closed our borders tightly against China?" - That, of course is a lie. He has praised China and China's transparency on several occasions in January, February, and March.

      Backtracking on a claim the previous day that he has "Total Authority" (he does not) over governors regarding reopening their states to business, on 4/14/20, Trump said ""I will be speaking to all 50 governors very shortly and I will then be authorizing each individual governor of each individual state to implement a reopening, and a very powerful reopening plan, of their state at a time and in a manner as most appropriate." - AGAIN, misleading.  He does not need to "authorize" something the governors can legally do in the first place.

      1. Randy Godwin profile image60
        Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Yesterday's Trump Show was something else to see, Scott. You can tell he's getting really desperate as his world falls down around him. He's getting ruder by the day to those asking questions he doesn't want to respond to, as if he wasn't rude enough already.

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          So true, Randy.

      2. My Esoteric profile image86
        My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        This is the second Chloroquine study that says that Trump's hyping missed the mark by a lot. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/health/n … index.html

      3. My Esoteric profile image86
        My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        ON 4/15/20, Trump fired off another series of lies, false claims, deceptions, and misinformation.

        1. "His language got tougher on Wednesday, when he said the administration is reviewing "the organization's (WHO) cover-up and mismanagement of the coronavirus outbreak." - While the WHO did fumble its initial response to the pandemic - but not as badly as Trump has - there is no evidence they tried to cover anything up; Trump made that up.

        2. At Wednesday's briefing, the President repeated his claim that he inherited a "bare cupboard" of medical supplies to fight coronavirus from the Obama administration." - The "cupboard" was somewhat bare in 2016, true, but Obama had set up a robust response mechanism for the next pandemic which Trump largely dismantled.  His statement is doubly disingenuous because Trump knew the cupboard was bare in 2017 and did nothing to replenish it plus he had been briefed on how to respond to the nest pandemic, which he ignored.

        3. "At this moment, nobody needs them (ventilators) We have to remember, during the surge, nobody's needed them for weeks now. But we'll have them for stockpiles,"  - That is simply a pair of lies.

        4. Trump repeated his false claim for the third time that "On Wednesday, Trump said, "If we're not happy, we'll take very strong action against a state or a governor if we're not happy with the job a governor is doing. We'll let them know about it. And as you know, we have very strong action we can take, including a close-down."
        Asked what he meant by "a close-down," he said, "We have the right to do whatever we want, but we wouldn't do that, but no -- we would have the right to close down what they're doing if we want to do that. But we don't want to do that. And I don't think there'll be any reason to do that. But we have the right to do that." - No, he doesn't

        5. Another oft-repeated false statement ""Nobody can take advantage of our farmers. We have a lot of money we've taken in from China, we're going to be distributing that money from Sonny (Perdue) to the farmers," Trump said. "And there's tremendous money, over and above that, that money was paid directly into the Treasury of the United States. This has never happened to China before. They never gave us 10 cents. Now they're paying us billions of dollars and we appreciate it." - Again, simply a series of lies.  It is American businesses and American taxpayers who pay the tariff taxes, not China - everybody knows that.

        https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics … index.html

        1. wilderness profile image88
          wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Perhaps, in the interest of completeness and fairness, you should include the lies being presented about Trump's actions?  Like the ones you've made here?

          1. Randy Godwin profile image60
            Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Feel free to list the "lies" in Scott's post, Dan. Are you saying Americans aren't the ones paying the tariffs, and the Chinese are?

            1. wilderness profile image88
              wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              "there is no evidence they tried to cover anything up; Trump made that up."

              "Obama had set up a robust response mechanism for the next pandemic which Trump largely dismantled"

              " That is simply a pair of lies. (that no one has needed the extra ventilators)"

              Have at it.

              1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                You avoided my query re the tariffs, Dan.

                Trump did dismantle the response mechanism and called it "streamlining." He also had three years to replace the emergency supplies need for a pandemic he was warned might be coming.

                He also didn't follow the pandemic playbook written in 2016 by those medical professionals who had the knowledge to compile it.

              2. My Esoteric profile image86
                My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Simple -

                1.  Since there is no evidence that the WHO covered anything up, Trump had to make it up.

                2.  "The Global Health Security and Biodefense unit — responsible for pandemic preparedness — was established in 2015 by Barack Obama’s National Security Advisor, Susan Rice ( here ). The unit resided under the National Security Council (NSC) — a forum of White House personnel that advises the president on national security and foreign policy matters.

                In May 2018, the team was disbanded and its head Timothy Ziemer, top White House official in the NSC for leading U.S. response against a pandemic, left the Trump administration, the Washington Post reported ( here ). Some members of the global health and security team were merged into other units within the NSC, the article said."

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9& … 42G8Wus4kA

                3.  Outbid and Left Hanging, States need Ventilators - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-heal … SKCN21S20D

                I see Wilderness dodged Randy's point about Americans paying the Tariff taxes.

                1. wilderness profile image88
                  wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Absolutely.  No evidence of WHO hiding things or simply taking the word of the Chinese for everything even though it was pretty obvious from the start that their story was neither truthful nor complete.  Of course, we're hearing from all over the world that is incorrect, but hey - it allows a good bash, doesn't it?

                  Yep.  And Trump largely dismantled it...by getting rid of a handful of administrators that the people there agreed were not needed as the unit was too top heavy.  No, the team was NOT disbanded.

                  Not a single person in this country has gone without a ventilator when one was needed.  So where is the need for another hundred thousand?  So NYC can hoard them in warehouses "just in case"?  Obviously a false statement, then.

                  (Don't know what tariffs have to do with the corona virus.  Just another bashing effort, then, which I'm not very interested in as we see hundreds all the time.  Much like yours - either completely false or so grossly exaggerated as to be useless.)

                  1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                    Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    No, you simply want to avoid admitting Trump lies about the tariffs regularly. You apparently believe him....

          2. My Esoteric profile image86
            My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            I made none.  In any case, this is about the President of the United States lying to the American people.  Nothing less and nothing more.

        2. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          BTW - here is the TRUTH about why the "cupboards were bare"; the Trumplicans (formerly Republicans).  President Obama asked for the money to replenish the stockpile and Trumplicans who controlled Congress said NO!.

          https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/ob … RO?ocid=st

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Wait.  Obama asked for money and "Trumplicans" (who did not exist then) said NO!? 

            You've been taking lessons from Trump, haven't you?  Or will you spin it so that anyone not agreeing with your philosophy, now or at any time in the past, just has to be a "Trumplican"?  Still a lie, spin or no spin, though.

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              What philosophy.  Just pointing out facts,  I guess you have blind spots in your ability to read.  You keep missing critical words that other people write and then make false statements as a result.

              Exactly what does "Trumplicans (formerly Republicans)" mean to you when I am talking pre-2017?  Seems to me the obvious meaning is former Republicans, who are Trumplicans today, PREVENTED Obama from filling the cupboards.  That last phrase, of course, was the important point which you ignored.

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Yep.  Just pointing out facts.  That nonexistent "trumplicans" said "NO!".  Just facts, for sure.

                "Exactly what does "Trumplicans (formerly Republicans)" mean to you when I am talking pre-2017?"

                It means, to me and any other reasoning person, that you are again lying and spinning facts into what they are not.  That you are playing word games to once more bash Trump (and anyone not of your political persuasion), even though he wasn't even on the scene then.

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  And again you ignore the important point that Obama tried to replenish the national stockpile and was stopped by the opposing party.  Why is my terminology more important to you than the fact the Obama was prevented from doing the right thing and that Trump is lying about it today??

                  Seems to me your priorities are all screwed up.

                2. Randy Godwin profile image60
                  Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  It wasn't Republicans--now Trump cronies--who blocked Obama's refilling the cupboards, Dan? I understood completely what Scott was saying. Apparently you didn't, or didn't want to.

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Oh, I understood him all right!  Anyone remotely connected to Trump, or recognizing any good things Trump accomplishes, is a vile Trumplican.  In addition, anyone from the past that promoted anything Republican is a Trumplican as well.

                    Just another good swing at the President, nothing more.  It Fitted in quite will with the title of this thread: "Bash Trump at every opportunity, and if you can't find one, make it up!".

    2. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      ON 4/16/2020. "Trump said some states could be ready to enter phase one of the reopening process as soon as Friday because, when it comes to coronavirus, "you have states without any problem." He added that some states are "at a point where there is almost nothing" in terms of coronavirus cases, and that "you have states with few cases and those few cases have healed." - Both of those claims are Lies.  No state, at this point in time, meet the criteria to get into Phase 1.  And ALL states have active and growing number of Covid cases and Deaths each day.  It is true, however, that in some states, the RATE of growth is slowing.

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Have you included those people getting well, out of the "infected" classification, when you claim that the growing number of covid cases is still rising?  Or are you still counting them as a "covid case", whereupon it will grow for another 10 years?

        Same thing for death tolls; is the death rate, per day going down or are you counting every death as an increase?

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          In total numbers, I look at total deaths or cases.  But what matters is if 1) there are new cases/deaths each day and 2) is the rate of change accelerating or decelerating or remaining relatively constant

          No state has a zero rate of increase in either cases or deaths.  A few states like WA have a low rate of increase of around 2.8%.  Other states like Utah have a low, but increasing rate of growth. Some states have very high rates of increase like SD at 16%

          You can see how each state is doing here

          https://hubpages.com/health/Coronavirus … d-Fictions

          1. peoplepower73 profile image82
            peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            4/16/2020

            Trump’s False Claims about Pelosi and Chinatown

            President Donald Trump is making false and exaggerated claims about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Feb. 24 trip to San Francisco’s Chinatown. Pelosi urged people to shop and eat there at a time when tourism was suffering because of the novel coronavirus, which originated in China late last year.

            https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/trump … chinatown/

          2. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            No, what matters is the increase/decline of new cases every day.  More, even, than the number of deaths each day. 

            NYC, for instance, is seeing a negative first derivative when looking at new cases by day.  That means that there are fewer and fewer new cases each day, even though the total number of cases continues to increase (the slope can never go negative on that graph).

            Graph the number of new cases each day.  When the slope turns negative it means we have a handle on it and are "winning", if that term can ever apply when people die.  Unfortunately, time is an issue, and even the two week period we're trying to use is barely (if that) sufficient to truly get a handle of what we're experiencing.

            The graphs in your article only refer to cumulative cases, and can never either level out (unless the virus is completely eradicated from the face of the earth) or especially decline.  As such it is not of much value in determining when we should risk going back to "normal" (or an unreasonable facsimile thereof).

            1. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Wilderness:  Here is my graph of the whole U.S. that I have been tracking since March 29.  It shows the Active, Recovered, Fatalities, and Totals for the whole 21 day period.  Since it was started on March 29, it is a magnification of the top of the curve.  The yellow line represents the totals so far. Notice, there is no appreciable flattening of the curve. My sources are the CDC and the WHO. If you can't read it, use the zoom control in your browser to enlarge it. Blue is active; red is recovered; and grey is fatalities.


              https://hubstatic.com/14971117.jpg

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Again, the cumulative total, particularly for the entire country, is not the indication we need to look at to see if a state or smaller locality should open things up some.

                That requires looking at a graph of the new cases each day, for the past 2 weeks or month, of that area.  Trump, I believe, has said 2 weeks, which is minimal but perhaps the best we can reasonably do.

                Using your graph it will undoubtedly be months before it "flattens" (read: has what you consider to be a low enough slope, but unspecified, not "flatten").  Which means Montana, Alaska, Idaho and the smaller population states must maintain controls because Louisiana has entered the "growth" stage.  Doesn't make sense.

                If we use your graph, and draw a line across the tops of the blue markers, we can see that the "active cases" has very nearly stabilized.  Certainly it is not growing as fast as it was.  Still, it also shows that Louisiana (just an example, not actual) is growing while NYC is declining, giving rise to a slope that is still quite positive.  Does that mean that NYC has not crossed the high point and is going down?  Certainly not - it means that other parts of the country are still in the "upswing" phase.

                Not sure what your yellow line means: Active + recovered + fatal?  That will never come down for as Active falls, recovered + fatal rises.

                1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                  peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Wilderness:  Thanks for your comments.  I changed the bars to trend lines.  Notice any one of the three variables will affect the slope of the total.  Therefore, the Total trend is a function of the three variables. Notice between April 13 and 14, the active cases flattened and so did the Total trend line.

                  https://hubstatic.com/14972270.jpg

                  1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                    peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    4/17/2020 “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”

                    https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/t … cna1186586

                  2. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Better as it is a little easier to see.

                    But still think you're barking up the wrong tree, for what matters (relative to re-opening the country) is not how many have died or even how many active cases there are, but how many new cases are found each day.  Locally, not country wide, and I still don't know what the "total" line represents.

                    Consider that the "active" line is indicating how many people, right now, are sick from getting the virus a month ago.  We don't care for a month (or more - some are hospitalized for as long as 2 months) is too long to wait.  We need to know how many are just now getting sick, for when that number falls consistently for a couple of weeks it's time to consider re-opening at least a local area or state.  Fatalities also has a rather large problem, for (hopefully) we're learning how to treat those that are ill, with the result that fatalities (hopefully) will fall regardless of how many are sick or have been sick for a while.  Using a falling line there could easily result in re-opening too early.

      2. Susan Cummings profile image62
        Susan Cummingsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Did Trump work in Wuhan China?

        1. Alvina Martino profile image46
          Alvina Martinoposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          hahaha, Great Joke big_smile

    3. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      During a recent coronavirus briefing - "As millions of Americans begin their second month under lockdown, President Donald Trump is rewriting the history of his coronavirus response. In doing so, he is giving the public an inaccurate and cherry-picked retelling of what he did in the pivotal early months.

      As part of this effort, during Monday’s, 4/13/2020. daily coronavirus briefing, the White House played a propaganda video describing Trump’s “decisive actions” to deal with the pandemic. After facing questions about why the video omitted nearly the entire month of February, the White House followed up on Tuesday, 4/14/2020 with a series of talking points about his “strong action” during that month. - THAT isn't really true

      I'll let this article articulate why

      https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/04 … nnotation/

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Just curious, but do you spend you days searching diligently for dirt to fling at your president?  Do you make any attempt to try and determine truth, or just accept exaggerations and spin as gospel?

        This one is yet another such lie, for Trump did not sit idly by and do nothing in February.  THAT isn't really true.

        1. Randy Godwin profile image60
          Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          You seem to spend your days making up excuses for Trump's idiotic words and actions, Dan. You and a few other enablers on these forums try explain away anything he says as being taken out of context or simply avoid admitting when he lies daily.

          What did he do in February of such import? We still don't have enough tests for those who want to be tested so they can return to work.

        2. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Nope, it only takes a few minutes to find more facts about Trump's pathological lying.  As YOU well know, there isn't ONE false thing I have presented so far.

          BTW, did I say T"rump did not sit idly by and do nothing in February. " ?  No, I did not. - As unusual, YOU MADE THAT UP.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            "THAT isn't really true <that he took action in February>"

            Seems pretty close to me.

            ""We have made great progress with the antibody testing, fantastic progress," Trump said at a media briefing April 5. -  NO "we" have not.  There is only one FDA approved antibody test available now and the FDA has taken off controls for the production others, many of which can't tell the difference between a cold virus and a COVID virus."

            I'd say that having even one, when we had zero a couple of weeks ago, is "great progress".  You will, of course, disagree even though it is far above what we DID have.

            As far as ANY of the tests being allowed "many of which can't tell the difference between a cold virus and a COVID virus.", well, such a statement would be all the better for proof.  Frankly I don't believe you; you are stating that the FDA is knowingly allowing the sale of fraudulent tests and I don't think they are.  Though they must carry a warning that we have not checked them for veracity, that is a far, far cry from allowing the sale of tests that we know do not work.

