occupydemocrats--2020-03-20--Asian journalist is harassed with racial slur while reporting on virus-caused spike in racism

As Donald Trump works overtime to convince his supporters to start calling the coronavirus the “ Chinese virus , ” racist attacks against Asian-Americans are on the rise .
The president clearly cares little about this grim development and is far more concerned with avoiding blame for his pitiful handling of the pandemic .
Directing his xenophobic base at the Chinese is a convenient way for him to keep voters from realizing how badly his administration has fumbled this crisis .
Trump ’ s racist strategy is already spreading through his party like a virus itself , with an increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phrase “ Chinese virus ” and hurling it at the press at every opportunity .
One Kansas Republican even went so far as to claim that his state is having little trouble with the coronavirus because so few Chinese people live there .
CNN ’ s Kyung Lah appeared on Jake Tapper ’ s program today and revealed that while reporting on the wave of rising anti-Asian sentiment she was racially harassed earlier today .
She said that a man walked right up to her and used a racial slur , something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her face since elementary school .
Trump fired America ’ s pandemic response team .
Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately !
“ So we were standing there preparing for live shots this morning , just hours ago and a man walked up and used a racial slur .
Flung it right at me .
And I was so surprised and so taken aback that I asked him to repeat it because I couldn ’ t believe , ” said Lah .
She added that the most surprising aspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s “ happening in front of our faces , directly at people.
” This kind of vile behavior will only continue to spread as Republicans stoke racial divides for political gain .
It ’ s not enough to just condemn their bigotry , we as Americans must come together despite the GOP ’ s hateful efforts and defend one another .
If you witness this kind of racism , call it out .
Racists must be shamed until they scutter back beneath the rocks they crawled out from under .
@ @ @ @ @

As Donald Trump works overtime to convince his supporters to start calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus,” racist attacks against Asian-Americans are on the rise. The president clearly cares little about this grim development and is far more concerned with avoiding blame for his pitiful handling of the pandemic. Directing his xenophobic base at the Chinese is a convenient way for him to keep voters from realizing how badly his administration has fumbled this crisis.
Trump’s racist strategy is already spreading through his party like a virus itself, with an increasing number of GOP officials gleefully scooping up the phrase “Chinese virus” and hurling it at the press at every opportunity. One Kansas Republican even went so far as to claim that his state is having little trouble with the coronavirus because so few Chinese people live there.
CNN’s Kyung Lah appeared on Jake Tapper’s program today and revealed that while reporting on the wave of rising anti-Asian sentiment she was racially harassed earlier today. She said that a man walked right up to her and used a racial slur, something she can’t recall happening to her face since elementary school.
Trump fired America’s pandemic response team. Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately!
“So we were standing there preparing for live shots this morning, just hours ago and a man walked up and used a racial slur. Flung it right at me. And I was so surprised and so taken aback that I asked him to repeat it because I couldn’t believe,” said Lah. She added that the most surprising aspect of the rise in anti-Asian bigotry is that it’s “happening in front of our faces, directly at people.”
This kind of vile behavior will only continue to spread as Republicans stoke racial divides for political gain. It’s not enough to just condemn their bigotry, we as Americans must come together despite the GOP’s hateful efforts and defend one another. If you witness this kind of racism, call it out. Racists must be shamed until they scutter back beneath the rocks they crawled out from under.
—@KyungLahCNN tells @jaketapper that while she was preparing for a live shot earlier today "a man walked up" to her and "used a racial slur" pic.twitter.com/rs2EYOzdpW — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 20, 2020
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-20--Trump explodes in vile rant against reporter for asking him to speak to scared Americans

The pressures of the coronavirus crisis are clearly starting to get to the president in a time when we need cool-headed and calm leadership more than ever .
An embarrassing scene unfolded today during his latest coronavirus press conference when President Trump exploded at NBC reporter Peter Alexander .
The clip is especially distressing to watch because Alexander wasn ’ t even challenging him or asking any tough questions ; he simply asked him if he had anything to say to Americans who are frightened by the pandemic currently gripping the nation after citing some of the harrowing statistics about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What do you say to Americans who are scared ?
” But the perpetually defensive and paranoid Trump instinctively interpreted the question as blaming him for frightening Americans , prompting him to erupt in a furious diatribe , calling it a “ nasty question ” and trashing the media in general .
“ I say that you are a terrible reporter .
That ’ s what I say…you ’ re doing sensationalism .
And the same with NBC and Comcast .
I don ’ t call it Comcast .
I call it ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appalling show of unhinged vitriol and an astonishing abdication of leadership from our ostensible commander-in-chief .
Trump is clearly well aware of the role his deliberate neglect played in exacerbating the crisis , which in his mind implicitly frames any kind of discussion of its tangible consequences as an indictment of his presidency — which it is .
Since any criticism or blame is utterly anathema to the hypersensitive Trump , his decaying brain can only respond with venom .
CNN ’ s Kaitie Collins , stunned at what she had just seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , took up Alexander ’ s softball and hit Trump with the bat : “ You see yourself as a wartime President right now , leading the country through a pandemic that we are experiencing .
Do you think going off on Peter , going off on a network is appropriate when the country is going through something like this ?
” Trump doubled down , slamming Alexander as “ not a good journalist ” and complained that “ coming together is much harder when we have dishonest journalists.
” There is little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; how many more times can we cry in frustration about how much of a disgrace Donald Trump is to our nation and his office ?
How many times has he utterly failed to take any kind of leadership in a time of crisis ?
How many times has he let Americans die and then refused to take any responsibility for it ?
How many times has he attacked the media and undermined their credibility for trying to hold him accountable for his incompetence and his heinous misdeeds ?
We ’ ve seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet it is still truly jarring to behold .
Removing him from office this November has to be our nation ’ s highest priority .
What do you think ?

