Whenever some bad news comes out that might harm him, Trump says something outrageous to distract people. He has done this so often that the cause-effect relationship is easy to spot.
Take yesterday. There was devastating news that the GDP had shrunk at a whopping annualized rate of 32.9% in the second quarter of the year. That is a devastating number and was the worst loss since the second world war. This means that Trump’s hope that the economy will recover soon despite his incompetence, and that he can ride the wave of a recovery to win re-election, is now is serious doubt. The third-quarter report will be released just a week or so before the election on November 3rd but that will be too late to change the country’s mood.
So what does he do? He throws out the idea that he might postpone the election. This is just nonsense. He does not have the power to set the election date. Only Congress can do that but Trump knows that many reporters and analysts will chase after that squirrel and the terrible GDP news will lose some of the spotlight.
But no amount of smoke and mirrors can hide the reality that many people are hurting and there is no sign of things getting better any time soon.
Meanwhile, despite this bad news and the large numbers of people who have lost their jobs, health insurance, and their homes, the stock market keeps chugging along as if everything is just fine in the economy.
It is getting worse. Where EU for example is expecting an averaged drop of around 12% annualized but that was while getting the virus under control. TThe expected contraction for this year, the northern part of the EU around 5%, the southern part around 10%. Where the US is on track of getting a 30%-40% contraction over the whole year. And worse it will continue next year, at hopefully a lower number, as well even with another president, the side effect of convincing a significant percentage of the US population they are at war with the remaining US population while making measures to combat COVID-19 a target of his war.
Trumpety hasn’t mentioned the good ol’ SPAAACE FOOORCE recently. Maybe he can announce a mission to colonize the sun (they can go there at night when it’s cooler).
Here’s my take: the hail mary he’s hoping for would be a covid-19 vaccine being announced, which he would then take credit for as thoroughly as if he’d been in the lab mixing up test tubes this entire time.
But Birx and Fauci have both told him that the earliest possible date when a vaccine might be ready would be mid-November. So in his mind, he doesn’t have to delay it long — just a few weeks, and then a grateful nation will adore him once again for delivering the savior vaccine while descending from the clouds in a golden chariot.
@brucegee1962
Trump will probably announce the availability of a vaccine shortly before the election, whether one is available or not.
re Jörg @4: And ANYONE who wants it can get it, right?
Mano:
See Jon Schwarz/The Intercept: “The Unemployment Crisis Is a True National Emergency”
If Schwarz is correct, things are going to get a lot worse.
@#5 johnson catman
And it will be the bestest, most beautiful vaccine ever.
Sorry, forgot the sarcasm tag
/sin #7re Jörg @8: TOTALLY not needed.