            (You do understand that those tests, known as "titers" do not check for the virus but for antibodies?  I assume you do, and that you are simply careless with your terminology, but if I'm wrong then you are intentionally trying to convince a reader that antibody tests are worthless; an outright lie).

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Again you dissemble, Wilderness. Trump said he took "SERIOUS action" in February.  As the accompanying article clearly shows, he lied.  He did NOT take Serious action.

              Yes, I do disagree.  Having just one does nobody any good now does it.  Nor does having just one type make the kind of "great progress" that Trump is exaggerating about.  In fact, a couple of weeks ago, there were at least three products out there, only one of which was FDA approved in any form.  Now there are several that have some sort of FDA approval. Where did I say the "FDA is KNOWINGLY allowing the sale of fraudulent tests?"  If anybody said that, Trump said that.


              https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/04/fda- … arket.html

              The fact is, "great progress" happens ONLY when effective tests are available when somebody wants one and we are far, far away from that.  Remember, Trump LIED many weeks ago now that if you want a Covid test you could have one?  Well, that STILL isn't even close to being true.

              Where, exactly, was I being uncareful with my terminology?  I think all I did was quote your role model.  Also, where did I try to convince ANYBODY that the antibody tests are worthless.  It seems to me Trump was falsely doing that.  As USUAL you are making things up again.

          2. My Esoteric profile image86
            My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Whoops, I meant "As Usual You Made That Up"

            1. wilderness profile image88
              wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              No problem.

    4. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      "President Donald Trump's latest coronavirus press conference on Saturday afternoon was littered with false claims about both the pandemic crisis and various unrelated matters Trump decided to talk about, from North Korea and Iran to Chinese tariffs."

      ON 4/18/2020, Trump claimed - ""Now they're giving you the other -- it's called 'testing, testing.' But they don't want to use all of the capacity that we've created. We have tremendous capacity ... they know that, the governors know that. The Democrat governors know that. They're the ones that are complaining," he said." - A few lies packed into a few sentences.  "They don't want to use" is a LIE.  The fact is, they CAN'T use the capacity because they can't get swabs and reagents.  Also, it is NOT only the Demcoratic governors complaining, it is Republicans as well.

      ""In speaking to the leaders of other countries this morning, they said this is incredible the way you've done this so quickly," Trump said, without naming any foreign officials. "You know, we're only talking about a few weeks since everybody knew this was such a big problem." - This is another common LIE from Trump.  It has NOT been a few weeks since people knew this was a big problem.  Trump was told multiple times starting in January this was going to be a pandemic, yet he took little action until later March.

      ""We started off with a broken system. We inherited a broken, terrible system. And I always say it, our cupboards were bare. We had very little in our stockpile. Now we're loaded up." - Actually, Obama left a robust system which Trump partially dismantled and underfunded.  Trump DID NOT ensure the stockpile was full even though he had almost four years to do it.

      "Speaking about testing for the coronavirus, Trump said, "I inherited broken junk." This is a claim he has made multiple times, and which we have fact checked multiple times as well." - The faulty initial test for the coronavirus was created during Trump's administration in early 2020 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since this is a new virus that was first identified this year, the bad tests couldn't possibly be "inherited." "He is lying. He is lying 100%. He is lying because he is trying to shift blame to others, even if the attempt is totally nonsensical," Gregg Gonsalves, an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at the Yale School of Public Health, said of an earlier version of this Trump claim.

    5. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I covered this one already but needed to add some more FACTS to show Trump is Lying.

      ""Now they're giving you the other -- it's called 'testing, testing.' But they don't want to use all of the capacity that we've created. We have tremendous capacity ... they know that, the governors know that. The Democrat governors know that. They're the ones that are complaining," he said." - Trump is calling OH Gov Dewine, MD Gov, Hogan, NE Gov Ricketts Democrats since they have all complained about the lack of testing.

      Here are other non-Covid lies Trump decided to tell during his Covid rally.

      "He claimed that as part of the Iran nuclear deal, the US agreed to give Iran $150 billion dollars." - No we didn't! We unfroze Iran's own money - Big Difference.

      "He also doubled-down on the idea that China is providing the US several billion dollars in tariffs, arguing that the Chinese, not Americans, are paying the tariffs on imported Chinese products." - Trump Lies again about this. It is the American public and American businesses who foot the bill from the tariffs.

      This is a new lie for me "Trump also alleged that President Obama wanted a relationship with the North Korean leader but that Kim Jong Un refused to meet with him." - There is no evidence (and would be totally out of character for a real US president) that Obama tried to get a meeting with Un.  Instead, President Obama said many times he would not meet with Un.

      1. Randy Godwin profile image60
        Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Yes, I was laughing at Trump's falsehoods yesterday as he keeps doubling down on them despite they are known lies. His supporters don't care if he lies with many of them following suit as we can see on these forums.

    6. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      A new tranche of lies, most of them repeats:

      ON 4/19/2020, Trump said, speaking of the reagents for the tests - ""We're in great shape. It's so easy to get." - That is a flat out LIE.  If they were, governors would have them. Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that his state is experiencing shortages on both swabs and reagents; Hogan said, "to try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing, and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren't doing our job, is just absolutely false."

      "If people feel that way, you're allowed to protest," President Trump said. "I watched the protest, and they were all six-feet apart. I mean it was a very orderly group of people. And but ... you know, some have gone too far, some governors have gone too far. Some of the things that have happened are maybe not so appropriate." - Another blatant LIE which I observed myself.  While a few maintained 6 feet, most did not. I will be looking for spikes in Covid cases in about 10 days in my data.

      "In a heated exchange with CBS News White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang, Trump said "I did a ban, where I'm closing up the entire country." Trump referred to these restrictions on travel from China and parts of Europe as "bans" multiple times throughout the briefing." - Trump did not close up the entire country. It's also misleading to call the travel restrictions Trump announced against China and Europe a ban because they contained multiple exemptions. Only foreign nationals who had been in China, Europe's Schengen area, the UK or Ireland within the past 14 days are outright banned from entering the US.

      'While discussing the impact coronavirus has had around the world, Trump said, "nobody ever thought this could have happened, a thing like this," in reference to the coronavirus pandemic." - Another LIE  MANY people knew this was going to happen and they told Trump about it from mid-January on.

      "Speaking about testing for the coronavirus, Trump said, "Look, I told you, we inherited a lot of garbage." He added, "We took -- they had tests that were no good. They had -- all the stuff was no good. It came from somewhere, so whoever came up with it. " - Nope, Not True.  Why? Because the coronavirus was new; there was nothing to inherit, lol. "He is lying. He is lying 100%. He is lying because he is trying to shift blame to others, even if the attempt is totally nonsensical," Gregg Gonsalves, an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at the Yale School of Public Health"

      https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/politics … index.html

    7. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Let's start today's set of Trump Lies with one I watched yesterday.

      ON 4/20/2020: "A reporter reminded President Donald Trump that he held campaign rallies in February and March. He responded by suggesting he didn't recall these rallies -- and saying that hasn't left the White House in "months" except for a coronavirus-related trip to Virginia in late March.

      Trump's laughably obvious false claim about his travels was one of several false claims at his White House coronavirus briefing on Monday."

      TRUMP on Testing - "Trump claimed people are talking about the need for more coronavirus testing because they want to damage him politically, paraphrasing their supposed thoughts as follows: "'Testing, testing. Oh, we'll get him on testing.'"

      Later, asked why he sees the bipartisan outcry over testing as a personal attack, Trump said, "It's not bipartisan. It's mostly partisan." - "The Republican governors of Ohio, Nebraska, Maryland and Massachusetts, Republican Senate health committee Chairman Sen. Lamar Alexander and other Republicans have all spoken in the last week about challenges obtaining testing materials or the need for more testing." - Yes, Partisan, all Republicans, lol

      On travel BANS again: "Trump said: "We put on a ban of China where China can't come in and before March we put on a ban on Europe where Europe can't come in, so how could you say I wasn't taking it seriously?" - 1) they weren't 'bans' but restrictions with many loopholes; 2) China was in January; 3) Nothing in February; 4) Europe, less the UK and Ireland, was in March; 5) UK and Ireland were included later in March.

      Non-Covid related Lies yesterday - "Trump said that the US used to have a $500 billion trade deficit with China, citing this figure as evidence of how he believes the US has been taken advantage of economically under previous administrations. Trump claimed before he took office, China "came in and they took $500 billion a year for many years, anywhere from $200 (billion) to $550 billion a year out of our hides." - The HIGHEST deficit recorded was $381 billion.  The overall trade deficit has grown substantially under Trump.

      https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics … index.html

      1. Randy Godwin profile image60
        Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Yes I saw him trying to recall his rallies in those months after he "shut things down." He seemed surprised when asked about them and then angry afterwards. Does he think people can't remember this stuff?

    8. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      ON 4/5/2020 Trump lauded hydroxychloroquine, he said: "We bought a tremendous amount of … hydroxychloroquine, which I think is, you know, it’s a great malaria drug. It’s worked unbelievably, it’s a powerful drug on malaria. And there are signs that it works on [coronavirus], some very strong signs. And in the meantime, it’s been around a long time, and also works very powerfully on lupus. So there are some very strong, powerful signs, and we’ll have to see. Because again, it’s being tested now, this is a new thing that just happened to us, the invisible enemy, we call it.

      … It’s a very strong, powerful medicine, but it doesn’t kill people. We have some very good results and some very good tests. You’ve seen the same test that I have. In France, they had a very good test. But we don’t have time to go and say, gee, let’s take a couple of years and test it out. And let’s go and test with the test tubes and the laboratories. We don’t have time. I’d love to do that." - A larger VA study just found the 1) hydroxychloroquine didn't work and 2) it killed some people.  So much for Trump's strong push for Miracle Cures."

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Link, please, to a published, peer reviewed, large scale double blind test of hydroxychloroquine and the corona virus? 

        Best I can find is this statement in connection with the VA test: "There certainly are a lot of disclaimers with this study, which studied only 368 patients, was not peer-reviewed, and was not randomized — and we’re not sure of the ages of the patients or any underlying morbidities — but at least it’s something to offset the many anecdotes from doctors and even patients themselves who say it’s been a lifesaver."

        So, at best, it was an indication that it may not work.  Hardly the same thing as your off the wall, wild claims that 1) it doesn't work and 2) it kills people.  Is this just more gross exaggeration (along the lines of what Trump does), or was it just a lie (along the lines of what you claim Trump does)?

        1. profile image0
          Rembrainposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Trump has a lot of international backing in that regard. Trump has unified the entire world!

          1. Randy Godwin profile image60
            Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            lol lol lol

            1. profile image0
              Rembrainposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              +

          2. peoplepower73 profile image82
            peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Rembrain:  Please tell me how an agenda of economic nationalism unifies the entire world? Whether you realize it or not, this is what Trump's plan is and he is taking his advice from Steve Bannon.  Look him up.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_nationalism

            1. profile image0
              Rembrainposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Well, he want to make things great, that's it!

          3. My Esoteric profile image86
            My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Yes he has --- against him.

            1. profile image0
              Rembrainposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged him, like a brother!

              1. My Esoteric profile image86
                My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                You know how the saying goes, birds of a feather ....

        2. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Yet you buy Trump's false claim based on a tiny study in France.  Give me a break Wilderness, stop being hypocritical.

          The VA study was a bust
          Brazil stopped their study because of risk of death
          No other study reaches the accolades you and Trump give to it.

          BTW, I didn't make the claims, the VA did.  Of course since they disagree with Trump, they are lying. lol,

          https://www.dw.com/en/chloroquine-is-in … a-53188219

          The bottom line there are clinical trials are needed to be finished before you and Trump continue to advertise the benefits of this treatment.  But for some reason, a lack of good evidence doesn't stop you.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            You're right - the VA was a bust.  Outside of showing we need more tests, your claims are not shown to be true.

            You didn't make the claim?  "A larger VA study just found the 1) hydroxychloroquine didn't work and 2) it killed some people.  So much for Trump's strong push for Miracle Cures."  If that didn't come from you, where did it come from?  I don't believe the VA said "So much for Trump's strong push for Miracle Cures." - that can only be from you.

            Yes.  We need more clinical trials to support your claim.  The claim that you made, just as Trump did, without sufficient evidence to support it...except that Trump made it crystal clear that it was a possibility that it might work, while you made it crystal clear that it is a fact that it kills people.  For shame.

            I'd be interested in seeing the copy/paste of where I gave accolades to the drug as a Covid-19 cure ("...accolades you and Trump give to it".).  Or is that just another lie, just as you claim Trump is doing?

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              So, Wilderness, you believe that the VA DIDN'T say that the chloroquine wasn't effective and that they experienced a higher death rate?  You need to go back and read the facts rather than making things up.

              https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/health/h … index.html

              Your blindness, Wilderness, is truly awe inspiring.

              A "possibility"???  Is that why he said "take it, what have you got to lose?"  There is a whole minutes long montage of Trump pushing this "possible" miracle on his true believers.

              "What have you got to lose?" - How about your life!!  Why don't you go and take it?

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                And your desperation to bash trump is just as awe inspiring.

                Who did the VA administer it to?  Terminal patients that they couldn't help any other way?  Did the chloroquine cause the deaths or were they "scheduled" to happen in any case?  Did they do a double blind test, or did doctors know full well who had it and who did not?  Who did the peer review, and where was it published?

                You know as well as I do that all of these are pertinent, and important, questions...yet you won't consider them in your efforts to show Trump a liar, for you don't care.  Just that you have something that you can twist into Trump's fault and detriment.

                It is almost comical, or would be if circumstances were different, how hard you try to demonize your President, while committing the exact same actions you are so upset about when he does it.

                As far as the VA saying chloroquine caused deaths as you carefully insinuate...no, I don't believe that any more than I believe they said "So much for Trump's strong push for Miracle Cures.".  Although you seemed to attribute that to them with your italics, they did not say it.

                They VA did an "anecdotal" test, not a true study of the efficacy of chloroquine.  They simply tried it on a small selection of patients - they did NOT take the steps to provide an actual study.  And they know that, just as both you and I do - they are also smart enough to understand they cannot make claims about their test which they cannot support, which you apparently do not.  Or at least you would have your readers believe that you don't understand that, but again I'm not sure I believe that either, for I think you are fully aware of what such a study  would require.  You just don't want the reader to know that it was never intended as a scientific study of the efficacy of chloroquine on the Covid virus, for if it was it ruins your whole rant.

                (You never did give a copy/paste of my accolades of chloroquine - did it slip your mind or did you give up on that tale?)

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  1. I can't copy and paste everything you wrote, the sum total of which is total agreement with anything Trump claims - including chloroquine

                  2.  What "desperation"??  I don't have to even come close to breaking a sweat in finding things Trump does which effectively Bash himself.  There is hardly a day goes by (and sometimes even an hour) where he doesn't do something reprehensible that needs to be called out.

                  As to the VA test, it was hardly "anecdotal" as you wrongly call it.  It was true clinical trial with control groups.  For the third time -

                  https://www.contagionlive.com/news/prep … h-systems-

                  Please admit you are wrong and stop trying to rewrite history like Trump does all of the time.

                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GuNbGC2D_8

    9. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Here is today's installment of Trump Lies from yesterday.