The pressures of the coronavirus crisis are clearly starting to get to the president in a time when we need cool-headed and calm leadership more than ever. An embarrassing scene unfolded today during his latest coronavirus press conference when President Trump exploded at NBC reporter Peter Alexander.
The clip is especially distressing to watch because Alexander wasn’t even challenging him or asking any tough questions; he simply asked him if he had anything to say to Americans who are frightened by the pandemic currently gripping the nation after citing some of the harrowing statistics about the spread of the disease.
“What do you say to Americans who are scared?”
But the perpetually defensive and paranoid Trump instinctively interpreted the question as blaming him for frightening Americans, prompting him to erupt in a furious diatribe, calling it a “nasty question” and trashing the media in general.
“I say that you are a terrible reporter. That’s what I say…you’re doing sensationalism. And the same with NBC and Comcast. I don’t call it Comcast. I call it ‘Con-Cast.'”
NBC's @PeterAlexander asks Trump what he'd say to Americans who are frightened. Trump goes on rant against Alexander, says he asked a "nasty question," calls him a "terrible reporter" and attacks NBC and Comcast. pic.twitter.com/vZAk3M4mqR — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 20, 2020
It is an appalling show of unhinged vitriol and an astonishing abdication of leadership from our ostensible commander-in-chief. Trump is clearly well aware of the role his deliberate neglect played in exacerbating the crisis, which in his mind implicitly frames any kind of discussion of its tangible consequences as an indictment of his presidency — which it is.
Since any criticism or blame is utterly anathema to the hypersensitive Trump, his decaying brain can only respond with venom.
CNN’s Kaitie Collins, stunned at what she had just seen from the President of the United States, took up Alexander’s softball and hit Trump with the bat:
“You see yourself as a wartime President right now, leading the country through a pandemic that we are experiencing. Do you think going off on Peter, going off on a network is appropriate when the country is going through something like this?”
Trump doubled down, slamming Alexander as “not a good journalist” and complained that “coming together is much harder when we have dishonest journalists.”
There is little else left to say at this point; how many more times can we cry in frustration about how much of a disgrace Donald Trump is to our nation and his office? How many times has he utterly failed to take any kind of leadership in a time of crisis? How many times has he let Americans die and then refused to take any responsibility for it? How many times has he attacked the media and undermined their credibility for trying to hold him accountable for his incompetence and his heinous misdeeds?
We’ve seen this too many times before, and yet it is still truly jarring to behold. Removing him from office this November has to be our nation’s highest priority.
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-20--Kansas GOP official brags his state doesn’t have a virus problem because there aren’t many Chinese p

Kansas GOP official brags his state doesn’t have a virus problem because there aren’t many Chinese people

President Trump is determined to rebrand the coronavirus as the “ Chinese virus ” not only because it will allow him to divert the blame he deserves for hamstringing the United States ’ s response to the spread of the pandemic , but because it allows him to tap into the virulent racism and xenophobia that has formed the core of his political identity since he launched his 2016 election campaign by targeting Mexicans and Muslims .
The GOP has quickly fallen in line behind their ogre of a leader , with prominent Republican figures adopting the term “ Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already embedded itself deeply in the public psyche as the proper term .
Such a transparent effort to capitalize on bigotry of course comes with devastating consequences for Asians of all nationalities as they are ignorantly shunned and blamed for something they had no hand in causing .
According to The Kansas City Star , a Republican official in the Sunflower State has now taken conservative Sinophobia to a new low .
Marvin Rodriguez , the Chairman of the Riley County Commissioners , claimed that the coronavirus has not become a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not a lot of Chinese residents there .
His stunningly unscientific and blatantly racist remarks were paraphrased to the Star by Mayor Usha Reddi of Manhattan , Kansas .
Trump fired America ’ s pandemic response team .
Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately !
“ I ’ m paraphrasing , but he said we don ’ t have a problem here because Italy has a lot of Chinese people , and we don ’ t have that problem here , ” said Reddi .
It should go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian-Americans are no more susceptible or immune to the coronavirus than anyone else .
Just because the outbreak started in China and the communist government botched its early response in no way reflects on people of Chinese heritage .
Anyone can spread it .
Singling out specific racial demographics does nothing but sow division when we should be unifying to fight this virus .
The Star Editorial Board reached out to Rodriguez for an explanation for his comments .
“ I didn ’ t necessarily say it like that , ” he claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Italy has a problem with its health department , first .
It ’ s health for everybody .
I have a friend in the Navy , and he said in that area [ of Italy ] there ’ s a garment industry and a lot of Chinese .
If we were like Italy , we ’ d have it already.
” The Star pressed the Chairman to grapple with the risk he could be putting Asian-Americans in by engaging in such racially charged rhetoric .
“ Well , they say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not putting it past the Chinese government in communist China , ” said Rodriguez .
When asked if he was suggesting the Chinese government intentionally spread the virus abroad , Rodriguez gladly engaged in the kind of conspiratorial thinking one might expect from a loon like Alex Jones .
“ Normally , this kind of thing spreads slowly .
I put two and two together .
I ’ ve been around a long time , girl , ” said Rodriguez .
He went on to state that his primary concern and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to stop people from panicking .
It doesn ’ t matter how Rodriguez justifies his comments .
They ’ d be inexcusable coming from any American , but when uttered by a party official they become far more sinister .
He is endangering people by spreading this kind of thinking and racist attacks against Asians are already on the rise .
Anything short of a full-throated apology and a sincere commitment to do better simply will not do .
What do you think ?

