by John Walters
Positive Vibes*
*The judges will also accept, “I Really Don’t Care, Do You?“
The president and his wife have tested positive for the coronavirus, as did top adviser Hope Hicks and RNC chairwoman (co)Ronna McDaniel. So many thoughts:
–Shouldn’t have tested (then they wouldn’t have it, right?).
–We still don’t know how Robert Trump died.
–Turns out science does know.
–As an obese 74 year-old man, what does Donald Trump have to worry about?
–Paging Dr. Atlas! Paging Dr. Scott Atlas!
–Turns out the Cleveland Clinic required everyone to wear masks at the debate on Tuesday night. Biden’s family and entourage did. Trump’s did not. Welp. Also, I guess it’s safe to say this week’s debate is not happening. Hopefully we’re done with that WWF circus.
–Thoughts and prayers to Saturday Night Live writers, who just threw the cold open into the trash and are writing a new one.
–There’s something very important to acknowledge here for all those white evangelicals and religious zealots who blindly follow the president: 2,000 or so years ago no one knew what a virus was or how it spread and so this little fable of a cruel and malevolent man who came to power and then (potentially) was struck down might be construed as a plague that God (or Yahweh) had sent down from heaven to punish him for his ill-hearted deeds.
Now we know that it is a virus, that it does not choose between Republicans or Democrats, the faithful or atheists. It is catholic—small “c”— in its reach of potential victims. Religion is the great explainer for the ignorant. Doesn’t mean you can’t love science and also believe in God. Just pointing out how this would’ve been spun 2,000 years ago as opposed to how it is today.
But, BUT, if you do believe in such things, you might think of this as “Ginsburg’s Revenge.” RBG arrived at the Pearly Gates two weeks ago and it didn’t take her long to make a suggestion to the Boss.
—Is there a chance that this is a political maneuver by the president and his team? I doubt it, and it seems bizarre to even suggest, but what if someone looked at the daily polls and persuaded Trump that his best chance was to postpone the election due to illness? I’m pretty sure they can’t do that, but when have those three words ever stopped this administration?
–If the White House’s stance on preventive coronavirus steps changes one iota today, it’s your right as an American citizen to ask why. And yet, if it doesn’t, you have to ask if they’re going to “Two solariums!” territory in terms of their recalcitrant stubbornness. Either way they lose.
–It’s not about wishing the worst possible outcome for Trump and Melania… it’s about acknowledging that no person on the planet was in a better position to mitigate the effects of this pandemic and that he did practically nothing. And, in almost every conceivable way, his actions and deeds and words since March have emboldened a gigantic swath of Americans to ignore or downplay the virus, to call it a “hoax.” So, considering the tens of thousands of deaths for which Donald Trump is directly responsible, pardon me if I don’t reach for the rosary beads.
–I’m reminded of perhaps my favorite Winston Churchill moment. This was soon after World War II, 1947, when Churchill was rightly and roundly being praised for helping save the western world from the Nazis. Stanley Baldwin, the former UK prime minister (1935-1937) was turning 80 and he invited Churchill to his birthday party and, of course, to speak at the affair.
Now Baldwin had been PM when Great Britain was at the height of its pronounced obliviousness to the Nazis and Hitler (sort of how we are with climate change and the virus right now). It was at that time that Churchill had been sounding every possible alarm about Hitler’s military buildup. I think today’s you’d call him a snowflake or a coronabro. So adamant was parliament to not hearing any of these warnings that Churchill was practically laughed out of his seat and would lose his election. He was sent packing, a chicken little who at the time it seemed, had spent his last day in public life.
Well, we know what happened after that and Churchill never forgot that Baldwin had led the charge against him as being a worry wart. So when history turned in Churchill’s favor but Baldwin still invited him to his birthday party, Churchill could’ve been gracious. After all, England won, right? But Churchill thought of all the needless deaths (43,000 civilians in the Battle of Britain alone) that had taken place due to Baldwin’s arrogance and unwillingness to acknowledge reality. And so Churchill penned his reply.
“Congratulations on your 80th birthday. I will not be attending. It would have been far better for this nation if you had never been born.”
That’s how I feel about Donald Trump contracting the coronavirus. So, no, no false “thoughts and prayers” or “get well, get well soon!”
Here’s Your Smoking Gun of the Trump Presidency
Remember what we wrote on Monday (I mean, we don’t remember what we wrote yesterday; why should you?)? Well, here it is laid out: The Russians moved $330 million into Deutsche Bank (The Devil’s Bank), which then turned around and lent the money to Trump. This at a time when no reputable bank would come within five boroughs of Trump, so often had he defaulted on loans and gone bankrupt.
It’s pretty easy to connect the dots from there. We’ve got a Russian puppet i the White House.
Enjoy Your Pad-cast
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, 1932.
Fernando Tatis and Will Myers, 2020.
These are the only two sets of teammates to each homer twice in the same playoff game. Pret-tee, pret-tee good company. The Cardinals were up on the Friars 6-2 early last night and it looked as if they would disappear meekly as had the Indians, Blue Jays, Twins and Reds thus far. But then the Padres got hot (Machado also blasted one out) to force a Game 3 today.
Baseball’s more fun in 2020 with the Padres in it. Also, I cannot name a single Cardinal but somehow I bet Matt Carpenter still plays for them. I’m not even going to check.
Wichita State
I never knew about the Wichita State football team plane crash that took place 50 years ago today in the Rocky Mountains. Excellent story here from Chris Connelly.
Tom Petty
The music world lost music legend Tom Petty three years ago today. Petty’s death was somewhat overshadowed by the Las Vegas shooting that had taken place the night before, I believe. Petty might still be alive if he hadn’t embarked on—and not quit—his tour that spring and summer while trying to recover from a broken hip.
My good friend Randall M. and I saw Petty on this tour in Nashville. He was always one of our favorites and it was terrific to see him, even in a diminished state. Just wish someone would’ve forced him to stop and take a break.
MORE thoughts –
Guess we won’t have to hear about hydroxychloroquine & its “fantastic” COVID-preventing properties anymore?
AFTER Hicks tested positive & the WH was informed, that SOCIOPATH gets on a plane with his ‘party’ to do yet another fundraiser. Did NOT wear a mask (shocking, I know) & was in close proximity to dozens of ignorant (in oh so many ways) supporters.
I awoke at 3AM & the TV was on (yes, I often fall asleep with the TV on!) & that’s when I heard the “news”. My ONLY thought before I rolled over to snooze again : “LOL, the GOP-Nazis will try to ‘indict’ RBG & God for “election interference”.”
If the WH is actually admitting to “mild COVID symptoms”, Trump is probably thisclose to a ventilator.
And if that “human garbage” does survive, he will crow nonstop how he “beat COVID’s ass”. That nobody else could beat its ass like HE could, because his “virus-fighting’ genes are 2nd to none, they are in fact, “genius-level”. BOOK IT. Any bets? Anyone? Anyone? Step right up…..
And one more time – GORE won the popular vote in the 2000 election. 🙂
And have I mentioned (lately) that I bought TWLO back in March for $90.50/share? I don’t think I’ve ever had a ‘Triple’ in just 6 months before but it ALMOST makes up for yet another of my long-held energy holdings about to go under. For those keeping score, that would be THREE this year. Should have bought MORE TWLO!
As your resident Cardinals fan commenter, yes, unfortunately Matt Carpenter is still on the Cardinals’ roster. He had something like 2 years left on his contract when the team offered to extend him another 2 years. This was while he was on a clear decline in production and in the waning years of his career. Terrible move by the Cardinals, who’ve tied up a lot of money on Carpenter and Dexter Fowler.