      ON 4/21/2020 Trump MISLEADS with "Trump was responding to a question about how the federal government would retrieve funds from large companies securing loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, which were supposed to be for small businesses. "Harvard's going to pay back the money. They shouldn't be taking it. ... I'm not going to mention any other names, but when I saw Harvard, they have one of the largest endowments anywhere in the country, maybe in the world, I guess. And they're going to pay back that money." - In fact, Trump's ignorance gets in the way here - Harvard did receive funding from the coronavirus relief money, but Trump didn't distinguish between two separate sources of federal funding within the CARES Act coronavirus package -- the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and the Paycheck Protection Program. The relief fund is primarily meant to provide financial relief grants to students. The paycheck program is a set of loans meant for small businesses, which Harvard never applied for or received

      On Protests (to help more people die) - ""And I've watched some of the protests -- not in great detail, but I see that. And they're separated...a lot of space in between," Trump said. "I mean, they're watching, believe it or not, social -- they're doing social distancing, if you can believe it. And they are. And they're protesting, but they -- the groups I've seen have been very much spread out. So, I think that's good." - Trump has "selective seeing".  I have seen lots of footage on different protests and saw very little in the way of purposeful "social distancing".

      Again with the Lie about the trade deficit with China - "Trump repeated his frequent claim that the US trade deficit with China used to be as high as $500 billion: "I even asked the leaders of China, how -- how did this ever happen? Where our country loses tens of billions of dollars a year. And I don't mean just tens. Take a look: $200 billion, $300 billion, $400 billion, $500 billion a year. How did they ever let a thing like this happen?" - First, the deficit has not been as high as $400 billion, let alone $500 billion. Second, ANY economist will tell you there is nothing wrong with 99% of all trade deficits; they are a function of free-trade between nations.

      https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/politics … index.html

      1. peoplepower73 profile image82
        peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

        4/22/2020  Trump Campaign Takes Pelosi’s Words Out of Context

        https://a.msn.com/r/2/BB130AIK?m=en-us&ocid=News

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          I see what you mean.

    10. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Here is a unbelievable beauty from yesterday that highlights Trump's lack of mental acuity (and ability to speak coherently)

      ON 4/22/2020 - "We don't want to rebounds after all this death -- death -- that we've suffered," Trump said. "Not work -- I don't view it 'work'; I view it [as] 'death' that was unnecessary. It should have never happened. It should have never left that little area where it started. You know it and I know it and they know it." - I am not sure how to be polite after that abomination, so I won't say a thing ... I don't think I need to.

      1. Randy Godwin profile image60
        Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Yes I heard this bit of rambling from the stable genius. And his supporters claim Joe has problems speaking. tongue

    11. peterstreep profile image81
      peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Using UV light as a treatment!!! - O, man. if it was not so serious I would have died from laughter.

      1. My Esoteric profile image86
        My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        "Loose Lips Kill People"- while #Trump didn't actually push to ingest #disinfectant, his words were so ill-chosen #lysol was forced to warn people to NOT drink their product to protect against #Covid_19!!

        https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/24/business … index.html

        Where UV lights (of the proper wavelength) are useful is killing virus's on surfaces (not your skin), mail, groceries, etc.  One of the two wavelengths that kill virus is safe for skin, but the other, the more common one, is not.  I bought each of my offices one to use.

        1. wilderness profile image88
          wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Anyone that thinks drinking cleaning products is good for you has far more problems than listening to Trump.  Blaming Trump for the idiocies of such people is ridiculous - you cannot cure stupidity, and neither can you be blamed for it.

          1. Randy Godwin profile image60
            Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            I disagree, anyone who suggest someone drink or inject disinfectants can be blamed for being stupid.

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              It is like Wilderness trying to hold Jim Jones blameless for the killing of his flock.

              1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                From now on it will be "Drinking the Trump Lysol" instead of the kool-aid, Scott. lol

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Sounds right

              2. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                And like Esoteric to deny any responsibility of the flock.  Regardless of your liberal philosophy that only you know what others should do for they are but children in your eyes, it is not true.  People DO have a responsibility for themselves and their actions...including drinking the Kool-Aid.

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  And therefore you hold Jim Jones (and Trump) blameless.

                  You also, by the above comment, don't beleive:

                  - Advertising works - That companies waste billions on it.
                  - Brainwashing is real
                  - Propaganda works - That Himmler was a fool in even trying
                  - Demagoguery works
                  - That some people aren't wired to "follow the leader"

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    "And therefore you hold Jim Jones (and Trump) blameless."

                    Nice try.  Now can you produce a copy/paste where I said that?  Or even insinuated it is true?  Or are you simply putting words in my mouth (again) that never came from me?

          2. My Esoteric profile image86
            My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            That is not the point. Wilderness, and you know it since you are deflecting so badly.  While it is true many Trump supporters take Trump's words as gospel and will suspend their common sense and drink the Lysol as he suggests, it is HIS UTTERING that suggesting as President of the United States that is so - well - Stupid and dangerous.

            1. wilderness profile image88
              wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              No, there was no deflection.  You just skipped over the point without ever seeing anything but TRUMP LIES!!!

              You may have decided, under the control of your TDS, that anyone not bashing Trump on a daily basis is stupid enough to drink Lysol, or inject it.  This is patently untrue, and anyone that stupid (of either party, with or without TDS) has far greater problems than Trump or anything he says.

              It may be the Liberal mantra - that all people are but children, incapable of making reasonable decisions - but there is no truth in it.  Just an excuse for controlling others to the maximum extent possible.

              1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                lol TDS. So you resort to referring to the left as having the fictional Limbaugh and Hannity mental disease when you make excuses for the man-baby? 

                No surprise!

              2. peoplepower73 profile image82
                peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Wilderness:  As I said before, you have to forgive Trump for being a stable genius.  He has led a very sheltered, privileged, entitled life.  I would bet you dollars to doughnuts, he has never entered a grocery store or a hardware store in his entire life.  Therefore, he has no idea what he is talking about.  He gets his misinformation from frauds like himself, and if it fits his agenda, he runs with it.

                The problem is his supporters see him as the anointed one and they actually believe his is a stable genius and he can fix anything. Therefore, they may try drinking his elixir of Lysol. and shine UV light in their mouths to reach their lungs.

                If he was being sarcastic to the journalist, why did he turn his head towards  Faucii and Brix and suggest that they run a study on his miracle find that "knocks out the virus in less than a minute." ?

                You constantly harp about how we bash Trump.  The real reason is because he deserves it based on his very vulgar dangerous  behavior.  Trump uses his briefings to promote himself for re-election.  But the more he uses them, the more he is exposing his true character and nature.

                He doesn't even know how to act presidential or even care.  He only cares about  one thing right now and that is to get re-elected. He knows that if he is not re-elected, he becomes fair game for the obstruction of justice crimes he committed.  He also knows AG Barr will not be there to bail him out.

                1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                  Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  I couldn't have stated it more "nicely," Mike.

                  1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                    peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Thanks Randy.  Just calling them as I see them!

                2. wilderness profile image88
                  wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes, of course - all Trump supporters are just idiots and morons (literal, not figurative) and you are so much smarter than they are.  Hateful and offensive speech, to be sure, but sooo smart.  At least compared to anyone that isn't on your personal bash Trump bandwagon.

                  Are you thinking there will be run of UV lights now, as there was on TP?  Time to get in on the ground floor!  (I'll watch from the sidelines.)

                  1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                    Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    I don't believe you are an idiot or a moron, Dan. We probably have more in common than we realize. But you see Trump as an asset, and I see him as a deficit.

                    And that's the name of that tune! sad

                  2. peoplepower73 profile image82
                    peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Wilderness:  I'm not so smart, but I do have common sense and can understand when I see a person who is so desperate about being re-elected that he will say and do anything, even if it means risking others lives. 

                    I can also see a president who is so insecure, that he conducts his own marathon press conferences that have hijacked the corona virus task team of expert scientists. He stands in their T.V. frame like an imposing sentinel to make sure they don't say anything to injure his fantasized image of himself. He then insults the press core when they ask valid questions.  By the way, isn't that in violation of the freedom of the press? 

                    It's apparent he doesn't know anything about the virus, how it infects people, how it attacks the lungs,  causes the immune system to go bananas, and presents its symptoms. But he makes the experts stand for hours while he babbles on about how great his country was and how it will sky rocket once this is all over.

                    He suffers from narcissism, sociopathic lying, and the Dunning Kruger Effect.  That effect makes people think they know more about a subject than the experts do, but they are so dumb about it, they don't even know they are dumb. It's like somebody who thinks they can fly an airplane, but they know nothing about aerodynamics.

                    I hope and pray that he is through with these inane press conference that are no more than a substitute for his campaign rallies.

                    I'm hope there is not a run on UV lights or any other kind of lights.

                  3. My Esoteric profile image86
                    My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    At least those who continue to support Trump after being exposed to his true, extremely flawed, extremely dangerous character are.

              3. My Esoteric profile image86
                My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                But how can any reasonable person get past the fact that MOST (and I am talking about more than 50% of any substinative thing he says) things that come out of Trump's mouth or twitter finger are LIES, Deflections, Deceptions, and Misinformation.  How can that be the so-called TDS when it is the TRUTH.

                I would say the proper definition of TDS is Trump Denying Syndrome.  This is where Trump supporters deny he ever lies or does anything wrong.

                1. wilderness profile image88
                  wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Once more: the point is not that you think Trump is awful: it is that you and others are following his path of being offensive and insulting...while constantly berating him for the same kind of words you are producing. 

                  Please, try to stick to the point and reply to it, not the TDS requiring that everything you post has to do with Trump being evil (and anyone not bashing him repeatedly is of the same disgusting ilk; evil).  Respond to what was said, not what the TDS is pushing you to say. 

                  You see, most of us can do that.  We can think about something other than Trump being bad.  We can say something other that "Trump Bad!".  Work on it.

                  1. My Esoteric profile image86
                    My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Are you saying that when Trump lies, we shouldn't call it that because it is insulting?

                    You also miss the point about the "bashing".  If he didn't deserve to be called out on things and people bashed him anyway, like your side did with Obama, then that would be properly classified as bashing. 

                    BUT, if people continually call out Trump on the bad things he does, that is, by defintion, NOT Bashing.  Instead, it is telling the TRUTH.  A truth your side doesn't want to hear and therefore misname it "bashing" and "TDS".

                    Another thing you don't get - "WE ARE responding to things he said"  I post his quotes all of the time.  (I didn't today because he didn't say anything yesterday.)

        2. peterstreep profile image81
          peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          It shows that Trump is not scientifically schooled. (neither is he willing to listen to science) Compare him with Merkel and... well you can't compare the two actually. completely different leagues.
          Sad thing is, that he is tweeting things and telling things on youtube in a position of power. People believe him, just like sect leaders are believed by the thousands, although they are talking complete gibberish.
          Question: as it looks asTrump is not handling this crisis properly, are there any other public figures where people are hoping to get answers from in the US?

          1. Randy Godwin profile image60
            Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Andrew Cuomo is the voice of reason thus far.

            1. peterstreep profile image81
              peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              He is the Governor from New York isn't he? Any other news from other Governers of hard-hit regions like Illinois, Michigan, California, Florida?

            2. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              If I put myself in Trump's place, he comes from privilege and entitlement.  Therefore,  I'm sure he has never used Lysol or even knows what it is.  He has had other people that worked for him use it. In a sense, he is encapsulated from the real world on such things as grocery shopping or using cleaning products that contain bleach.

              Therefore ,without knowing what it is he is not only suggesting that we use it internally, but he asked the experts to do a feasibility study.  When questioned about it, he becomes very defensive with the reporters and ends up attacking them and  calling them the fake news when he  doesn't have a clue of what he is talking about.

              I think inside, we are seeing a very insecure person that hides behind his bullying.  The problem is his supporters tend to believe everything he says and Fox News will spin it to make it look like Trump is the victim.  I'm so sick and tired of him being in front of the task force and running his own press conferences

              1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                I do believe Trump is losing it with his desperation for a virus cure. Anyone can see he doesn't want hard questions put to him and thus, he cuts them off and insults the reporters instead of taking the question.

                Even his supporters see this happening, but only those die-hard Fox News watchers will deny he does this. After referring to the virus as fake news Hannity and Co. had to backtrack quite a bit, as they've also done with the hydroxycloriquine "cure" touted by the king.

              2. GA Anderson profile image82
                GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                My turn in the barrel Mike. I am only responding to your comment to take my lumps.

                I frequently argue with Trump bashers over the obviousness and shallowness of there complaints. But . . . I can't find any rational mitigation for this "disinfectant" thing. What the hell could he be thinking?

                Wait, don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question. I could probably write your, (generic), answers as well as you could.

                . . . . and then I hear the 'I was speaking sarcastically' explanation. Geesh

                ps. I'm gonna bookmark this one for those folks that say I am a Trump defender ;-)

                GA

                1. wilderness profile image88
                  wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Not much excuse for his remark, or the one saying he was sarcastic.

                  But then there isn't much excuse for anyone stupid enough to inject or even drink Lysol or bleach as a cure for the virus, either.  Or, IMO, the company that found it necessary to reinforce the warnings on the can with a public announcement not to inject or drink it.

                  1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                    Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    You forget Dan, there are a lot of Trump voters still out there. tongue

                    No wonder neither Fauci or Birx appeared today for questions.  You could see the look on her face yesterday. It seemed to say, "Shut the hell up!" lol The poor lady is trying the best she can to get through this daily fiasco.

                  2. My Esoteric profile image86
                    My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Of Course this leads to Trump LYING again on 4/24/2020, which has just been referred to..

                    "President Donald Trump lied Friday when he said he was being "sarcastic" when he asked medical experts on Thursday to look into the possibility of injecting disinfectant as a treatment for the coronavirus.

                    Doctors and the company that makes Lysol and Dettol warned that injecting or ingesting disinfectants is dangerous. But when Trump was asked about the comments during a bill signing on Friday, he said, "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen."

                    He then suggested he was talking about disinfectants that can safely be rubbed on people's hands. And then he returned to the sarcasm explanation, saying it was "a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside."

                    A reporter noted that he had asked his medical experts to look into it. Trump responded: "No, no, no, no -- to look into whether or not sun and disinfectant on the hands, but whether or not sun can help us." - I don't need a Facts First from CNN on this one since I watched it.  I had to replay it to make sure Trump wasn't joking.  He wasn't, he was as serious as a heart attack (which might happen when you inject yourself with Lysol).

                    https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/24/politics … index.html

                    What is more amazing to me than the President of the United States being a pathological liar, is how many Americans drink his Kool-Aid (or is it Lysol) now. 

                    Right behind that is the criticism by the Kool-Aid drinkers of those who keep pointing out Trump's lies.  For some unknown, unfathomable reason, they think we are Trump bashers for pointing these lies out.

                  3. My Esoteric profile image86
                    My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    I heard that calls to the Illinois poison control center increased sharply after Trump's advice to his supporters to drink disinfectants and shine a great light on themselves.

                    I read someplace that demographers are finding that the coronavirus may cost Trump his election - and not for the obvious reason that he is making a fool of himself with all of his lies and deceptions.  It seems that his most loyal voters, old folks, are dying off in droves due to the virus (that we knew).  What they found interesting is they may be dying off in large enough numbers in the battleground states to actually reduce his voting block.

                    Then add to that my thought that between now and the election, the people most likely to catch and die from Covid are Trump voters (because they won't take proper precautions and want to "open up" too soon) and therefore will make it even harder to win.

    12. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Almost two months ago Trump said about Covid cases "We are close to zero", meaning he thought it was about over in the United States.  Today, we are approaching 1,000,000 cases and 60,000 dead  WRONG AGAIN.

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Two months ago we were "close to zero", meaning we didn't have many cases.  You're WRONG AGAIN.  (being "close to zero" does not mean it is over; it means there aren't many cases at that time - you don't get to insert meaning to justify your rants.)

        1. peoplepower73 profile image82
          peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Wilderness:  What you and Trump don't understand is the exponential spread rate of the virus and the spread interval. The corona virus has an average spread rate of 3.  What that means is one person can infect three people.  Those 3 people can infect 9 people.  Those 9 people can infect 27 people. Those 27 people can infect 81 people and so on.  It's a multiplier of 3. 