President Trump is determined to rebrand the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” not only because it will allow him to divert the blame he deserves for hamstringing the United States’s response to the spread of the pandemic, but because it allows him to tap into the virulent racism and xenophobia that has formed the core of his political identity since he launched his 2016 election campaign by targeting Mexicans and Muslims.
The GOP has quickly fallen in line behind their ogre of a leader, with prominent Republican figures adopting the term “Chinese virus” even though “coronavirus” has already embedded itself deeply in the public psyche as the proper term. Such a transparent effort to capitalize on bigotry of course comes with devastating consequences for Asians of all nationalities as they are ignorantly shunned and blamed for something they had no hand in causing.
According to The Kansas City Star, a Republican official in the Sunflower State has now taken conservative Sinophobia to a new low. Marvin Rodriguez, the Chairman of the Riley County Commissioners, claimed that the coronavirus has not become a huge problem in his region yet because there are not a lot of Chinese residents there. His stunningly unscientific and blatantly racist remarks were paraphrased to the Star by Mayor Usha Reddi of Manhattan, Kansas.
Trump fired America’s pandemic response team. Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately!
“I’m paraphrasing, but he said we don’t have a problem here because Italy has a lot of Chinese people, and we don’t have that problem here,” said Reddi.
It should go without saying but must be noted that Asian-Americans are no more susceptible or immune to the coronavirus than anyone else. Just because the outbreak started in China and the communist government botched its early response in no way reflects on people of Chinese heritage. Anyone can spread it. Singling out specific racial demographics does nothing but sow division when we should be unifying to fight this virus.
The Star Editorial Board reached out to Rodriguez for an explanation for his comments.
“I didn’t necessarily say it like that,” he claimed. He tried to explain himself further. “Italy has a problem with its health department, first. It’s health for everybody. I have a friend in the Navy, and he said in that area [of Italy] there’s a garment industry and a lot of Chinese. If we were like Italy, we’d have it already.”
The Star pressed the Chairman to grapple with the risk he could be putting Asian-Americans in by engaging in such racially charged rhetoric.
“Well, they say it came out of China and I’m not putting it past the Chinese government in communist China,” said Rodriguez.
When asked if he was suggesting the Chinese government intentionally spread the virus abroad, Rodriguez gladly engaged in the kind of conspiratorial thinking one might expect from a loon like Alex Jones.
“Normally, this kind of thing spreads slowly. I put two and two together. I’ve been around a long time, girl,” said Rodriguez. He went on to state that his primary concern and the cause for his comments was that he wants to stop people from panicking.
It doesn’t matter how Rodriguez justifies his comments. They’d be inexcusable coming from any American, but when uttered by a party official they become far more sinister. He is endangering people by spreading this kind of thinking and racist attacks against Asians are already on the rise. Anything short of a full-throated apology and a sincere commitment to do better simply will not do.
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-21--Trump and Barr’s DOJ seeks power to detain prisoners without trial during national emergency

National emergencies often require extraordinary measures that would be unthinkable in normal times as millions of people ordered to stay at home and shelter in place are now discovering .
Unfortunately with the current administration proving daily that it is prioritizing its own aims over the general health and safety of the American people as a whole , many people are asking themselves whether the emergency powers being requested by the administration as it struggles to make up for the time it lost while Donald Trump was downplaying the seriousness of the coronavirus crisis —despite having been briefed on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of preparedness for it — may give the president powers that he will twist for his own purposes to further push the nation towards authoritarian rule .
At least part of these types of fears stems from the request for emergency powers that Attorney General William Barr and the remnants of the once-respected Justice Department have been quietly discussing with Congress as the nation faces a crisis unlike any seen in the last century .
According to an article in Politico , Barr and the DOJ are looking for permission to void @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by allowing them to request that judges hold people in detention for an indefinite and unlimited amount of time without trial during a declared emergency .
While the quarantine orders in place in much of the country will likely render the normal course of justice nearly impossible to continue as the difficulty of finding jurors to serve in criminal trials in crowded courtrooms that can turn into viral incubators if an unknowingly infected person enters their midst , those who remember the cavalier declaration of a national emergency that Trump made when Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border wall that he promised Mexico would pay for realize that granting such powers to Trump ’ s executive branch of government would bring us halfway to the dictatorship of his dreams .
The changes that Barr seeks would devastate the constitutional right of habeas corpus , the mandate that anyone arrested be swiftly brought before a judge and be able to present a plea and petition for their release .
The Justice Department is seeking the ability to keep people in detention “ whenever the district court is fully or partially closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil disobedience , or other emergency situation ” and would apply to “ any statutes or rules of procedure otherwise affecting pre-arrest , post-arrest , pre-trial , trial , and post-trial procedures in criminal and juvenile proceedings and all civil process and proceedings , ” as the draft legislative language reviewed by Politico read .
Norman L. Reimer , the executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers explained the problem that this presents to habeas corpus rights .
The Justice Department has also asked Congress to extend the statute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during national emergencies , “ and for one year following the end of the national emergency , ” according to the draft legislative text seen by Politico .
It has also asked for the ability to let court appearances take place by videoconference without the consent of the defendant , violating the time-honored rights of the accused to confront their accusers face to face .
While it is unlikely that any of the Justice Department ’ s requests can get past the scrutiny of a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives , the very attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violation of civil liberties through Congress during a pandemic and to have those powers be available anytime the president arbitrarily declares a phony national emergency is indicative of the Trump administration ’ s totalitarian leanings and its contempt for America ’ s long tradition of civil liberties .
At least one progressive Democrat , Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) , has taken note of the Justice Department ’ s request and given the request a hard pass .
It ’ s likely that her Democratic colleagues will agree and prevent this particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it shows the need for constant vigilance in the face of the Trump administration ’ s attempts to suspend parts of the U.S. Constitution that don ’ t fit its expansive visions of executive power .
One thing to note about the Justice Department ’ s request that could immediately lead to its withdrawal if pointed out to the president : the pausing of the statute of limitations for criminal investigations and civil proceedings during national emergencies would mean additional time to prosecute Donald Trump once he leaves office and the phony claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sitting president .
Hopefully , we can then have a newly trustworthy Justice Department at the ready to reinstate the investigations of Trump ’ s malfeasance and prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law , and , unless Congress passes the DOJ ’ s current request , he ’ ll be able to petition the court for release on bail until his trial .
With the wealthy former president posing a serious flight risk , that ’ s not a step that any intelligent judge would be likely to grant @ @ @ @ @ @

