Weekend at Stalin's

Patient Number 1:  We’re now in the part of the Trump saga that feels like a mash up of Weekend at Bernie’s and The Death of Stalin, the lesser known but frighteningly true satire about the days surrounding the end of that murderous dictator’s life.  It’s not clear that Trump plans to implement Stalin’s “kill all the doctors” purge, but the Walter Reed doctors appear to be acting as if their lives, or at the very least their careers, are on the line.  There’s no other way to explain why, despite their individual specialties, they’ve so willingly lined up behind Trump’s White House physician, the amiable but deceitful, propaganda spewing Dr. Sean Conley who ascended to his position upon the recommendation of Trump’s last doctor, the infamous Ronny Jackson who is on his way to securing a seat in the Texas Congressional delegation.  According to Conley, the 74 year old Trump has no comorbidities, is only slightly overweight and his COVID case is very mild which of course explains why he’s on Regeneron’s experimental monoclonal antibody cocktail, Gilead’s anti-viral Remdesivir, the steroid dexamethasone usually used for people on oxygen and in respiratory distress, zinc, melatonin, vitamin D, Pepcid and aspirin.  Trump may well be the first patient to be given both the experimental monoclonal antibodies and Remdesivir at the same time but why not give that combo to a patient with only a mild case, right?  Trump’s oxygen saturation is great but has dropped below 94 though not into the low 80s and he didn’t really need any but has at least twice been given supplemental oxygen, something that the good doctor initially failed to admit because he didn’t want to alarm anyone least of all Trump by telling the truth but was forced to reveal after Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows off the record report of Trump’s true condition went public.  Trump’s temperature has at times been alarmingly high but is now normal, though the good doctor won’t reveal if it’s only temporarily suppressed due to the steroids and/or Tylenol. Also Trump has had lung scans, but the results are none of our business. For his part Trump, ever the spin master has released a few videos of his own, to “prove” his health and stamina and that he’s busy at work signing what appears to be blank pieces of paper with his favorite Sharpie.  By the way, the videos appear to have been doctored to remove a coughing fit or two and during the last one, posted yesterday his breathing was labored but whatever.  And of course, there’s that weekend capper – his victory lap around the Walter Reed parking lot in a hermetically sealed vehicle, one that kept all of his virus particulates inside because what world leader doesn’t want to overload his driver and Secret Service contingent with coronavirus throwing them closer to infection and into fourteen day quarantines? Worth noting, Melania who appears to be doing better than her hubby refused an opportunity to visit Trump at Walter Reed saying that she thought it would be irresponsible to expose her drivers and guards to the risk of transporting her. She may hate Christmas but she’s not stupid.  Dr Conley says that Trump is doing so well that he might be released as early as today even though that makes little medical sense given the unpredictable trajectory of the virus.  But hell, why shouldn’t Trump get to return to his own digs to share the virus with those few remaining members of the White House staff who haven’t already been infected if that’s what he wants to do?                     

Viral Musings:  We will probably never know for sure how Trump got the virus but it’s likely that he didn’t catch it from Hope Hicks since it appears that they both were infected around the same time which means that Trump was probably already infected at the time of Tuesday night’s presidential debate, the debate where he spewed aerosol droplets at Joe Biden while Melania, his kids and their significant others sat maskless in the front row.  He was most certainly ill when he went to NJ to hobnob and beg a crowd of high worth donors for much needed campaign cash and definitely already knew he was COVID positive when he told Sean Hannity on Thursday night that he was waiting for his test results.  It’s not even clear that Trump even caught it at the reception held to announce and celebrate the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, he may have caught it sooner and had it then and during his debate prep, but one thing is becoming increasingly clear, that garden party will go down in history as the suprespreader event of the century and for all we know Trump was the superspreader, after all he is the best at everything he does or so he says.  As of now, in addition to Hope, Melania and Trump the infected include:  Campaign Manager Bill Stepian, former strategist and current campaign prepper Kellyanne Conway and at least one of her daughers Tik Tokker Claudia, Senators Mike Lee, Thom Tillis and Ron Johnson, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, Notre Dame President Jenkins, at least three possibly more White House staffers including Trump body man Nick Luna, whose wife works for Jared Kushner, at least eleven staffers from Cleveland where the debate was held and former NJ Governor/debate prepper Chris Christie who is in the hospital due in large part to one of his obvious comorbidities. Most of those individuals learned about Trump’s infection via the press and not by a call from the White House.   Attorney General Barr who spent some quality time whispering with Kellyanne is not yet among the infected, but after saying he would not be quarantining himself, late yesteday he said that he would enter a hermetically sealed bubble for at least a few days. Senator Chuck Grassley, the octagenarian who was exposed says he’s not planning to take a test nor is he all that interested in quarantining himself but Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan who sat next to a maskless Ron Johnson during a recent Senate hearing is planning to stay home until he’s clear even though he’s facing a close reelection race.  Also a bunch of Republican Congressman who should also be in quarantine were last seen on a public flight sharing their germs.  Joe Biden, VP Mike Pence, and Javanka all report one or more negative tests as does Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who was in Italy last week not meeting with the Pope who turned down his request for a visit.  We haven’t heard much from the rest of the Trump kids, though reports are that Barron is okay.  Eric appears to be well and is supposed to be interviewed about Trump company finanicals via Zoom by the NY State Attorney General’s office today and so far that’s on, though its likely that he’ll plead the Fifth for obvious reasons. As to Judge Amy’s Supreme Court nomination, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who almost always wears a mask, is still doing his best to make it happen, COVID or no COVID.  He’s counting on his quarantined Senators making it back in time for a vote and if that doesn’t work, he’ll probably try to change the rules.   At last count the US coronavirus death count is around 210,000 and the not so funny thing about most of those victims, none of them got all of Trump’s “miracle” drugs and not a single one of them got to take a spin around their hospital, or even got to hold the hand of a family member during their final hours.    

Politics Unusual:  The Republicans are still trying to impede voting and they need to as recent polls show Biden at above 50% and up by more than ten points, not that we believe polls.  Cal Cunningham, North Carolina’s Democratic candidate for Senator got caught up in a sexting scandal of his own this weekend; apparently he shared some inappropriate for a married man texts with a thankfully of age California strategist.  He’s currently running in a dead heat with the COVID postive/quarantined Senator Thom Tillis.  North Carolina is one of those states that the Democrats hoped to take away from the Republicans so this throws a depressing wrinkle into those plans.  If polls are correct, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is also running neck and neck with his opponent Jaime Harrison who thoroughly destroyed him during their weekend debate.  Not only did Harrison bring his “A” game, but he showed up with his very own plexiglass divider to insure his safety.  As of now, VP candidate Kamala Harris is scheduled to debate VP Pence on Wednesday night in Utah.  At Harris’ request the candidates will be separated by a tall wall, two acres and anyone who refuses to wear a mask will be thrown out the window or something like that.  And Trump promises that he’ll be around for his next scheduled debate which is supposed to take place in a town hall setting on October 15 and who knows, he’s genetically superior and his doctor says he’s doing great so?

#WearAMask