          The spread interval is the time that it takes from the time a  person contracts the virus until symptoms show up.  That interval for COVID19 is much slower than for other viruses therefore, its symptoms are delayed.

          So why am I telling you this?  Because Trump didn't and still doesn't understand the exponential rate nor the spread interval.  That's why he said, "Why should I shut the country down?  There are only 15 people infected and it will be gone in a month, like a miracle." 

          He also doesn't understand that there are two parts to testing.  One is the collection of the  specimen and the other is the actual testing.  He holds up a swab stick and says this is all there is to testing. 

          He does not understand the logistics of testing and the supply chain.  He should step aside for the good of the country and let competent people make the decisions about testing.  He has no analytical or empathetic abilities like Governors Coumo and Newsome. They will not open up their states until the spread rate is less than one. 

          His focus is opening up the country as fast as he can because he wants to make it look good for his re-election  But because he doesn't have a clue about how the virus can rebound it will more than likely be to his detriment and many more people could die as a result of his demands.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            I understand full well the exponential growth of biological organisms such as a virus. 

            But what you don't seem to understand is that you cannot (truthfully) change the meaning of words to suit your desire to demonize Trump.  "Close to zero" does NOT mean future growth is minimized; it means there aren't very many cases AT THAT TIME.  You don't get to change it to mean "there won't be any more".

            So yes, you (again) lied when you claimed he said something different, or that he meant something he didn't say.  Nor does going off on a tangent about opening the country before you think we should, or about how it will affect the election, have anything to do with how many cases we had in February.  Just more deflection and attempt to demonize the man rather than address his actual words.

        2. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Reasonable people understand that "close to zero" does not mean it is over.  But whoever believed Trump was reasonable???  But thanks for the opening:

          Jan. 22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” — Trump in a CNBC interview.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had 1 case in America that we knew of.

          Jan. 30: “We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five — and those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for us … that I can assure you.” — Trump in a speech in Michigan. - Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  30 cases in America.

          Feb. 10: “Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April. We’re in great shape though. We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.” — Trump at the White House. - Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  12 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 23: “We have it very much under control in this country.” — Trump in speaking to reporters.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  35 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!” — Trump in a tweet.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  53 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 26: “So we’re at the low level. As they get better, we take them off the list, so that we’re going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we’ve had very good luck.” — Trump at a White House briefing.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  60 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 26: “And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” — Trump at a press conference. - Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  60 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 26: “I think every aspect of our society should be prepared. I don’t think it’s going to come to that, especially with the fact that we’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.” — Trump at a press conference, when asked if “U.S. schools should be preparing for a coronavirus spreading.”- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  60 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 27: “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” — Trump at a White House meeting with African American leaders.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  60 cases and 1 dead in America.

          Feb. 29: “And I’ve gotten to know these professionals. They’re incredible. And everything is under control. I mean, they’re very, very cool. They’ve done it, and they’ve done it well. Everything is really under control.” — Trump in a speech at the CPAC conference outside Washington, D.C.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  68 cases and 1 dead in America.


          March 4: “[W]e have a very small number of people in this country [infected]. We have a big country. The biggest impact we had was when we took the 40-plus people [from a cruise ship]. … We brought them back. We immediately quarantined them. But you add that to the numbers. But if you don’t add that to the numbers, we’re talking about very small numbers in the United States.” — Trump at a White House meeting with airline CEOs. - Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  158 cases and 11 dead in America.


          March 4:Well, I think the 3.4% is really a false number.” — Trump in an interview on Fox News, referring to the percentage of diagnosed COVID-19 patients worldwide who had died, as reported by the World Health Organization.- Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  158 cases and 11 dead in America.

          March 7:No, I’m not concerned at all. No, we’ve done a great job with it.” — Trump, when asked by reporters if he was concerned about the arrival of the coronavirus in the Washington, D.C., area. - Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  435 cases and 19 dead in America.

          March 9: “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!” — Trump in a tweet." - Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  704 cases and 26 dead in America.

          March 10: “And we’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” — Trump after meeting with Republican senators. - "Today we have almost 1,000,000 cases and 55,000 dead - then we had  994 cases and 30 dead in America.[/i]

          A day later, on March 11, the WHO declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

          And yet YOU take what this man says seriously!!  I don't get it.  You aren't one of the Trumplicans who will drink the Lysol.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Can you show where Trump said "It's over"?  And then can you tie it directly to the current cases being "close to zero" (as in the same sentence or paragraph)?

            No.  You cannot.  So when you post a timeline of the epidemic, months beyond the statement you wish to portray as meaning "there is no epidemic" although it said nothing of the kind, it has exactly zero to do with what Trump said, or with your insinuation he said it was all over.  Just more attempts to Bash, then, using spun words and meanings that were never there?

            Do you not find that more than a little disingenuous?  It is, you know, exactly what you complain Trump does: exaggerate, change meanings, etc., and here you are following his footsteps while trying desperately to change the topic to something more amenable to demonizing your president.

            Eso, you and a handful of others here absolutely kill me.  You use Trump's methodology; twisting, spinning, lying, etc. ... and then complain vociferously when he does the same thing.

            1. Randy Godwin profile image60
              Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Can you point out the "twisted" spun lies in Scott's timeline?

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                I have already done so, beginning with the insinuation that Trump meant there was no pandemic with the words "close to zero".

                1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                  Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Sure, he was saying it "sarcastically" as he did with suggestions of using antiseptics and light as a cure. And as he did yesterday when he asked why the reporters didn't return their "Noble" prizes?  lol 

                  The stable genius you admire doesn't realize the Pulitzer Prize is awarded to journalists, not the Nobel. But keep defending his stupid comments. Someone needs to...

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    As with Peoplepower and Esoteric, you may not change the topic to something more conducive to bashing Trump.  This time it was changing "close to zero" cases to "there is no pandemic" and that simply was not true.  Your side trip into prizes has no bearing whatsoever...except to bash Trump, which I'm not interested in.

                    And Just like People, you are trying to change it to a defense of Trump, when everything I've had to say concerned the spin and lies produced in this forum.  Statements by posters, not by Trump.

                2. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  NO, you didn't, not once other than to admit you don't know how to interpret what people say.

            2. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Wilderness: Oh so you agree to Trump's methodology of twisting, spinning lying, exaggerating, changing meanings etc, and then you say we are as bad as him. 

              So you are really caught in a paradox my friend.  You defend Trump, then you say we are using the same methodology as he does. Ergo, you like Trump but don't like us when you claim that we do the same as he does.

              What part of verbatim quotes don't you understand?  There is no spin.  How can a virus just go away and not be at zero infections?  How many people are infected with polio right now?..zero.

              You give us a task to tie it directly to the current cases being "close to zero" (as in the same sentence or paragraph)?  So in your world when that can't be done, Trump is vindicated...Long live King Trump.

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                And now you put words in my mouth (again) that were never there.  You even claim I defended Trump, when I have done no such thing: everything I've posted here concerns your words, not those of Trump.  The only truth in your first paragraph is that I find your methodology similar to his: the rest (that I approve of it) is an outright lie.

                Go back, People, and re-read this thread.  I took exception at your lie about what Trump said and I said so.  I didn't not "defend" Trump: I only commented on what you had to say.  If you don't like it pointed out that you are using the same kind of tactics Trump does then don't use them.

            3. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Like most people, I can read between the lines.  You may not have that ability, but you would be the exception.

              You may not have noticed, Wilderness, but NOBODY, including yourself, says precisely what they mean.  But normal people can read the context, take into account what has been said before, and draw a reasonably good conclusion as to meaning.

              And it is clear that Trump meant to say, wrongly, that the virus was going away.

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                I get that.  I also get that anything and everything you choose (choose!) to read into Trumps words is something bad.  And somehow you find that reasonable, but nobody else does.

                No doubt it IS clear as a bell to you...because that's what you want it to be.  As it always is with you - something to continue the Trump bashing with.

                But some of us, most of us, will attempt to make calls based on the surrounding topic, the context, and other factors.  Not just that we want something to complain about.

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  No, Wilderness, ONLY YOU do not.

                  How can you possibly overlook that he said:

                  6 Times between Jan through Mar that HE has the virus under when he obviously DID NOT

                  5 Times between Feb through Mar that the virus "would go away" or similar words.

                  1 Time that the WHO death rate was wrong when it was not

                  1  Time that "he is not concerned"

                  1 Time that the number of cases were going DOWN, not UP (when they were going up)

                  How is it that you totally miss his belief that the Pandemic is no big deal?  I worry about your objectivity.

    13. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      "After walking out of Friday's coronavirus briefing without taking questions, President Donald Trump embarked on one of his more noteworthy weekend tweetstorms.

      It went like his tweetstorms usually do.
      There was self-pity and self-aggrandizement. There were grievances and attacks. And, as is the case so often, there was outlandish dishonesty.
      Trump tweeted and retweeted more than 35 times apiece on Saturday and Sunday -- including six deleted tweets recorded by Trump-tracking website Factba.se. His messages were littered with false claims, some of them downright bizarre. Here are fact-checks of the lowlights:"

      "Was just informed that the Fake News from the Thursday White House Press Conference had me speaking & asking questions of Dr. Deborah Birx. Wrong, I was speaking to our Laboratory expert, not Deborah, about sunlight etc. & the CoronaVirus. The Lamestream Media is corrupt & sick!" he wrote on Twitter." -  HE IS  LYING, I watched him, so did the everybody else.  And it is Trump who is Corrupt & Sick

      ""I work from early in the morning until late at night, haven't left the White House in many months (except to launch Hospital Ship Comfort) in order to take care of Trade Deals, Military Rebuilding etc..." -  Again False.  First, he spends a whole lot of time watching TV and tweeting.  Second, he held a rally in NC on Mar 2; was in PA on Mar 5; Georgia on Mar 6; Mar a Lago on Mar 7 & 8; Orlando on Mar 9; FEMA on Mar 19; then in February he was in India, had five rallies around the country, and played a lot of golf.

      "Over three tweets, Trump repeated his familiar complaint about how reporters were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the Trump-Russia story -- except, instead of the Pulitzer, Trump four times used the word "Noble," apparently misspelling "Nobel."
      After he was roundly mocked for both the spelling error and the prize mix-up, Trump deleted the tweets. But he also offered a ridiculous explanation: he had intentionally used "Noble," as "sarcasm."
      "Does anybody get the meaning of what a so-called Noble (not Nobel) Prize is, especially as it pertains to Reporters and Journalists? Noble is defined as, 'having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals.' Does sarcasm ever work?" - Like his Friday lie that he was being "sarcastic" when he mused about people injecting disinfectant, this is obvious nonsense. There was no indication he was being sarcastic in the tweets about the "Noble."

      1. Randy Godwin profile image60
        Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Only fools will buy his excuses,Scott, but there seems to be many of his base trying to. tongue

    14. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      ON 4/27/2020 Trump releases is next set of misinformation - and Pence joined him.

      Starting with Pence: "(Trump said the number of tests conducted would soon be much more than double the current level.)
      A reporter then asked Pence what went wrong before -- after his early-March claims that four million tests would be available by the following week. Pence said last Friday, a month and a half after those March comments, that 5.1 million Americans had been tested.

      Pence responded Monday: "I appreciate the question, but it represents a misunderstanding on your part and frankly the -- a lot of people in the public's part -- about the difference between having a test versus the ability to actually process the test."

      Pence said "the old system" was not able to process the tests at the necessary volume. When a reporter pressed him, asking if he had just been talking in March "about tests being sent out, not actually being completed," Pence said that was correct." - If there was a misunderstanding, Pence's own remarks helped create it. When Pence said on March 9 and on March 10 that 4 million tests would be distributed before the end of the week (that would have been by MARCH 13). This is now the end of April, in addition to 1 million already distributed, he did not explain that those millions of tests could not be processed anytime soon. (misleading at best)

      "At Monday's news conference, the President was asked about China's role in the pandemic. Trump repeated his regular false claim that the US "never took in 10 cents from China" before he took office." - Facts First: Not only are Americans bearing most of the cost of Trump's tariffs but the US has also had tariffs on China for more than two centuries, generating an average of $12 billion a year from 2007 to 2016.

      "Trump also mentioned his oft-repeated false claim about placing travel restrictions on China due to the coronavirus.
      He claimed during Monday's news conference that "we closed the border," adding: "We put a ban on China, other than our citizens coming in." - While he did put SOME restrictions on travel, it was hardly a "ban"

      ""I could tell you that Nancy Pelosi was dancing in the streets in Chinatown. She wanted to go. 'Let's go out and party.' Now that was late into February, so you don't mention that. But you could mention that," Trump said." - Facts First: There is no available footage of Pelosi dancing in the streets of San Francisco's Chinatown during her February 24 visit, and she did not call for people to "go out and party." She did visit the neighborhood amid concerns of rising anti-Chinese bigotry, and she did encourage people to visit the area, but Trump has repeatedly exaggerated what she said and did. During her trip, Pelosi walked around Chinatown, visited businesses and a temple, and ate at a dim sum restaurant.

      "During Monday's news conference, Trump was asked about comments former Vice President Joe Biden made that he believes Trump may try to delay November's presidential election. Trump said he hadn't thought about changing the date and then launched into a new false claim -- suggesting that Biden didn't make those comments himself.
      "That was just made-up propaganda. Not by him, but by some of the many people that are working, writing little statements," Trump said, later adding: "He didn't make those statements. But somebody did. But they said he made it." - Trump just can't stop  lying. "Facts First: Biden did make those exact statements at a virtual fundraiser last week, according to a pool report. "Mark my words: I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can't be held," Biden said at the virtual event."

    15. peterstreep profile image81
      peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      It's actually amazing to see a world without world leaders. Today we face a huge crisis and America, Russia and China are nowhere to be seen on the world stage..
      Europe is struggling to hold it together as the North, South and East have different ideas about the rescue budget. and the UK has disappeared too.
      Such a small virus with huge consequences. l.
      Trump doesn't understand what's happening nor will he listen to scientists unless they do what he suggests...in the meantime Blaming other countries or organizations. Johnson is nowhere to be seen or heard. Putin, does he still exist? And what was the name again from the leader of China? The one in North-Korea is also lost and The Dutch prime minister is a disgrace in helping Europe.
      From the big countries the only world leader to me who kept a strong, sensible, and empathetic leadership is Angela Merkel. (could it be because she has a science background...)

    16. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      The 4/28/2020 installment of Trump Lies, Distortions, and Misinformation.

      ON FAUCI - "You go back, and you take a look at even professionals like Anthony were saying, 'This is no problem.' This was late in February. This is no problem. This is going to blow over." - Facts First: Trump is wrong that Fauci publicly said the virus was "no problem" and would "blow over." What did Fauce REALLY say? "At this moment, there's no need to change anything that you're doing on a day by day basis. Right now, the risk is still low," Fauci said, "but this could change. I've said that many times even on this program."

      "When you start to see community spread, this could change and force you to become much more attentive to doing things that would protect you from spread."

      When asked how the outbreak would end, Fauci stated that the situation could escalate."  Something Trump was NOT saying. He was saying he had it under control and the virus would disappear.


      ON GOING TO ZERO - ""When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done."  When challenged about this false claim Trump responded "It will go down to zero, ultimately,[/b["  Notice how Trump moved from "a couple of days" to "ultimately". - Facts First: Cases are now over 1 million!

      ON TESTING - "Trump argued once again that any coronavirus testing issues were the fault of others, claiming, "We inherited a very broken test." - Trump needs to understand that his was a "novel" virus and therefore [b]there was no test to inherent
      . Instead, the CDC developed a flawed test rather than use one approved by WHO.