National emergencies often require extraordinary measures that would be unthinkable in normal times as millions of people ordered to stay at home and shelter in place are now discovering.
Unfortunately with the current administration proving daily that it is prioritizing its own aims over the general health and safety of the American people as a whole, many people are asking themselves whether the emergency powers being requested by the administration as it struggles to make up for the time it lost while Donald Trump was downplaying the seriousness of the coronavirus crisis —despite having been briefed on the oncoming pandemic and the nation’s lack of preparedness for it — may give the president powers that he will twist for his own purposes to further push the nation towards authoritarian rule.
At least part of these types of fears stems from the request for emergency powers that Attorney General William Barr and the remnants of the once-respected Justice Department have been quietly discussing with Congress as the nation faces a crisis unlike any seen in the last century.
According to an article in Politico, Barr and the DOJ are looking for permission to void the constitutional right to a speedy trial by allowing them to request that judges hold people in detention for an indefinite and unlimited amount of time without trial during a declared emergency.
While the quarantine orders in place in much of the country will likely render the normal course of justice nearly impossible to continue as the difficulty of finding jurors to serve in criminal trials in crowded courtrooms that can turn into viral incubators if an unknowingly infected person enters their midst, those who remember the cavalier declaration of a national emergency that Trump made when Congress refused to allocate money to build the border wall that he promised Mexico would pay for realize that granting such powers to Trump’s executive branch of government would bring us halfway to the dictatorship of his dreams.
As Politico writes:
“The move has tapped into a broader fear among civil liberties advocates and Donald Trump’s critics — that the president will use a moment of crisis to push for controversial policy changes. Already, he has cited the pandemic as a reason for heightening border restrictions and restricting asylum claims. He has also pushed for further tax cuts as the economy withers, arguing that it would soften the financial blow to Americans. And even without policy changes, Trump has vast emergency powers that he could legally deploy right now to try and slow the coronavirus outbreak.”
The changes that Barr seeks would devastate the constitutional right of habeas corpus, the mandate that anyone arrested be swiftly brought before a judge and be able to present a plea and petition for their release.
The Justice Department is seeking the ability to keep people in detention “whenever the district court is fully or partially closed by virtue of any natural disaster, civil disobedience, or other emergency situation” and would apply to “any statutes or rules of procedure otherwise affecting pre-arrest, post-arrest, pre-trial, trial, and post-trial procedures in criminal and juvenile proceedings and all civil process and proceedings,” as the draft legislative language reviewed by Politico read.
Norman L. Reimer, the executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers explained the problem that this presents to habeas corpus rights.
“Not only would it be a violation of that, but it says ‘affecting pre-arrest,’” Reimer said. “So that means you could be arrested and never brought before a judge until they decide that the emergency or the civil disobedience is over. I find it absolutely terrifying. Especially in a time of emergency, we should be very careful about granting new powers to the government.”
The Justice Department has also asked Congress to extend the statute of limitations for criminal investigations and civil proceedings during national emergencies, “and for one year following the end of the national emergency,” according to the draft legislative text seen by Politico. It has also asked for the ability to let court appearances take place by videoconference without the consent of the defendant, violating the time-honored rights of the accused to confront their accusers face to face.
While it is unlikely that any of the Justice Department’s requests can get past the scrutiny of a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, the very attempt to try to ram such an outrageous violation of civil liberties through Congress during a pandemic and to have those powers be available anytime the president arbitrarily declares a phony national emergency is indicative of the Trump administration’s totalitarian leanings and its contempt for America’s long tradition of civil liberties.
At least one progressive Democrat, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), has taken note of the Justice Department’s request and given the request a hard pass.
It’s likely that her Democratic colleagues will agree and prevent this particular power grab from taking place, but it shows the need for constant vigilance in the face of the Trump administration’s attempts to suspend parts of the U.S. Constitution that don’t fit its expansive visions of executive power.
One thing to note about the Justice Department’s request that could immediately lead to its withdrawal if pointed out to the president: the pausing of the statute of limitations for criminal investigations and civil proceedings during national emergencies would mean additional time to prosecute Donald Trump once he leaves office and the phony claimed immunity from prosecution that he enjoys as the sitting president.
Hopefully, we can then have a newly trustworthy Justice Department at the ready to reinstate the investigations of Trump’s malfeasance and prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law, and, unless Congress passes the DOJ’s current request, he’ll be able to petition the court for release on bail until his trial. With the wealthy former president posing a serious flight risk, that’s not a step that any intelligent judge would be likely to grant.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Betsy Woodruff Swan at Politico.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-21--Trump dismisses doctors’ concerns and touts untested drugs in unhinged virus presser

