Wednesday, April 15, 2020

GOTCHA!!

But first this:  I hope each of you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

--Rarely, if ever, have I sympathized with POTUS,  But as I watch his press briefings, I kind of think the reporters are really in a gotcha frame of mind.  They know what he said yesterday, last week, last month, or whenever.  And they nail him every time.  On some level he cannot win.  And maybe he shouldn't--but there is a moment for me when I think, oh fuck, they are "gotcha-ing" him. Lets move on.
--He deserves every gotcha he gets.  He is an inveterate pathetic liar who is more infant than adult.  He cannot even correctly read what is in front of him in his prepared remarks.  When he does read them, he interrupts himself and goes to his ritual of "greatest"' "most beautiful"' "biggest"'--a litany of grandiosity that only an insecure deranged person would dabble in.
--Speaking of which, I miss not having Hunter Thompson around to witness this.  He would have already convinced me that POTUS was on some sort of pyschedelic drugs imported from indigenous tribes in South America--curare or something.
--But his ratings are excellent. And people in his base never did like NYC or the NY Times anyhow so he is just feeding them reassuring messages
--Does anyone else think Jared is really one of the Munsters or a member of the Adams family?
--So, here we have my home state of Florida whose Governor believes professional wrestling is an essential service and will let them wrestle but without an audience.  The same governor who kept beaches open during Spring Break.  The same governor who won election by less than a hair.
--His non biological sister is the Gov of South Dakota.  While the state remains open (she suggested to residents that they do not watch the news), Smitfield closed its meat processing plant in Sioux City after 50% of its employees tested positive.  The Mayor wants a stay at home order but not the Gov.
--I listen intently to Cuomo, to my Governor Baker, and to my Mayor Walsh.  They each actually believe in facts, believe in science, and as far as I can tell, speak honestly with compassion.  They do not get into pissing matches with the media to prove how big their bully pulpits are.  Maybe they are all still pols.  But in this moment, they are also leaders.  POTUS has no clue.
--Would you like to have the virus and be in the district of the Indiana Congressman who said if it is a choice betwen the economy and saving lives, the economy comes first.  Might as well phone the funeral home so he can go get his Big Mac.
--What to make of conservative members of Congress when they read that both China and Russia are making donations to us to fight the virus.  Are they not virulent haters of those reds?  Or will they also speak differently when this is all over.
--I become scared when I hear POTUS say he has total authority even though he changed his tune the next day.  My fantasy is he thinks he can cancel November elections.
--Biden and the Dems better figure out a way to get air time.  POTUS is getting all this free/daily tv time during which he mainly boasts and lies and Joe can only respond from his basement.  But Bernie did come through and it was not some mealy mouthed support speech like with Hilary.
--And in the midst of this pandemic, we pull out of WHO.  Really it s not surprising.  Any effort at being good neighbors has been killed.  We are building a bubble but one that is not permeable.

Watching a bunch of games from yesteryear.
Stay safe.
Shalom