      IF YOU REPEAT A LIE OFTEN ENOUGH ... "Speaking in the East Room Tuesday afternoon, he claimed that he "closed down" the US and its borders, adding, "I did a ban on China from coming in, other than US citizens." - It was NOT a BAN, it was limited travel restrictions with lots of holes in it.

      https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/28/politics … index.html

    17. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Another Lie from 4/28/2020 - ""Many very good experts, very good people too, said this would never affect the United States," Trump told CNN's Jim Acosta on Tuesday. "The experts got it wrong. A lot of people got it wrong and a lot of people didn't know it would be this serious." - Such an obvious lie.  He had been briefed many times on the potential for a massive outbreak in America from mid-January!

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        You know you can get into a heap of trouble for bugging the white house so you can report on everything Trump heard or was told.

        1. Randy Godwin profile image60
          Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          So Trump didn't get warnings about the virus?  Okay.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Tch.  Point to where I said that?  Please?

            1. Randy Godwin profile image60
              Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              It was a question in response to your last comment, Dan. Or did you seriously believe Scott bugged the WH?

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                No I don't, but how else would he know Trump has never been told "this would never affect the United States,"?  By "Many very good experts, very good people too"?

                The only thing I can think of is that he has everywhere Trump has been (including the entire White House) bugged, and has gone through those tapes hour by hour, since Jan. 1.  Surely he wouldn't make such a claim unless he knows that Trump was never told that!

                1. Randy Godwin profile image60
                  Randy Godwinposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  I thought he was referencing Jim Acosta's interview with Trump in the post you responded to?

                  1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                    peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Randy: Wilderness can't defend Trump and he knows it.  Therefore he is deflecting by questioning the sources of the facts and how they were collected. 

                    He is implying that the only way Scott could have come across that information is to bug the White House.  That is such a weak ploy and he knows it.  Everyday, Trump comes out with more lies.  I can't even  keep up with him anymore.

                    And then he accuses me of using Trump's tactics in my comments.  That is such a false equivalence.

                2. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  What the hell are you talking about Wilderness? You are making zero sense.

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    "Another Lie from 4/28/2020 - ""Many very good experts, very good people too, said this would never affect the United States,"

                    How do you know what he was not told?  Without bugging the White House, that is?

                    Because if he was told that it gives the lie to your statement?

        2. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          And what makes you deflect into proposing, falsely, somebody "bugged" the White House?

    18. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Regarding Trump's LIES about him doing a great job on Testing - at today's WH round table where CEO's pushed back on his Lie that the media is after him.

      :"Early in the White House roundtable, Trump boasted of how well he says his administration has done in supplying ventilators and masks, saying you don't even hear about these issues anymore, and about how well he claims it has done on testing. He added, "And you shouldn't be hearing about testing, but that's the last thing they can complain about, I guess."
      Talk about testing is not an anti-Trump scheme. Rather, it's talk about a matter vital to the country's future. Public health experts, who say the Trump administration was too slow to create an adequate testing system, have emphasized that conducting far more tests now is critical to limiting the further spread of the virus and safely lifting economic restrictions.
      Republican governors and corporate executives have emphasized the same. When a reporter asked Wednesday if any of the executives present were worried people won't really come back to their businesses until there is a coronavirus vaccine, Nassetta spoke up -- and used the word "testing" three times.
      Nassetta said "of course we worry about it." Customers are "desperate" to get back out and travel, he said, but want safety. He continued: "...Our customers are saying they're looking for the government, both state and federal government, to focus on testing so that they understand, you know, what real mortality rates are..."
      Nassetta argued that more testing would help customers understand that people who are not elderly or infirm are probably at much lower risk than originally estimated. Then, after touting a new Hilton cleanliness program, Nassetta said his customers "want to know that people are being responsible. Right? They want to know that we are doing the testing, the social distancing..."
      We still have a lot to learn about the coronavirus and mortality, and we know the virus can kill even younger people without serious health problems. Again, though, Trump had just said that you shouldn't even be hearing about testing. Here was a business leader, invited to the White House by Trump's own staff, talking repeatedly about the importance of testing while on camera with Trump."

    19. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Another Trump LIE on 5/3/2020 ""I am greeted with a hostile press the likes of which no president has ever seen," Trump said at the Fox News town hall Sunday night.

      "The closest would be that gentleman right up there," Trump said, pointing to the 16th President's statue. "They always said nobody got treated worse than Lincoln. I believe I am treated worse."

      What is the LIE(s)?  1) He is faced with a hostile press (except for FakeFoxNews).  They are Not hostile, they are all asking legitimate questions about things he has said and done.  The fact that he doesn't like the questions doesn't make them hostile.

      2) Since the press is asking reasonable questions then he couldn't be treated worse than some people think is the greatest president ever.

      https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/politics … index.html

      1. GA Anderson profile image82
        GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        This comment looks to be one of opinion, so I thought I would chime in. I find it surprising that you would say that it is a lie that Pres. Trump is faced with a hostile press. And I think it is even more than generous that you say that press is only asking "reasonable" questions.

        But wait, whether or not the president deserves a hostile press has no bearing on my comment. That too is an opinion question and I am not asking it or addressing it.

        When a press has the bad manners to ask "hostile" questions that are not germane to the moment, in inappropriate settings—like a press meeting and photo-op with foreign leaders, I don't see how they cannot be viewed as hostile press.

        They are almost like these forums, no matter the topic/occasion—it's 'get Trump time'.

        Bottom line; it is only your opinion that his statement was a lie. You have no facts to back-up this one.

        GA

        1. peoplepower73 profile image82
          peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this
          1. GA Anderson profile image82
            GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            The president was hostile. Nothing new there.

            Was the question hostile?

            "What do you say to Americans that are scared though? 200 are dead, nearly 14,000 who are sick, millions, as you witnessed, who are scared. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?"

            Would this be the same question?

            "What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared by this coronavirus?"

            GA

            1. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              GA:  He was just qualifying his question with data.  With your question it gives Trump the opportunity to say something like, "there is nothing to worry about.  It's under control."  He would spin it into something that was a fantasy, which he loves to do.  But Acosta's question gave him no room to do that, so he came back with a personal attack against Acosta.

              1. GA Anderson profile image82
                GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                We see it differently peoplepower73.

                GA

    20. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/5/20 Another misleading, $7 million ad put out be Trump campaign about Trump and Coronavirus.  In it, a segment of a CNN (which Trump falsely thinks is fake news) where Wolf Blitzer and Dr. Gupta talk about state stay-at-home orders reducing the number of Covid deaths.  The ad is cut and pasted together to make it seem like Trump's partial travel restrictions were responsible.  CNN has sent a cease and desist order to remove the false advertising.

      https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/media/tr … index.html

      FACTOID: Between 18% (movie theaters) and 41% (golf courses)  of Americans favor reopening certain businesses.  The average seems to be about 28%.

    21. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/6/2020: While Trump honors a nurse, he embarrassed her on national television.  When asked a question about availability of PPE, she tried to be PC by saying "I think it's sporadic," answered Sophia L. Thomas, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. "I mean, I talk to my colleagues around the country. Certainly there are pockets around the country where PPE is not ideal, but this is an unprecedented time.

      The infection control measures that we learned back when we went to school, one gown and one mask for one patient per day -- this is a different time," she said, adding that she has been reusing a single N95 mask for "a few weeks now."

      PPE has been sporadic, but it's been manageable. And we do what we have to do," Thomas said. "We are nurses and we learn to adapt and do whatever we can do for our patients to get the job done and the care provided, and that's what we will continue to do as Covid-19 continues."

      Trump immediately disputed her by saying ""Sporadic for you but not sporadic for a lot of other people," the President told her.(remember she is the head of the AANP and is speaking for many, many nurses)

      Then he LIES by saying "Because I've heard the opposite," Trump said. "I have heard that they are loaded up with gowns now. We had empty shelves and empty nothing because it wasn't put there by the last administration."

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        "Then he LIES by saying "Because I've heard the opposite," Trump said. "I have heard that they are loaded up with gowns now. We had empty shelves and empty nothing because it wasn't put there by the last administration."

        Assuming you have proof of what Trump did not hear in order to call him a liar, we would like to see that proof.  Link, please, proving that no one in the world told him that?

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Only when he tells us who these mysterious people are that tell him the opposite and supply their bona fides that they know what they are talking about.  I believe the nurse over the pathological liar.  I know you don't, but the I do.

          BTW, the LIE is "they are loaded up with gowns" since there is no report of that being true (and that nasty nurse was talking about PPE in any case) it must be a lie.  As to the "heard" part, that carries as much weight for truthfulness as when I say "I HEARD that Trump is a pediphile". 

          His "heard" is no better than mine.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            You made your own claim; support it with facts or back off of it.

            Or is the LIE that no one has told him that? 

            Correct; his "heard" is no better than yours.  So why was it a lie?  Because your "heard" is better than his? lol

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Trump is a pathological liar.  Consequently, anything he says is probably a lie, simple as that.  Would you believe ANYTHING Un says, Hitler says, Hussein says, Stalin says?  Trump is no different than them.

              Also, many, many public reports that even YOU have seen supports the nurse and says Trump  lied - AS USUAL.

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Is it a lie if you make claims about a person without being able to support them?  Beyond, that is, "Well, they are a pathological liar so we know this was a lie, too."?

                You might want to be a little cautious with spreading your opinions as truth without being able to support them with factual data.  There ARE libel laws, you know.

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  It is not my opinion, Wilderness, it is the conclusion of many mental health care professionals as well as the massive weight of provable lies.

                  This scientist has studied liars as a career - https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/ … story.html

                  Then we have one of your heros, Ted Cruz, saying Trump is a pathological liar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz44wKK … 0&t=0s

                  Here is a very respected magazine doing an analysis of all the presidents lies.  - https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/ar … us/608647/

                  This book by mental health experts lays out in each analysis how Trump is a pathological liar - it is a great read if you want the truth.
                  https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Case-D … 1250179459

                  This is an article from the author of the above book, Dr. Bandy Lee

                  https://www.salon.com/2020/03/23/dr-ban … rus-worse/

                  Here is a source for all of Trump's lies and false statements accumulated by a caring Canadian -

                  https://projects.thestar.com/donald-trump-fact-check/


                  I can get you a lot more if you need.

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    "Then we have one of your heros, Ted Cruz..."

                    OK, Mr. Trump-wannabe - I barely know who Ted Cruze is (a politician, I think, which would absolutely take him out of the "hero" category), let alone call him a hero.  Doesn't stop you from following Trump's lead in lying, though, does it?

                    Or was just another insult because you have nothing else to say?

                2. peoplepower73 profile image82
                  peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Wilderness:

                  politifact.com/factchecks/list/?speaker=donald-trump&ruling=false

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Nice side step.  Is there a reason you don't want to discuss the question?

    22. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/7/2020:  WH (Dr. Brix) asked for more guidelines from CDC to open safely.  After receiving the 17-page report, Trump tossed it into the trash because it interfered with his politically-driven reopening goals.  (My observation is "what guidelines"? Only a small handful of states are abiding by the original guidelines while the rest are telling Trump to take a hike (which he lets them do) and kill tens of thousands of extra Americans in the process. 

      Now Trump wants to add to that death toll in order to get re-elected.

      https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/us-cor … index.html (you'll need to scroll down to get to the story)

    23. peterstreep profile image81
      peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I think the most depressing thing about Donald Trump is not his simple lies and misconceptions about reality. But his lack of empathy. In times of crisis and human suffering, he is unable to grasp the emotional stress and grief many people have at this moment.
      I think in times like these you need leaders who trust science and who have empathy and understanding with those working on the frontline. Those who have to work in Bakeries, food sores, hospitals, care homes, rubish collectors. Those are the people who work with risk for life but are hardly mentioned in the daily speeches Trump gives.
      Trump never supported science. And the vice president is also not supporting science but thinks that praying is a vaccine.
      This combination of not trusting science and not connecting with the emotions of the people on the ground has lead to a misunderstanding of the crisis and how to tackle it.
      Take care and stay at home.

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        "In times of crisis and human suffering, he is unable to grasp the emotional stress and grief many people have at this moment."

        Why do you say that?  Because he is at the center of decision making, takes an objective stance and tries to make the best objective decision possible?  One that is the best balance between the virus and the nation of people that are losing everything?  Does he not show empathy because he will allow additional COVID deaths by not shutting down or because he will allow additional suffering from people without homes, savings or even food by shutting down?

        1. peterstreep profile image81
          peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          What I mean Wilderness is that in times of emotional stress people want compassion, Of course, a leader should make the best objective decision possible. But by doing so you can show empathy. Trump does not. You can do both. Explaining the tough decisions you have to make as a leader and caring for the people who are losing their jobs and relatives. I have not heard sincere empathy towards the ordinary people of the US who are risking their lives today.
          Trump is not addressing the nation when he speaks. He is not speaking to you or about you. He is speaking about external factors and the number of ventilators.

          1. My Esoteric profile image86
            My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            I doubt Trump has ever made a substantial "objective" decision.  If fact, he is proud that he doesn't.  How many times has he said he thinks with his stomach?

            As you should have learned about the many authoritative books of how Trump operates, he is the opposite of "objective".

            Let me remind everybody what the characteristics of Trump's Narcissistic Personality Disorder are:

            1. Grandiose sense of self-importance - CHECK

            2. Lives in a fantasy world that supports that sense of grandiosity - CHECK

            3. Needs constant praise and admiration - CHECK

            4. Exploits others without guilt or shame - CHECK (this includes pathological lying)

            5. Frequently demeans, intimidates, bullies, or belittles others - CHECK

            6. Reacts negatively to criticism. - CHECK

            https://www.healthline.com/health/narci … r#symptoms

            This fits Trump to a "T"

            I have written a few hubs on this aspect of Trump based on the book by Dr. Bandi Lee The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump

          2. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            You may prefer compassion: I would choose results that work the best possible for as many people as possible.

            How do you have sympathy for both those that are losing jobs and those that are dying? 

            You may hear nothing but ventilators when he speaks: I hear him talk of first responders, nurses, etc. and the horrors they go through.

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              You may chose results, and downplay compassion and empathy (very conservative of you) but he hasn't produce any results that either, has he (unless you consider excess death results).

            2. peterstreep profile image81
              peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              "You may hear nothing but ventilators when he speaks: I hear him talk of first responders, nurses, etc. and the horrors they go through."

              Do you really? Or are you at a point that you will defend Trump no matter what because you are fed up with all the criticism he gets? (fairly or unfairly). I can understand that position. But I think you should always be critical because nobody is perfect. To blindly follow somebody is dangerous.

              1. My Esoteric profile image86
                My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                I also heard him effectively call that nurse he was so-called honoring a liar when she spoke the truth to him about the problems she and her peers are currently having getting PPE..

              2. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Turn the question around - are you so disgusted and hate filled that you don't hear what is said but instead wait to pounce on anything that could possible be used to demonize the man? 

                But defending Trump?  Is it a defense of Trump to point out that your statement was false - that there HAVE been words of empathy and caring if you don't simply ignore them as not fitting into your personal agenda against Trump?  Is that defending Trump or pointing out errors in YOUR words?

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  For me, No. Just being clear-eyed.

                  You are defending Trump when the statement you claim to be false is, in fact, not false.

                  Be careful of Wilderness' sharpshooting skills, Peter.  So long as Trump has said just ONE empathetic thing, which he has, proves that he is an empathetic man.  No matter that ONE thing was among 1,000 that weren't empathetic but should have been.

                2. peterstreep profile image81
                  peterstreepposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  I don't think my statement was false. I do think Trump lacks empathy and has Asperger syndrome to a certain degree.
                  And Trump is not the only president/prime minister who "forgets" to address the nation on an emotional level. The Prime minister of the UK and The Netherlands have the same problems.
                  I think a lot of politicians are used to talk about figures and economic policies, forgetting that behind all those figures there are real people.
                  And normally they don't have to show empathy as they do their business behind closed doors. But in these special times, something more is asked from our leaders and many are failing in this respect.