As the COVID-19 virus marches forward with logarithmic precision , the Trump administration ’ s failures to prepare for a pandemic scenario that it was warned about well in advance are becoming painfully obvious as medical professionals complain about having to care for infected patients without adequate personal protective gear like face masks and gloves , risking their own infection and the decimation of the teams responding to the health crisis .
Donald Trump ’ s short-sighted dismantling of the National Security Council ’ s pandemic response team in 2018 to cut costs has come back to haunt the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinate the manufacture of medical supplies that are running out at hospitals and clinics around the areas of the country hardest hit by the outbreak .
Yet , every day the president continues to gaslight the nation at his coronavirus press conferences that have now devolved into alternating presentations of factual advice from the few respected professionals like Dr. Anthony Fauci — the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — who are part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and of campaign rally-like boasts from Trump himself about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling the crisis , often denying the facts on the ground and blaming previous administrations for failures that his own team should have been on top of during his three intervening years in office .
This morning , the now daily press conference had a few notable moments that included Trump again trying to rebrand the coronavirus as the “ Chinese virus ” before the common Twitter nickname the “ Trump virus ” takes root .
Trump fired America ’ s pandemic response team .
Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tout as yet untested and unapproved treatments for the disease as potentially imminent lifesavers much to the dismay of the scientists on his Task Force .
After Trump handed the podium over to Vice President Mike Pence , the nominal head of that Task Force , the VP made sure to offer copious “ Dear Leader ” -style praise for the president before ignoring constitutional separations of church and state to urge people to continue to donate to their local religious organizations and keep those ministers and clerics in the green .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own staffers tested positive for the virus yesterday — that he and his wife would undergo testing for infection today , all while standing much less than the recommended six feet away from the other senior task force members and the notoriously germaphobic Trump on the crowded briefing room stage .
While after Trump blew up at NBC News ’ s Peter Alexander yesterday — after the reporter asked a perfectly reasonable “ softball ” question that would allow Trump to rise up to the occasion with an inspirational response — it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s antagonism today by asking him to respond to reports of shortages of medical equipment and protective gear from doctors and nurses across the country .
Trump ’ s response revealed the narcissistic personality disorder that many noted psychiatric professionals have diagnosed him as suffering from , as he blamed previous administrations for the things he ’ s clearly been tasked with overseeing during the past three years and did nothing about .
If there ’ s anything that doctors — or the general public — can ’ t believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has done a great job , in perhaps the one inadvertent truth that Trump uttered during the press conference .
After the president basically denied the premise of the reporter ’ s documented comments from medical professionals in the field , Dr. Fauci felt forced to toss the journalist a lifeline of credibility in the face of such a defensive and ill-natured denigration of his completely appropriate question .
Trump also addressed the elephant in the room as Congress negotiates economic recovery plans that include bailouts of at least one industry that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing a massive influx of government assistance be funneled towards , the hotel and hospitality industry .
With the president continuing to spend more time protecting his electoral chances by making false promises and blaming others for his own failures , it ’ s no wonder that MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow called on broadcasters to stop airing his press conferences on live TV to prevent his “ misinformation ” about the pandemic from causing further damage .
“ I know we ought to be getting used to this kind of thing by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Trump today , again , just flat-out wrong in public about this malaria drug that has gotten stuck in his mind , quite some distance from the facts , ” Maddow said on her program last night .
“ If the president does end up saying anything true , you can run it as tape but if he keeps lying like this every day on stuff this important , all of us should stop broadcasting it .
Honestly , it ’ s gon na cost lives , ” she continued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s behavior is harming the nation .
If anything , if one does view the administration ’ s press conferences on the coronavirus pandemic , it may be best to simply mute the audio until someone other than Trump or Pence takes the podium as the contract between the Vice President and Dr. Fauci ’ s responses to a reporter ’ s question about whether Americans should rely on the president for prudent medical advice demonstrates .
The American people would be able to have a lot more hope if we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of competence when faced with a crisis of this magnitude .
Let ’ s hope that we get one sooner rather than later .
The exponential spread of the virus likely means that some of us won ’ t survive to see an effective leader in place to help usher the country out of this disaster movie with an uncertain ending .
What do you think ?

As the COVID-19 virus marches forward with logarithmic precision, the Trump administration’s failures to prepare for a pandemic scenario that it was warned about well in advance are becoming painfully obvious as medical professionals complain about having to care for infected patients without adequate personal protective gear like face masks and gloves, risking their own infection and the decimation of the teams responding to the health crisis.
Donald Trump’s short-sighted dismantling of the National Security Council’s pandemic response team in 2018 to cut costs has come back to haunt the nation as the government now scrambles to rapidly coordinate the manufacture of medical supplies that are running out at hospitals and clinics around the areas of the country hardest hit by the outbreak.
Yet, every day the president continues to gaslight the nation at his coronavirus press conferences that have now devolved into alternating presentations of factual advice from the few respected professionals like Dr. Anthony Fauci — the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — who are part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and of campaign rally-like boasts from Trump himself about how well he and his team are handling the crisis, often denying the facts on the ground and blaming previous administrations for failures that his own team should have been on top of during his three intervening years in office.
This morning, the now daily press conference had a few notable moments that included Trump again trying to rebrand the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” before the common Twitter nickname the “Trump virus” takes root.
I spoke too soon. Trump referred to the "Chinese virus" about 5 minutes into Saturday's briefing. pic.twitter.com/HeqRCHhWq4 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
Trump fired America’s pandemic response team. Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately!
The president also continued to tout as yet untested and unapproved treatments for the disease as potentially imminent lifesavers much to the dismay of the scientists on his Task Force.
After Trump handed the podium over to Vice President Mike Pence, the nominal head of that Task Force, the VP made sure to offer copious “Dear Leader”-style praise for the president before ignoring constitutional separations of church and state to urge people to continue to donate to their local religious organizations and keep those ministers and clerics in the green.
Pence also revealed — after one of his own staffers tested positive for the virus yesterday — that he and his wife would undergo testing for infection today, all while standing much less than the recommended six feet away from the other senior task force members and the notoriously germaphobic Trump on the crowded briefing room stage.
Pence is getting tested for coronavirus. Check out how close Trump, Carson, and Fauci are standing to him. pic.twitter.com/L6h2RCAbma — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
While after Trump blew up at NBC News’s Peter Alexander yesterday — after the reporter asked a perfectly reasonable “softball” question that would allow Trump to rise up to the occasion with an inspirational response — it was brave of another journalist to risk the president’s antagonism today by asking him to respond to reports of shortages of medical equipment and protective gear from doctors and nurses across the country.
Trump’s response revealed the narcissistic personality disorder that many noted psychiatric professionals have diagnosed him as suffering from, as he blamed previous administrations for the things he’s clearly been tasked with overseeing during the past three years and did nothing about.
TRUMP: "Many doctors — and I've read many many doctors — they can't believe the great job we've done." (I have yet to see a doctor praise the Trump administration's response) pic.twitter.com/brINz5YbNT — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
If there’s anything that doctors — or the general public — can’t believe, it’s certainly that Trump has done a great job, in perhaps the one inadvertent truth that Trump uttered during the press conference.
After the president basically denied the premise of the reporter’s documented comments from medical professionals in the field, Dr. Fauci felt forced to toss the journalist a lifeline of credibility in the face of such a defensive and ill-natured denigration of his completely appropriate question.
"This would be a gift from God if it works" — with Fauci looking squeamish behind him, Trump again touts unproven coronavirus treatments pic.twitter.com/VMI5051cZ5 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
Trump also addressed the elephant in the room as Congress negotiates economic recovery plans that include bailouts of at least one industry that the president has a very personal stake in seeing a massive influx of government assistance be funneled towards, the hotel and hospitality industry.
REPORTER: Do you expect your business to seek government assistance? TRUMP: "I don't know." pic.twitter.com/VE2I9n3YKE — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
With the president continuing to spend more time protecting his electoral chances by making false promises and blaming others for his own failures, it’s no wonder that MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow called on broadcasters to stop airing his press conferences on live TV to prevent his “misinformation” about the pandemic from causing further damage.
“I know we ought to be getting used to this kind of thing by now, but I’m not. President Trump today, again, just flat-out wrong in public about this malaria drug that has gotten stuck in his mind, quite some distance from the facts,” Maddow said on her program last night. “If the president does end up saying anything true, you can run it as tape but if he keeps lying like this every day on stuff this important, all of us should stop broadcasting it. Honestly, it’s gonna cost lives,” she continued, in a devastating assessment of how Trump’s behavior is harming the nation.
If anything, if one does view the administration’s press conferences on the coronavirus pandemic, it may be best to simply mute the audio until someone other than Trump or Pence takes the podium as the contract between the Vice President and Dr. Fauci’s responses to a reporter’s question about whether Americans should rely on the president for prudent medical advice demonstrates.
REPORTER: Should the president's Twitter followers be taking medical advice from him? PENCE: *dissembles, doesn't answer the question* pic.twitter.com/L3kFQXf82F — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
Fauci on Trump's tweets recommending unproven coronavirus treatments: "I'm not totally sure what POTUS was referring to … many of the things out there are what I have called 'anecdotal reports.' They may be true, but they're anecdotal … POTUS is talking about hope for people" pic.twitter.com/ekwFnuhIRR — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 21, 2020
The American people would be able to have a lot more hope if we had a president who possesses even a modicum of competence when faced with a crisis of this magnitude.
Let’s hope that we get one sooner rather than later. The exponential spread of the virus likely means that some of us won’t survive to see an effective leader in place to help usher the country out of this disaster movie with an uncertain ending.
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Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-21--Dark humor for dark times: 5 possible future headlines from month six of the coronavirus pandemic

With everyday life completely upended around the world due to the coronavirus quarantines , speculation about how life will change in the months ahead brings previously unimaginable possibilities to mind , particularly with so much now idle time to ruminate about how our society may change and mutate in response to the new realities of practically perpetual shut-ins .
Here are a few headlines that we wouldn ’ t be surprised to see splashed across the screens of your devices after months of social isolation , economic devastation , and shortages of essential goods .
Divorce Rate Skyrockets After Couples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Up Together Florida Man Charged With Murder , Cannibalism After Killing and Grilling Next Door Neighbor Amidst Widespread Food Shortages Trump Claims His Handling Of Record Death Toll From Pandemic Was Perfect Let ’ s hope that everyone out there is following the recommendations of health authorities and staying at home to help prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus .
Wash your hands after reading this and then submit your own predictions for possible headlines we may be reading if the restrictions on leaving at home remain in place through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think ?

With everyday life completely upended around the world due to the coronavirus quarantines, speculation about how life will change in the months ahead brings previously unimaginable possibilities to mind, particularly with so much now idle time to ruminate about how our society may change and mutate in response to the new realities of practically perpetual shut-ins.
Here are a few headlines that we wouldn’t be surprised to see splashed across the screens of your devices after months of social isolation, economic devastation, and shortages of essential goods.
Divorce Rate Skyrockets After Couples Forced To Spend Months On End Cooped Up Together
It was so much easier to ignore your spouse’s annoying habits when you didn’t have to spend every damn minute with them.
Florida Man Charged With Murder, Cannibalism After Killing and Grilling Next Door Neighbor Amidst Widespread Food Shortages
“He was a jerk, but he kept my family fed for a week,” the deranged killer said of his overweight neighbor.
New York City Cops Kill Man Selling Illegal “Loosie” Sheets Of Toilet Paper
Police were forced to shoot the street vendor after fears of contagion prevented them from getting close enough for a chokehold.
Billionaire Trades Van Gough For Case Of Hand Sanitizer
“Right now, the Purell is a lot more valuable than anything I have in my collection,” said the noted collector of 19-century masterpieces.
Trump Claims His Handling Of Record Death Toll From Pandemic Was Perfect
“No other president has had numbers like these before!” the president bragged in an early morning tweet.
Former Wall Street Exec Seeks Farm Labor Job as Opportunities Disappear
A former top trader at Goldman Sachs was among the thousands of applicants for a single opening at a strawberry farm in California’s Central Valley, but was deemed unqualified after failing the fitness test.
Let’s hope that everyone out there is following the recommendations of health authorities and staying at home to help prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wash your hands after reading this and then submit your own predictions for possible headlines we may be reading if the restrictions on leaving at home remain in place through the end of the summer.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-22--“Get off Twitter & do your job”: Illinois Governor Pritzker slams back at Trump in coronavirus spat