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    And you may be correct although I would question your expertise to diagnose Asperger's.

                    Perhaps I'm just different, for I'm not interested in the slightest in emotional, comforting words that mean nothing except "I'm declaring that I care about you, whether I do or not".  I want hard plans, numbers and facts - I will determine if they care based on the results of their plans.

        2. peoplepower73 profile image82
          peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Wilderness: I agree with everything that Peter Streep wrote.  You totally disregarded what he said.  Trump  has no respect for science and he never will. He is a used car salesman that uses truthful hyperbole to sell you a car. His talk is fraught with it.  He speaks in half truths and half lies.  If you support him, you believe the half truth side.  If you don't support him, you believe the half lie.

          A classic example is the PPE stock pile.  He said he inherited a broken system and the cupboard was bare.  The cupboard wasn't bare. There were just not enough mask in the inventory because Obama used some of them for the Ebola virus.  But if you believe the cupboard was bare, then you believe that Obama left him a broken system.  But when I did the research, I found he was lying about the system being broken.  You see how that works?

          The virus is science.  It is not politics.  It doesn't care when Trump schedules it to be over or how positive he is about it being over, or when business are open or not. 

          Trump does not show empathy in his speeches.  He is not capable of putting himself in the place of others emotionally.  His needs and his motivation are to get re-elected and he will use every tool in his slimy tool box.

          It's too bad that this virus raised it's ugly head in an election year and that Trump can't be impeached a second time.  He has made himself untouchable and he knows how to use it against his enemies.  He is just like a drug lord or the head of the mafia.  If he doesn't like you, he will get rid of you and no body can touch him. He has made a mockery of the whole balance of power system in the constitution...Long live King Trump.

          1. My Esoteric profile image86
            My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            By the way, isn't 1) "truthful hyperbole" an oxymoron? and 2) isn't "truthful hyperbole" just another way of lying?

          2. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            And what masks were left in the stockpile were useless, having passed their life span years and years ago.  Is there a reason you leave this out when trashing the president and praising Obama?

            I'm very sorry, but while the virus is science, responding to it is far more than that, and politics is playing a very large part in it.  To deny that obvious fact is ridiculous as people all over the nation are protesting both sides of the lockdown.

            If Trump has made it impossible for Democrats to create another faux impeachment process to advance their political agenda and fix the election, more power to him.

            1. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Wilderness:  You didn't read this did you? 

              https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2 … kpile-wro/

              You just said I side-stepped your question.  Here are the sources for this claim.  Where are your sources for stating what was left in the stockpile was useless?

              Rev.com, Transcript of White House briefing, April 6, 2020

              White House Briefing, April 3, 2020

              White House Briefing, March 26, 2020

              Greg Burel, Evolving the Scope of the Strategic National Stockpile, November 2019

              U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,  Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Strategy and Implementation Plan, 2017-18

              Factcheck.org, Trump Falsely Claims He Inherited ‘Empty’ Stockpile, April 3, 2020

              USA Today, Fact check: Did the Obama administration deplete the federal stockpile of N95 masks? April 3, 2020

              ProPublica, How Tea Party Budget Battles Left the National Emergency Medical Stockpile Unprepared for Coronavirus, April 3, 2020

              AP, US ‘wasted’ months before preparing for coronavirus pandemic, April 6, 2020

              ASTHO, Assessing policy barriers to effective public health response in the H1N! Influenza pandemic, June 2010

              U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Budget document, Feb. 11, 2011

              VICE News, The U.S. Has a Classified Stockpile of Ventilators and Masks, But It Won’t Save Us From Coronavirus, March 17, 2020

              CBS News, Largest U.S. stockpile of medical supplies is "very stressed," former director says, March 30, 2020

              National Academies, The Nation's Medical Countermeasure Stockpile: Opportunities to Improve the Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Sustainability of the CDC Strategic National Stockpile: Workshop Summary, Oct. 24, 2016

              Washington Post, Inside the secret U.S. stockpile meant to save us all in a bioterror attack, April 24, 2018

              Washington Post, Face masks in national stockpile have not been substantially replenished since 2009, March 10, 2020

              New York Times, The U.S. Tried to Build a New Fleet of Ventilators. The Mission Failed. March 29, 2020

              Emergent BioSolutions, Press release, July 30, 2019

              Bloomberg, Hospital Workers Make Masks From Office Supplies Amid U.S. Shortage, March 17, 2020

              Los Angeles Times, A disaster foretold: Shortages of ventilators and other medical supplies have long been warned about, March 20, 2020

              PolitiFact, Barack Obama says Congress owns sequestration cuts, Oct. 24, 2012

              PolitiFact, Federal pandemic money fell for years. Trump’s budgets didn’t help, March 30, 2020

              PolitiFact, Fact-checking Jared Kushner’s comments on the national stockpile, April 3, 2020

              Email interview, Ellen Carlin, a professor at the Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Science and Security, April 7, 2020

              Email interview, Ned Price, Obama administration National Security Council spokesman, April 7, 2020

              Email interview, Dara Alpert Lieberman, director of government relations for the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health, April 7, 2020

              U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fiscal Year 2018 Justification of Estimates for Appropriation Committees, accessed April 8, 2020

              U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Budget and Funding, accessed April 8, 2020

              Email interview, Stephanie M. Bialek, Stockpile Communication Services Section chief at the Division of Strategic National Stockpile in the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, April 7, 2020

              https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2 … kpile-wro/

            2. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              This talk about and focus on what Obama left Trump.  It is mute and is meaningless

              What is not meaningless is that Trump was warned by the Trump administration about the possibility of a pandemic.

              What is not meaningless is that Trump disbanded the NSC office set up by Obama to plan for and manage pandemics.  Imagine how many lives Trump cost with that decision!!

              What is not meaningless  is that Trump transition team went through a tabletop exercise about what might happen in a pandemic.with the Obama administration - Trump ignored it.

              What is not meaningless is that Trump THREE YEARS and a sympathetic Congress (which Obama did not, btw) to replenish it.  He didn't do that so [u]it is 100% on him[/u

              So please admit it was Trump who blew it, not Obama, move on to something that means something.

              1. GA Anderson profile image82
                GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                psst . . . you shouldn't leave such an easy opening. It's 'moot' not "mute."

                GA

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Damn it, one of these days I will learn proper grammar.  I catch that error about 1/2 the time. They even sound different, when properly pronounced, and I still don't catch it.

    24. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      This goes beyond Covid, but let me offer you people who think Trump is a Truth-Teller a challenge.  Let me start by listing five Lies, as defined below, which Trump as provably make, then you come back with five lies that Biden, Obama, and Clinton have made (that would be a total of fifteen).  Then I will come back with five more, then you do the same until one of us runs out.  I know this will go on for a few iterations because there is no question all three of your assignees have lied. 

      But let's see who runs out first.

      What are lies (only one of which can be excused)

      Error—a lie by mistake. The person believes they are being truthful, but what they are saying is not true.

      Purposeful -- a lie made on purpose. The person knows they are being untruthful.

      Omission – leaving out relevant information. Easier and least risky. It doesn’t involve inventing any stories. It is passive deception and less guilt is involved
      .
      Restructuring—distorting the context. Saying something in sarcasm, changing the characters, or the altering the scene.

      Denial—refusing to acknowledge a truth. The extent of denial can be quite large—they may be lying only to you just this one time or they may be lying to themselves.

      Minimization—reducing the effects of a mistake, a fault, or a judgment call.

      Exaggeration—representing as greater, better, more experienced, more successful.

      Fabrication—deliberately inventing a false story.

      I'll start with my favorite one:

      1.  “I have great respect for Angela and I have great respect for the country,” said Trump. “My father is German, was German, born in a very wonderful place in Germany so I have a very great feeling for Germany.” - 4/3/19: during a press conference with the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. - he has claimed this three times.  His father was born in New York

      2. "Anybody that wants a test can get a test. That’s what the bottom line is".- 3/6/2020: At a CDC press conference.  It wasn't true then, it isn't true today, and it won't be true for many months to come.

      3.  "You know, if I'm so good to China, how come I was the only person, the only leader of a country, that closed our borders tightly against China?" - 4/14/2020: at a Covid TF press conference.  His policy had many, many exceptions to them and our borders were rather porous.

      4. “It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle—it will disappear.”, speaking of Covid. 2/27/20: At the WH. The context was that it would disappear soon,  like around Easter and not "one day" three years in the future.  It also will not be from a miracle , but from hard work and suffering.

      5.  "If the economic shutdown continues, deaths by suicide “definitely would be in far greater numbers than the numbers that we’re talking about” for COVID-19 deaths." - He has said this many times. The possibility of this happening is zero.  Annual suicides in America are around 47,000.  Today, Covid deaths are new 80,000.  You do the math.

      There are my five.  How about yours.  In fact, to make it easier on you, just give me five between Biden, Obama, and Clinton. with dates, if possible.  You can start with Obama's "You can keep your doctor promotion of ACA" (which was actually the plan at the time he said it)

      1. My Esoteric profile image86
        My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        I see on one took up the challenge.  That means Trump Supporters agree noone (or group of people) lie more than Trump does.

    25. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/11/20:  On the way home I listened to Trump tell me (at least three times) that "if I want a (coronavirus) test, I could get one", or words to that effect.  So when I got home, I called up my local hospital and asked for a Covid test.  After they said no, I told them that Trump just said I could get one.  I wish I could report that they laughed, but they didn't, they just said it will a very long time before there are enough tests available to give one to anybody who wants one.

      Now do note, that the surgeon general (I think that is who it was) tried to correct Trump by saying the word should be "needs", not "wants".  But Trump shook him off and said "wants" at least two more times.

      Bottom line, Trump lied - AGAIN about something very important to Americans.

      He also made racist comments to a Chinese-American female reporter and was very rude to another female reporter before bolting from the stage.  Both, in character for Trump.

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Hmm.  I don't think I've ever seen Trump "bolt" anywhere.  Frankly I don't think he's capable of "bolting" - every move is at a walk, and a fairly slow one.  Perhaps an exaggeration - does that make it a lie?

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Figure of speech meaning he left abruptly you sharpshooter you.  So no, not a lie.

          When you repeatedly use the word "want" instead "need", that is a bold-faced lie,

    26. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Trump and Pence are SO DUMB, they don't realize they are trying their hardest to put a Democrat in the WH before Biden (ByeDon) gets there.

      If both get Covid, then Nancy Pelosi becomes President.

    27. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/11/2020:

      "1. "We're here today to provide an update on the unprecedented testing capacity developed by the United States, the most advanced and robust testing system anywhere in the world, by far." - I don't know about the "most advanced" but the "most robust" is simply a lie by exaggeration.  Just because the US belatedly did more tests than any other nation is moot (not mute this time).  That number is not relevant until you divide it by population.  Only recently did America pass South Korea on that score.  Because they did it MUCH sooner, their rate of death due to Covid is MUCH lower than ours.  Today, the US is 40th in the world in testing per capita - hardly what Trump makes it out to be.
      "The Lost Month: How a Failure to Test Blinded the U.S. to Covid-19" -- The New York Times, March 28, 2020. And away we go!

      Trump says this "2. "We have really had a very good relationship with the states and the governors and other representatives within the states, a relationship." But then says this:

      ""She's not stepping up. All she does is sit there and blame the federal government. She doesn't get it done. And we send her a lot." -- Donald Trump on Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer"

      Then this:

      "Governor Cuomo should spend more time 'doing' and less time 'complaining'. Get out there and get the job done." -- Donald Trump on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo"

      Then this:

      "@JBPritzker, Governor of Illinois, and a very small group of certain other Governors, together with Fake News @CNN & Concast (MSDNC), shouldn't be blaming the Federal Government for their own shortcomings." -- Donald Trump on Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker"

      And finally this:

      "If they don't treat you right, I don't call." -- Donald Trump on governors"

      Now this isn't a lie, per se, just really, really dumb - 3. "It should have never been allowed to happen; it should have been stopped at the source."

      This is a lie by many types of definition - 4. "In every generation, through every challenge and hardship and danger, America has risen to the task. We have met the moment and we have prevailed." - Trump "said" he was talking about testing.  By every objective standard we have not prevailed over testing.  Currently we are about 30% of what is needed.  The minimum experts say we need are 1 million tests per day.  Currently we are around 300,000 per day nationwide - 3 months into the pandemic!

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        So it is a lie that our testing is "robust".  We are testing more, per capita, than S Korea, but because in the past we could not do that it means Trump lied when speaking of capabilities today - he exaggerated when he used the word "robust" in reference to today's capacity because it wasn't always that way.

        Just who is exaggerating here?  Who is lying about the "robustness" of US testing today?  Trump, who you agree told the truth about our performance, or the one that says because it used to be different it is not robust today regardless of performance?

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          And there you go distorting things again, Wilderness.  First, you limit you critique to South Korea after I already pointed out there are 40 other countries doing better than Trump on a per capita basis - today!

          We are NOT robust today, by any since of the word, we aren't even "just getting by" yet.  Robust would be a million tests a day.  We aren't even doing 300,000.  Give me a break.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            "Just because the US belatedly did more tests than any other nation is moot (not mute this time).  That number is not relevant until you divide it by population.  Only recently did America pass South Korea on that score."

            Guess one of us can't read.  Pretty sure it isn't me - I don't see anything here (except the comparison to the Gold Standard of S. Korea) comparing numbers on a per capita basis.

            1. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Wilderness:  Of course you are not going to believe it, because it's from CNN.

              https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/12/health/u … index.html

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Should I believe CNN (known to grossly spin and twist their "reporting") or should I believe Esoteric (also known to grossly spin and twist his "facts) who makes a statement and then declares Trump lied because the statement wasn't true weeks ago even though it is today?  And then tries to change his statement to what it was not?  Tough choice.

                I didn't address the truth of Trump's statement: I addressed the lie from Esoteric that he made in spinning what was said into what it was not.

                1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                  peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  Wilderness:  CNN is only known to grossly spin and twist their reporting when stated  by Fox and Trump.  In reality, Fox and Trump are the fake news and grossly spin and twist their reporting.

                  1. My Esoteric profile image86
                    My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Which is where Wilderness learns how to do it so well.

                  2. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    For sure.  Of course that is your opinion...up against millions of people that feel CNN is naught but another talk show any more.  Should I believe you or should I take the opinion of millions plus my own eyes? 

                    No need to guess on this one.

      2. My Esoteric profile image86
        My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        23."I understand you very well, better than you understand yourself." - Yeah right, and "only I can fix it" - a sure sign of dangerous narcissism.

        24. "Now that we're doing so well on tests and so quick and so fast, five minutes, et cetera, and so accurate, you're complaining that we're getting too many tests. So you can't win." - We are NOT doing well.  Some of the ones that are available are quick and fast, most are not.  If he is talking about the rapid tests all of the WH staff are lucky to get, you have a 25% chance of actually having Covid when it says you don't.

        25. "As far as Americans getting a test, they should all be able to get a test right now. They should be able to get a test." I tried and I couldn't get one and was told I won't be able to get a test (unless I was sick) for the foreseeable future.

        28. "The 20,000 [cases] -- the numbers are way down from what they were two weeks ago. I mean, the numbers are really coming down; they're very substantially -- and this weekend was one of the lowest we've had. This is, you know, the numbers are coming down very rapidly -- all throughout the country, by the way." - For the past eight days, the "numbers" have been 24,655; 25,631;29,531; 29,162; 25,524; 20,329; 18,196; 22,321 (btw, they come down almost every weekend and then go back up)

        29. "But as far as the models are concerned, if you go by the model, we were going to lose 2.2 million people." - A Lie, no model has predicted that yet.