After Donald Trump ’ s bipolar attack on Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker this morning — right after he tweeted out a self-congratulatory back pat for working so well with the nation ’ s governors during the CODID-19 national health emergency — the governor struck back at the president with a response that many Americans would fantasize about shouting at the president at top voice two inches from his face were we not so constrained by social distancing to avoid contracting the virus .
The post , coming so soon after the president ’ s bragging about how much he plays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s vanity is his Achille ’ s heel when confronted with legitimate criticism and that he likely never learned the hoary proverb concerning people who live in glass houses and their habitual stone-throwing behavior .
Trump ’ s intemperate response to being held accountable for his massive failings in downplaying the coronavirus pandemic and failing to move quickly enough to prepare for its onslaught deserved the vicious reply that Governor Pritzker lobbed back at the president in response .
The contrast between the bravery of the federal employees whom Governor Pritzker praises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the petty blame game being played by the president could not be starker .
As the lives of people across the country are disrupted and their health and well-being in danger , the public servants that Governor Pritzker lauds are sacrificing their own safety to protect others while Trump continues to prove that he cares more for his image and his reelection campaign than about his responsibilities as the chief executive leading the country ’ s fight against the reverberations of the pandemic on our inadequate healthcare systems and our plunging economy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fearlessness in declaring that Emperor Trump is naked and shirking his responsibilities while frittering away valuable time that he should be using to work for the American people while trying to score political points on social media for his own benefit .
Trump ’ s inability to lead is made even more apparent when America is exposed to examples of how real leaders act in a crisis .
It ’ s time to oust Trump and elect someone who can take charge in an emergency and inspire the American people in their time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given plenty of people the chance to demonstrate their qualifications .
Original reporting by Zack Budryk at The Hill .
What do you think ?

After Donald Trump’s bipolar attack on Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker this morning — right after he tweeted out a self-congratulatory back pat for working so well with the nation’s governors during the CODID-19 national health emergency — the governor struck back at the president with a response that many Americans would fantasize about shouting at the president at top voice two inches from his face were we not so constrained by social distancing to avoid contracting the virus.
Here’s what Trump posted to Twitter earlier today:
.@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. We are there to back you up should you fail, and always will be! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2020
The post, coming so soon after the president’s bragging about how much he plays well with others, showed that Trump’s vanity is his Achille’s heel when confronted with legitimate criticism and that he likely never learned the hoary proverb concerning people who live in glass houses and their habitual stone-throwing behavior.
Trump’s intemperate response to being held accountable for his massive failings in downplaying the coronavirus pandemic and failing to move quickly enough to prepare for its onslaught deserved the vicious reply that Governor Pritzker lobbed back at the president in response.
I want to thank the many public servants in the military, in @FEMA & other parts of the fed. government who are actually doing the work to keep people safe. My staff and I are grateful for your experience and your willingness to act courageously on behalf of your fellow American. — Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) March 22, 2020
The contrast between the bravery of the federal employees whom Governor Pritzker praises for their dedication during the crisis and the petty blame game being played by the president could not be starker.
As the lives of people across the country are disrupted and their health and well-being in danger, the public servants that Governor Pritzker lauds are sacrificing their own safety to protect others while Trump continues to prove that he cares more for his image and his reelection campaign than about his responsibilities as the chief executive leading the country’s fight against the reverberations of the pandemic on our inadequate healthcare systems and our plunging economy.
Bravo to the Illinois Governor for his fearlessness in declaring that Emperor Trump is naked and shirking his responsibilities while frittering away valuable time that he should be using to work for the American people while trying to score political points on social media for his own benefit.
Trump’s inability to lead is made even more apparent when America is exposed to examples of how real leaders act in a crisis.
It’s time to oust Trump and elect someone who can take charge in an emergency and inspire the American people in their time of need. The coronavirus outbreak has given plenty of people the chance to demonstrate their qualifications.
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Original reporting by Zack Budryk at The Hill.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-22--A tale of two tweets: Trump publicly contradicts his own post in just over an hour

Donald Trump has often demonstrated that he believes that he is his own best spokesperson .
This is after all the man who in his pre-presidential career liked to return calls from reporters pretending to be his own fictional public relations representative .
Yet , even in the area in which he is reputed to excel — the smoke and mirrors of publicity — Trump is undermining himself by a lack of consistency in his messaging as he makes statements and then undercuts himself just moments later .
Take the president ’ s tweets this morning .
Trump was acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a positive teacher ’ s progress report on the in-classroom conduct of a notoriously disruptive student .
While one would think that the ability to work well with others would be an essential requirement for anyone with the ambition to preside over the federal government , unfortunately , it was a quality that was ignored by the minority of the American electorate who voted for Trump and by the members of the electoral college who could have prevented this travesty of a presidency had been able to foresee the current situation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patting himself on the back for working so well with the governors across the country , Trump almost immediately disproved his own claims with a tweet sent just a little over an hour later that attacked one state ’ s governor by name and left the world to guess who the other “ very small group of certain other Governors ” might be .
President “ I don ’ t take responsibility at all ” Trump doesn ’ t want to be seen as having anything to do with the federal government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which they were warned repeatedly that they needed to prepare for and respond to quickly .
Blaming state governors and the media who accurately point their fingers his way when defining expectations and apportioning credit and responsibility , Trump defies credibility when then subsequently claiming he ’ s got everyone ’ s backs .
The only ass that he ’ s watching out for and covering is his own , and as the biggest ass in the country — at least in terms of his behavior — that ’ s more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culpability and his lack of capability .
Hypocrisy , thy name is Trump .
The president bristles at constant media criticism and then continues to do things so egregiously contradictory and unhinged that failure to point them out would be a dereliction of journalistic duty .
Trump should learn to keep his mouth shut or should simply resign .
Preferably both .
What do you think ?