        30. "We're at the lowest of all of the models. I mean, if you look at, I guess that 120,000 -- 100,000 to 120,000 people would be at the low side. And we're at -- there's nothing low." - "Now we're going toward 50,000 -- I'm hearing, or 60,000 people. One is too many. I always say it. One is too many, but we're going toward 50,000 or 60,000 people. That's at the lower -- as you know the lower (end of the projections) was supposed to be 100,000 people." -- Donald Trump, April 21

    28. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/11/2020

      5. "In the fourth quarter we're going to do very good and next year I think we're going to have one of the best years we've ever had because there's a tremendous pent-up demand." - What is noteworthy about this claim is the shift in Timeline.  His initial over-the-top exaggeration was that the economy would immediately bounce back once the country began reopening. Many states are reopening the economy right now and the economy is not "bouncing back".

      8. "We had the best economy in the history of the world, not just here but anywhere in the world." - A LIE

      9. "We had the best economy anywhere in the world and we were going for numbers, whether it was unemployment numbers where we had our best numbers. Employment also numbers. Little different." - Can someone please decipher this?

      15. "Very soon. I mean, really, very soon." - "This is Trump's response to a question on when the average person will be able to be tested for coronavirus "every day as they go back to work."  It is a Lie. The current HHS estimate for September is 50 million tests a month. Trump is saying we will be doing 160 million tests a day well before September.  Also remember, Trump, et al have been promising massive testing "soo" since February. Today, we are doing less than 300,000 tests a day - and at least a million are needed to reopen the economy safely

    29. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/14/2020

      Today, Donald Trump, the so-called President of the United States, probably uttered the stupidest, most disingenuous set of words in his infamous life.

      BUT FIRST, there is this (more stupidity)

      "After touring the medical supply distributor Owens and Minor in Allentown, Pa., the president — he and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows were the only members of the tour group not wearing masks  "

      Now, what did he say?

      "“And don’t forget, we have more cases than anybody in the world,” he added. “But why? Because we do more testing. When you test, you have a case. When you test, you find something is wrong with people. If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases.” - WHAT????

      Think about what he said.  He said that if we hadn't done any testing, there would not be 1.4 million cases of Covid reported today. The corrolary is that if there had not been any testing, then very few people be dead from coronavirus, rather then the 84,000 and counting that there are today.

      Further, and this is what Trump is really after, if there was no testing, then there would be no social distancing (because there is no cases, no pandemic) and the country would remain open and he could win the election.

      Not sure how he would explain away why a million or more people would be dying of unknown causes.  But that is NOT his problem, its the Democrats fault, after all.

    30. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/15/2020

      Trump claims that he will have the material and infrastructure to deliver 100 - 200 million vaccines by Dec 31, 2020,  He has failed to provide the material and infrastructure to deliver Covid testing so far AND for the months to come.  Why would he think, unless he is delusional, that he would be able to do that for vaccines.  I know he doesn't drink, but I wonder if he does dope.

    31. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/16/2020

      Now granted, Donald Trump himself didn't say this, his son did, but it is close to some foolish thing he did say:

      "And they think they're taking away Donald Trump's greatest tool, which is being able to go into an arena and fill it with 50,000 people every single time, right?

      So they will and you watch. They'll milk it every single day between now and November 3, and guess what? After November 3, coronavirus, will magically all of a sudden go away and disappear and everybody will be able to reopen."

      He is nuttier than his dad.

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Do YOU think we'll still be in lockdown mode come November?  Or was the root of the statement quite true?

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          I suspect we will be there again (we aren't now anymore) because I fear there is going to be an explosion of cases and deaths.

          Why do I say that?  Because there is not near enough testing to find most of the positive cases (remember there are 20,000 new ones a day right now and it is not declining very much).  That means there are ACTUALLY between that and 1,000,000 new cases a day (if you are to believe one report which found 50 times as many cases as was expected).

          And if you cannot identify who is positive, then you can find out who they might have infected and test them nor can you isolate them.

          And now that you have some states opening up in a more or less uncontrolled fashion, new hot spots are bound to pop up in bars, churches, crowded beaches and other places where lots of people gather and don't bother to stay away from each other or wear masks.

          It is just the nature of the beast which is even worse because you have a president begging people to do things that will increase the chances of spreading the virus.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Well, you may be right on this one - we may have another outbreak.  Or, given that 1M per day of new cases, that would mean something like 200M that have had the disease by the end of the year (if the trend does not accelerate, which it probably will with 1M new cases daily).  And that in turn means that we should be getting pretty close to that dream of having herd immunity we keep hearing about.

            Either way, though, my personal opinion is that the people will not tolerate another shutdown...and they're right, too, for  we cannot afford to do that again this year.  But even if we could afford it, I don't see people accepting it for another go-around even though the recipients of those giant unemployment checks would make some of them quite happy to at least pay lip service to staying home.  Even liberal style giveaways and fiscal ignorance won't keep people inside their doors again.  Pure opinion, and based only on what I see on social media, the news and in the stores, but I just don't think it could be pushed through once more.

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              I totally understand your point.  But, if true, what does it say about a people who are willing to sacrifice so many others so that they don't have to sacrifice some comfort themselves.  That would be sad.

              1. wilderness profile image88
                wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Wrong question.  The right one is what does it say about people that either too stupid to understand very basic economics (such as balancing their spending with their income or that printing too much money causes runaway inflation) or don't care who gets hurt as long as they aren't subject to the .000001% probability (or whatever tiny fraction of the population it turns out to be) of serious harm or death from the virus?

                I have been saying for a long time that there is more to the question of shutdown than how many lives might be saved from the virus.  You may not believe it personally but it is quite true - there must be a balance struck between saving lives from the virus and saving people from the ravages of a broken, non-functioning economy.  There will come a time, in the not too distant future IMHO, that we are going to be forced to accept virus deaths in order to maintain a functioning country.  Pray that before that time comes we have an effective treatment and an effective vaccine for it is coming.

                1. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  I would agree, but what is your personal break even point assuming they opened the economy smartly, which is not happening for the most part.

                  Will you accept 100,000 dead in 4 months?  300,000 dead in 5 months?  500,000 dead in 6 months?  What number is right for you?

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Tough call.  Very tough.

                    But it also cannot be done that way - at best the number of deaths is a guess, a projection and can only be based on guesses as to what scientific discoveries will be made.  IMO, we are doing the right thing with Trump's basic plan, modified by individual governors.  Some governors will open too fast, some will take too long - mine is about right, IMO.  We are in phase 2 of 4, with most businesses outside of bars and large gatherings open with strong efforts made to continue distancing, etc.

                    Again, IMO, if we aren't going full bore, or at least with no major restrictions, within the next 2-3 months we're going to lose the game.  So we have to be open for business by that time.  We could probably survive losing our sports - football, baseball, hockey, etc. - but not much more.  Losing the tourism industry, for example, is not acceptable.

                    And it doesn't really matter if projected deaths are half million or a million - we cannot continue the shutdown beyond that point.  Does that make sense - that we go as far as we can without losing our economic base and open regardless of the projected death toll?  Whether you agree or not, is it making sense?  Put the economists on the problem, put the health care people on it, put businessmen on it...then one man (Trump) make the final call based on ALL facets and pass that information to states.  I understand full well you won't accept Trump under any circumstances, but if you can come up with a better candidate than the President of the United States I'm open to suggestions.

    32. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/19/2020

      In his letter to the WHO Trump falsely claims " the organization ignored "credible reports of the virus spreading in Wuhan in early December 2019 or even earlier, including reports from the Lancet medical journal."

      That, according to the Lancet is a big, fat, Trumpian Lie!!  They reported " The Lancet, however, said Tuesday "this statement is factually incorrect" and that it "published no report in December, 2019, referring to a virus or outbreak in Wuhan or anywhere else in China."

    33. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      This doesn't have anything to do with Trump's lie (just his campaign to disenfranchise voters), but it bears reading to see how far the Right has taken up from the vision our forefathers had for this nation.

      "Under his order, which the Texas attorney general said he would immediately appeal, voters under the age of 65 who would ordinarily not qualify for mail-in ballots would now be eligible.

      Biery's ruling covers Texas voters "who seek to vote by mail to avoid transmission of the virus."

      In a lengthy order, which he opened by quoting the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, Biery said he had concerns for the health and safety of voters and stated the right to vote "should not be elusively based on the whims of nature."

      "Two hundred forty-years on, Americans now seek Life without fear of pandemic, Liberty to choose their leaders in an environment free of disease and the pursuit of Happiness without undue restrictions," Biery wrote.

      "There are some among us who would, if they could, nullify those aspirational ideas to return to the not so halcyon and not so thrilling days of yesteryear of the Divine Right of Kings, trading our birthright as a sovereign people for a modern mess of governing pottage in the hands of a few and forfeiting the vision of America as a shining city upon a hill," he said."

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Sorry - I side with Trump on this one.  While I understand that Democrats are making a huge push to suddenly turn the country into vote-by-mail it is the wrong way to go.  Democrats know that, too - the primary reason to do so is to gain more votes from people not eligible to vote.  Dead people for instance, and illegal aliens (that's another tale as they are working hard to give foreign citizens the right to vote in our election).  This whole thing is just another way to gerrymander - to change the voting in such a way as to benefit one party over another.

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          The only verifiable instance of fraud that had ANY impact on an election in recent memory is in North Carolina where Republican operatives manipulated absentee ballots. 

          You are willing to risk people's lives, it appears, for something that has less of a chance of happening than lightning striking you.

          So you think giving more people access to voting is gerrymandering?  Interesting.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Well, you seem to be claiming that fraud does not happen with mail in ballots.

            While ignoring that there is no method of knowing who sent it in, that tens of thousands of dead people are on the voting rolls, that Democrats are slavering at the mouth to get illegal aliens to vote (pretty easy with mail in ballots), etc. 

            Don't be silly - mail in voting does not give more people access - the tiny percentage that actually have no access already use the method.  It just provides more opportunity for voter fraud and more Democrat votes.  The same reason gerrymandering is used, in other words - to gain votes for a particular party.

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              I don't "seem" to be claiming it - I AM claiming.it.  Other than the fraud committed by the North Carolina Republicans there is zero evidence of the type of fraud Trump is lying about ever even coming close to influencing an election in my lifetime.

              Now you may be willing to go stand in line with potentially infected people who refuse to wear a mask, that is your choice, but don't presume to risk other people's lives by making them do so as well.

              As to the assumption that mail-in voting increases turnout, I am on the side that says yes.  After having just researched it, the answer turns out to more nuanced.

              In studies of Oregon and absentee ballots, the answer is yes, but with caveats.

              In a Cambridge study using an experiment I didn't quite understand, but didn't want to spend the money to see the details, the answer they got was for general elections the answer was, to my chagrin, No, in fact that with the two large California counties they used, it reduced turnout slightly. 

              For special elections, on the other hand, mail-in ballots DID improve voter turnout.

              Anecdotal evidence from Rockville, MD, who switched to mail-in balloting and closed their polls saw a doubling in voter turnout.

              NCSL found "Turnout—Some reports indicate that because of convenience, voter turnout increases. These reports assert that turnout increases by single digits for presidential elections and more in smaller elections. See this 2013 report on all-mail ballot elections in Washington and this 2018 report on all-mail ballot elections in Utah. Effects on turnout can be more pronounced for low propensity voters, those that are registered but do not vote as frequently."

              And yet another study comes up with this "Vote-at-home systems increase turnout - Research shows that average turnout in the three VAH states beats virtually any combination of other states:"

              Bottom line, it seems that, especially for special elections, do not lower turnout and, despite Cambridge's one data point, can reasonably be expected to increase turnout.

              By the way, studies show mail-in balloting does not give either party an edge.

    34. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/19/2020

      "Trump was reminded by a reporter on Tuesday that the FDA has said hydroxychloroquine should not be used outside of a hospital setting or research studies. - Trump interjected: "No. That's not what I was told. No.""

      This is one of those "I was told" or "I wasn't told" types of Lie.  It is a lie because it is not even close to reasonable that he was so-called "told" something opposite of what the FDA has published.. What if Obama said "I was told Trump was a Martian spy", Trump supporters would have to admit Obama is telling the truth if they buy into the ludicrous response by Trump.

      Now I will wait for a Trump supporter write well "he could have been told that" and I will respond that I was told Trump has three heads, but we just can't see the other two.  It makes about as much since.

      Trump lambasted a study that had found no benefit from hydroxychloroquine in a group of veterans with the coronavirus who were given the drug. He called it a "phony study" and said it was done by "obviously not friends of the administration" who wanted to "make political points."

      The President made similar comments earlier on Tuesday, speaking of an unspecified "bad survey" that was "a Trump enemy statement." On Monday, he claimed the study at the VA was done by "people that aren't big Trump fans."

      He also complained Tuesday that the drug had been given to people who were "old" and "ready to die."

      There is no evident basis for Trump's claims that the study of veterans was designed to hurt him. While there are valid criticisms of the study -- which was small, retrospective, focused on seriously ill patients, not peer-reviewed and not randomized or controlled -- Trump has provided no proof for his claims of some sort of political plot. The authors of the study explicitly acknowledged that it has significant limitations. Larger, peer-reviewed studies have also concluded that hydroxychloroquine has not benefited coronavirus patients . - This is a clear indicator of the extreme paranoia that Trump suffers from.

      1. wilderness profile image88
        wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        LOLOLOLOL

        Trump lies because you don't think he was told what he said he was.  Not because you know he was told no such thing, but because you don't like what he was told and therefore his statement that he was told that is a lie.

        https://hubpages.com/education/forum/34 … ost4138916

        Yes, Trump was told that  hydroxychloroquine is a valuable treatment for COVID.  Which makes the liar someone other than him, doesn't it?

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Then you believe Trump lives in a bubble with no contact with the outside world; that Dr. Fauci or Brix never told him the opposite; that no one ever put what the FDA posted in front of him; that he never personally read anywhere what taking the drug for Covid outside a clinical trial or hospital was a bad idea.

          Remember what Trump's response was to - a reporter pointing out to him what his own administration said.  The purpose of Trump's denial was to repudiate the Truth.  It makes no difference whether somebody (I was "told" it was by a three-year old chimpanzee) at some point in time might have actually told him that.  What makes a difference is that he was calling the reporter a liar in his repudiation.

          1. wilderness profile image88
            wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            YOU'VE heard the drug should not be used and that it should.  YOU made your own choice about which piece of advice is sound.

            But Trump is not allowed to do that, right?  Because his determination does not match yours.  Explain, please, why your determination, made with far less information than his, is superior (and is somehow always superior! smile)

            And then explain how his true statement (what he heard) is a lie but your statement (that he lied when he said that) is not, even as you now say it was true.  Please.

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              Trump says it should be used (what have you got to lose, remember?) while ALL experts say it shouldn't.

              I listened to the experts while Trump did not.  Now of course Trump can attempt suicide if he wants, but he can't encourage his blind followers to do the same by example.  If he is taking it, he [b]must[/b\ keep that information to himself.

              There is no doubt in my mind people will now die because of him.

              What is the lie?  The lie is when he said, in response to the reporter, that NO, the FDA did not say that.  Yes they did. (you do know you are deflecting, don't you?)

    35. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/20/2020

      "In his tweet Wednesday morning, Trump falsely claimed Michigan would send absentee ballots to 7.7 million voters. But he also threatened to "hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!"

      The voter fraud from mail-in ballots claim is a lie.  There has been zero evidence of fraud which impacted an election from main-in balloting save in one case - that was when North Carolina Republican operatives manipulated absentee ballots to swing an election to the Republican candidate.  But that wasn't "true" mail in since the Republican's collected up the ballots from voters and did something illegal with them.  Trump has more of a chance of being struck by lightening than there being significant mail-in ballot fraud

      ALSO - he abused his power by threatening Michigan.

    36. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I have a quiz for everybody.  Which is the lie?

      “I’m not a politician.” (CNN, August 11, 2015)  OR  “I’m no different than a politician running for office.” (New York Times, July 28, 2015)

      “I’m totally pro-choice.” (Fox News, October 31, 1999)  OR  “I’m pro-life.” (CPAC, February 10, 2011)

      “Look, I’m very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I hate it. I hate everything it stands for. I cringe when I listen to people debating the subject, but you still—I just believe in choice. … I am strongly for choice, and yet I hate the concept of abortion. … I am pro-choice in every respect … but I just hate it.” (NBC News, October 24, 1999)  OR “I am very, very proud to say that I’m pro-life.” (Cleveland, Ohio, August 6, 2015)

      “I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.” (Trump: The Art of the Deal, 1987) OR “You can’t just sit around waiting for deals, opportunities, or a lucky break.” (Trump: Think Big, 2007)

      “My motto is ‘Hire the best people, and don’t trust them.’” (Trump: Think Big, 2007) OR “Surround yourself with people you can trust.” (Trump: How to Get Rich, 2004)

      “My motto is ‘Hire the best people, and don’t trust them.’” (Trump: Think Big, 2007) OR “Surround yourself with people you can trust.” (Trump: How to Get Rich, 2004)

      1. My Esoteric profile image86
        My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        “They are the most dishonest people in the world. The media. They are the worst. They are very dishonest people. They are terrible.” (Indianapolis, April 20, 2016) OR  “OK, no, I don’t hate anybody. I love the media. They’re wonderful.” (Indianapolis, April 20, 2016)

        And then there is this "“If you equivocate, it’s an indication that you’re unsure of yourself and what you’re doing. It’s also what politicians do all the time, and I find it inappropriate, insulting and condescending. I try not to do it.” (Trump: How to Get Rich, 2004)

      2. GA Anderson profile image82
        GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        Okay My Esoteric, this one got me. I am not quibbling with your "quiz," I am just noting that my first response was to think politics. (Hmm . . . did I just weigh in on that "I'm not a politician" question?)

        GA

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Granted, most of these will have nothing to do with Covid yet,  but how do they put it in court, "it lays a foundation"?

          I also realize that for some of these much time has passed between changed views.  And I don't hold people changing their opinion when new facts come in - but - there is a point when the frequency of it (within very short time spans) where it becomes a method of operation.  The best example of that in the first set I offered was the pair about the media.

    37. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/20/2020

      "His claims against Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," are among the most outrageous. He renewed them in earnest last week, asking in a tweet: "When will they open a Cold Case on the Psycho Joe Scarborough matter in Florida. Did he get away with murder?" - THIS is the President of the United States, mind you!  But the TRUTH is "Authorities in Florida have answered -- adamantly -- no. They ruled the 2001 death of Lori Klausutis, who worked as an aide in Scarborough's congressional office when he represented Florida's 1st District, accidental. And they have not described the matter as a "cold case."

      I posted this once already and focused on the "voter fraud" lie.  This time I will point out another. ""Breaking," he wrote, "Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!"
      His claims were false; the state's secretary of state announced Tuesday that all registered voters would receive vote by mail ballot applications, not the ballots themselves. He made similar claims against Nevada in a subsequent tweet." - There is nothing illegal about mailing out ballot applications (his original post just "ballots"), many states do it include many Republican states.

      1. peoplepower73 profile image82
        peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

        5/21/2020 Trump says the virus will go away without a vaccine.

        https://www.factcheck.org/2020/05/trump … t-vaccine/

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Just finished updating my Covid tracking spreadsheets and it is becoming very clear the health professionals were right, the nation opened up to soon.  Across the board, save for those states who took coronavirus seriously, the rate of new cases is increasing; in some states, rapidly.

          Has the next wave begun?

          1. GA Anderson profile image82
            GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Could this noted increase be due to much higher testing rates? It seems so to me.

            Perhaps a ratio, (percentage), comparison would add some perspective?

            GA

            1. peoplepower73 profile image82
              peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

              GA:  Here is everything you wanted to know about the statistics on the virus, sliced and diced many ways.

              https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/coronavirus?ocid=st

              1. GA Anderson profile image82
                GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                Thanks Mike. Although there was a lot of information in your link, I didn't locate any data on positives vs. total tests ratios. A quick look at a CDC site did find that nationwide as of 5/20 the rate was 13% of 12+ million tests.

                My question wonders what that percent was on earlier dates, like 4/20? I suspect the percentage might be higher, making claims of increases due to reopening less than reliable

                GA

                1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                  peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  GA:  This may help you, but you may have to do some interpolation of historical data by state.

                  https://covidtracking.com/about-data/vi … tion-guide

                  Mike

                  1. GA Anderson profile image82
                    GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    Thanks again Mike, that one did do the trick. Just using that link's numbers, it does appear that the positive percentages are declining, and, although with only one week to compare—positives continued their decline even after the partial reopening, (5/15).

                    I will save this link to check back in another 10 days to see if that trend changes after more reopening contact.

                    Here is the trend mentioned:
                    2/20
                    2 tests, 2 positives
                    100%

                    3/20
                    206,304 tests, 28.285 positives
                    14%

                    4/20
                    4,032,723 tests, 777,068 positives
                    19%

                    5/15 (general partial reopen date)
                    10,739,347 test, 1,434,235 positives
                    13.36%

                    5/20
                    12,637,495 tests, 1,542,054 positives
                    12.2%

                    https://covidtracking.com/about-data/vi … tion-guide

                    GA

                2. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  This is probably what you are looking for.

                  https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/testing/individual-states

                  But, one must be careful with the data presented.

                  Total daily deaths have varied roughly between 25,000 and 35,000 with a potential uptick the last few days.

                  At the same time, after testing started increasing from its plateau at 150,000 per day to the current 400,000, it grew about 2.7 times.  On the other hand, the positive rate decreased at about the same amount from 16.1% to 6% or 2.7 times decrease.

                  I must think more about that, but at first blush, I don't think that provides very useful information.

                  What I have to try to figure out is what would be the number of positives had the rate of testing remained constant at 150,000 per day.  If more testing DOES catch more positive cases, then under the constant testing per day scenario the number of positive cases would be getting less and less.  But I am not sure how to get there from the data i have right now.

                  1. GA Anderson profile image82
                    GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    You keep right on 'thinking' about it Scott. You are welcome to it. ;-)

                    My interests only goes as deep as understanding the general trend as it will be affected by the reopening.

                    I strongly believe we must work to reopen our economy sooner rather than later and it is the risk trade-off that the tests vs. positives numbers will show that will influence my opinion.

                    GA

            2. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              GA, yes, that could certainly be part of the reason.  The real indicator will be is if the number of admissions into hospitals go up.  But right now, there isn't enough data determine if the amount of testing is related to the number of new cases.

              I ran a couple of multiple regressions on some normalized data looking for a relationship.  The first time I ran it, the sign on the "test" coefficient was wrong, meaning that has the number of tests went up, the lower the case count.

              The second time I ran it with more data accumulated, it now trends in the proper direction at this point in time.  Unfortunately, the percent of variation explained by my variables (tests and population density) was only fair-to-middling.

              I think the reason why the relationship is not stronger is that they still so little surveillance testing going on.  Almost all of the people being tested in most states are already sick.  As surveillance testing increases then that is when you should see testing related increases.

              I'll update the data again next week and see if things improve.

              That said, there will be a point where more testing won't necessarily lead to more cases.  But we have some time to go before that happens since testing is still so far behind what is needed.

              1. GA Anderson profile image82
                GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                A recent explanation demonstrated that data like the numbers I looked at; tests vs. positives, can only be a broad generalized indicator because of issues with different ways states are reporting their numbers.

                Some states include positive viral tests and positive antigen tests in their numbers which can skew the numbers when compared to states that only report viral tests as positives.

                Considering how many folks only suffer mildly with Covid-19 before getting over it, (meaning no hospital visit), I am not sure I would place such importance on the hospital admissions numbers.

                Of course, I am just guessing, but I think the best indicator will be the original tests vs positives ratio four weeks from 5/15. This will paint the picture of the effect of increased social contact during the reopening by allowing the 1 to 2-week incubation/display period to be represented in the testing numbers.

                GA

    38. My Esoteric profile image86
      My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      5/24/2020

      "TRUMP: "The United States cannot have all Mail In Ballots. It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history. People grab them from mailboxes, print thousands of forgeries and ‘force’ people to sign. Also, forge names. Some absentee OK, when necessary. Trying to use Covid for this Scam!" — tweet Sunday."

      What a lie since he knows that is not true.

      "THE FACTS: Voting fraud is rare.

      It’s true that some election studies have shown a slightly higher incidence of mail-in voting fraud compared with in-person voting, but the overall risk is extremely low. The Brennan Center for Justice said in 2017 the risk of voting fraud is 0.00004% to 0.0009%."  ALSO "Trump’s push for in-person voting runs counter to the current guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention"  Meaning Trump is purposely endangering people's health and lives just like the Trumplicans in Wisconsin did - making dozens of people sick.


      "TRUMP, on the 2016 election: "I’m fighting the deep state. I’m fighting the swamp. ... They never thought I was going to win, and then I won. And then they tried to get me out. That was the ‘insurance policy.’ She’s going to win, but just in case she doesn’t win we have an insurance policy." — interview aired Sunday on “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”

      THE FACTS: He's repeating a false claim that there was a conspiracy afoot to take him out if he won the 2016 presidential race, based on a text message between two FBI employees.

      Trump has repeatedly depicted the two as referring to a plot — or insurance policy — to oust him from office if he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton. It’s apparent from the text that it wasn’t that."

      "TRUMP: "I’ve received a lot of positive letters and it seems to have an impact. And maybe it does; maybe it doesn’t. But if it doesn’t, you’re not going to get sick or die. This is a pill that’s been used for a long time — for 30, 40 years on the malaria and on lupus too, and even on arthritis." — remarks on May 18.

      TRUMP: "It doesn’t hurt people." — remarks Tuesday after a GOP policy lunch." - A Big Fat Lie

      FACTS: It does hurt people when used off-label.  If fact it kills people, as several studies have shown including a very big study.  Since it does kill people using it as Trump wants people to use it and Trump is telling true believers to use it, he is in effect signing the death warrant for a few of them.

      "TRUMP: "You know we got the Veterans Choice." — remarks Friday at veterans’ event.

      TRUMP: "We’ve done the greatest job maybe of anything in the VA, because I got VA Choice ... approved." — remarks on May 18.

      THE FACTS: False. He didn’t get Veterans Choice approved; President Barack Obama did in 2014. Trump expanded it, under a 2018 law known as the MISSION Act."  Why does Trump lie so much?

      1. GA Anderson profile image82
        GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

        ""THE FACTS: Voting fraud is rare.

        It’s true that some election studies have shown a slightly higher incidence of mail-in voting fraud compared with in-person voting, but the overall risk is extremely low."


        Indicating a lesser degree of something as fact would seem to fall into the category of calling something exaggeration and hyperbole more so than a provable lie. Can you prove those things won't happen in the future, (2024)?

        "THE FACTS: He's repeating a false claim that there was a conspiracy afoot to take him out if he won the 2016 presidential race, based on a text message between two FBI employees.

        Trump has repeatedly depicted the two as referring to a plot — or insurance policy — to oust him from office if he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton. It’s apparent from the text that it wasn’t that."


        What was the insurance policy the text spoke of? What is your proof that it wasn't what was claimed? As we continue to learn more, are you sure you want to defend Strzok and Page?

        It looks like you are getting a little 'loose' with your "facts."

        GA

        1. My Esoteric profile image86
          My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

          Nope, but Trump is stating the fraud claims as fact now.  And it isn't true.  In any case, the Trumplicans will have a chance to prove it in court since that is the basis of challenging CA's mail-in ballot order.

          Insurance policy?  Whatever the two FBI agents texted about.  From their texts, one can easily see Trump is being very paranoid.

          1. GA Anderson profile image82
            GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Yet you don't know what their "insurance policy" texts were talking about, but even not knowing, you still claim it a fact that it wasn't what Pres. Trump said, right?

            GA

            1. My Esoteric profile image86
              My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

              And why do I personally need to know about that??  All I need to know is Trump was talking about it as if it were really true and examination of the texts proves him a liar.

              That is all that matters, isn't it.  He made a false claim, period.

              1. GA Anderson profile image82
                GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                No, that is not all that matters. If you are going to call something a lie you need to be able to support that claim.

                If you don't know what the "insurance" texts meant, then how can you legitimately determine someone else's interpretations of those texts are a lie?

                "You don't 'think' Pres. Trump's interpretations of what those texts mean are true, but what you "think" is a far cry from the standard of declaring something a "fact."

                When you can prove that what those texts did mean is contrary to what Pres. Trump is declaring them to mean—then you can claim factual support for your statements. Until then you are only offering your opinion—not facts.

                Regardless of appearances, patterns, or trends, you cannot claim your opinion to be fact without actual factual support. Hence my claim that you are playing "loose" with your claims of "facts."

                Can you prove me wrong? Can you provide facts that support your opinion

                GA

                1. peoplepower73 profile image82
                  peoplepower73posted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  GA:  There are many types of lies, but saying something untrue with the intent to deceive, is what Trump does. So by your definition when he says "many people" have told me so and there is never any proof of "many people."  Is he lying with the intent to deceive?  I would say he is.

                  Just like his conspiracy theories they are open-ended and never proven. When he says, voting by mail creates fraud and it is proven that is untrue.  Is he lying with the intent to deceive? 

                  https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/trump … formation/

                  1. GA Anderson profile image82
                    GA Andersonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    "I would say he is."

                    And there is the difference peoplepower. Your statement is your opinion and is a valid statement.

                    However, ". . . voting by mail creates fraud and it is proven that is untrue. " is not a valid statement as My Esoteric's own quoted blurb notes it has not been disproven.

                    GA

                2. My Esoteric profile image86
                  My Esotericposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  What if Trump wrongly said that 2 to the nth power is NOT greater than 2 to the nth minus one power with 'n' greater than 0.  Would you ask me to prove that?

                  As to me proving it, I say again, I don't need to because as what I posted contained research by others who I trust (which is why I called it a lie).  But since you are forcing me to waste my time proving the obvious -

                  "When former FBI lawyer Lisa Page and former FBI agent Peter Strzok discussed a so-called "insurance policy" involving then-candidate Donald Trump and the Russia investigation in 2016, they were discussing how quickly to proceed with the probe, Page told lawmakers last year.

                  Page told House lawmakers in a closed-door interview that the text message about an "insurance policy" if Trump won the 2016 election — which Republicans have cited to point to the anti-Trump bias the investigators exhibited — was a reference to the fact that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into whether members of Trump's team were colluding with Russia would take on a greater significance if he was in the White House.
                  "If he is not elected, then, to the extent that the Russians were colluding with members of his team, we're still going to investigate that even without him being President, because any time the Russians do anything with a US person, we care, and it's very serious to us," Page said.
                  "But if he becomes President, that totally changes the game because now he is the President of the United States," she continued. "He's going to immediately start receiving classified briefings. He's going to be exposed to the most sensitive secrets imaginable. And if there is somebody on his team who wittingly or unwittingly is working with the Russians, that is super serious."

                  1. wilderness profile image88
                    wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                    "As to me proving it, I say again, I don't need to because as what I posted contained research by others who I trust..."


                    LOL  Esoteric, you will trust anyone that jumps on the bandwagon of demonizing our president.  Even if obviously false (Trump supporters are ex