Donald Trump has often demonstrated that he believes that he is his own best spokesperson.
This is after all the man who in his pre-presidential career liked to return calls from reporters pretending to be his own fictional public relations representative.
Yet, even in the area in which he is reputed to excel — the smoke and mirrors of publicity — Trump is undermining himself by a lack of consistency in his messaging as he makes statements and then undercuts himself just moments later.
Take the president’s tweets this morning.
Trump was acting momentarily presidential with a tweet that read like a positive teacher’s progress report on the in-classroom conduct of a notoriously disruptive student.
Working very well with States and our Nation’s Governors. #TEAMWORK — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2020
While one would think that the ability to work well with others would be an essential requirement for anyone with the ambition to preside over the federal government, unfortunately, it was a quality that was ignored by the minority of the American electorate who voted for Trump and by the members of the electoral college who could have prevented this travesty of a presidency, had they been able to foresee the current situation in which the nation finds itself.
After patting himself on the back for working so well with the governors across the country, Trump almost immediately disproved his own claims with a tweet sent just a little over an hour later that attacked one state’s governor by name and left the world to guess who the other “very small group of certain other Governors” might be.
.@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. We are there to back you up should you fail, and always will be! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2020
President “I don’t take responsibility at all” Trump doesn’t want to be seen as having anything to do with the federal government’s failures to prepare for a crisis of which they were warned repeatedly that they needed to prepare for and respond to quickly.
Blaming state governors and the media who accurately point their fingers his way when defining expectations and apportioning credit and responsibility, Trump defies credibility when then subsequently claiming he’s got everyone’s backs.
The only ass that he’s watching out for and covering is his own, and as the biggest ass in the country — at least in terms of his behavior — that’s more than a full-time job for someone with his culpability and his lack of capability.
Hypocrisy, thy name is Trump. The president bristles at constant media criticism and then continues to do things so egregiously contradictory and unhinged that failure to point them out would be a dereliction of journalistic duty.
Trump should learn to keep his mouth shut or should simply resign. Preferably both.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-22--Trump allegedly furious with NY Governor Cuomo for having “hijacked the news cycle”

Donald Trump ’ s jealousy and insecurity are showing again .
Faced with a crisis far beyond his limited abilities to use demagoguery and bullying to barely manage his own agenda competently much less the urgent response to a once in a lifetime pandemic of global proportions , the president is floundering in a disastrous series of televised press conferences that spread misinformation and do nothing to restore the faith of the American people in the capability of his administration to effectively handle the health emergency and formulate a plan to protect the nation .
Trump ’ s defensive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team at the White House have been contrasted by the highly-praised leadership displayed by some of the governors of the nation ’ s largest states — like Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York — who have taken swift action to take charge of their state ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by ordering the closure of schools , restaurants , and non-essential retail shops and ordering their populations to shelter in place while coordinating the efforts of their state ’ s emergency responders and medical infrastructure to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new viral infections .
By merely displaying his confident competence in his multiple news conferences during the crisis so far , New York ’ s Governor Cuomo has reportedly inspired a fit of “ furious ” jealousy in the president , according to Vanity Fair journalist Gabriel Sherman who spoke about his impression of Trump ’ s envious anger in an appearance on MSNBC ’ s AM Joy this morning .
Trump ’ s fury naturally stems from the fact that his own press conference appearances have been roundly criticized in the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time praising himself and his administration ’ s response to the coronavirus outbreak — while simultaneously denying their obvious failures to prepare for the eventuality about which they were repeatedly warned in advance — than on actually effectively taking the necessary actions to mitigate the physical and economic damage being caused by the pandemic .
Meanwhile , as Trump flounders ignorantly , Governor Cuomo has been highly praised for his own inspiring and masterful performance while holding daily press briefings that highlight his ability to take charge of the emergency response not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well with the governors of bordering states as well .
The disparity in media attention and in the evaluation of their relative performances has Trump turning the color of the Italian flag as he turns both green with envy and red with anger .
Gabriel Sherman explained to host Joy Reid what he has heard from his sources about the president ’ s fury over what he sees as Governor Cuomo ’ s theft of his thunder as the limelight seeks the brightest star in the crisis firmament .
“ My sources who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , several people told me that one of the things driving [ Trump ’ s task force press conference apperances ] this is that the president has been furious and frustrated at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who has been holding these very widely well-received early morning press conferences and , in the president ’ s view , has sort of hijacked the news cycle , ” the Vanity Fair reporter said .
“ So now you see Trump , you know , taking the stage after Cuomo trying to take back the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that with misinformation , ” he added .
“ So we ’ re in a situation where the president ’ s narcissism and his need to be at the center of every story , even though the story is not about Donald Trump , this story is about a global pandemic , is what is driving the White House ’ s communication strategy.
” “ I had a senior former West Wing official tell me that the president needs to be his own press secretary and that ’ s what ’ s driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 10 out of 10 .
Every classic tragic protagonist has a fatal flaw .
For Donald Trump , his own narcissism blinds himself to his failings and leads him to believe his performance in the crisis to date r When Trump sees the public can now see the difference between his own con artistry and the behavior of a true leader who can actually perform the duties for which the public elected them , his emotional meltdown is predictable and understandable given his fractured psychology .
It is why he needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can watch Vanity Fair ‘ s Gabriel Sherman speak with MSNBC ’ s Joy Reid about Donald Trump ’ s envious motivations in the video excerpt below .
What do you think ?

Donald Trump’s jealousy and insecurity are showing again.
Faced with a crisis far beyond his limited abilities to use demagoguery and bullying to barely manage his own agenda competently much less the urgent response to a once in a lifetime pandemic of global proportions, the president is floundering in a disastrous series of televised press conferences that spread misinformation and do nothing to restore the faith of the American people in the capability of his administration to effectively handle the health emergency and formulate a plan to protect the nation.
Trump’s defensive, self-aggrandizing appearances with his Coronavirus Task Force team at the White House have been contrasted by the highly-praised leadership displayed by some of the governors of the nation’s largest states — like Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York — who have taken swift action to take charge of their state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by ordering the closure of schools, restaurants, and non-essential retail shops and ordering their populations to shelter in place while coordinating the efforts of their state’s emergency responders and medical infrastructure to help prepare for the expected exponential rate of new viral infections.
By merely displaying his confident competence in his multiple news conferences during the crisis so far, New York’s Governor Cuomo has reportedly inspired a fit of “furious” jealousy in the president, according to Vanity Fair journalist Gabriel Sherman who spoke about his impression of Trump’s envious anger in an appearance on MSNBC’s AM Joy this morning.
Trump’s fury naturally stems from the fact that his own press conference appearances have been roundly criticized in the media because of his insistence on spending more time praising himself and his administration’s response to the coronavirus outbreak — while simultaneously denying their obvious failures to prepare for the eventuality about which they were repeatedly warned in advance — than on actually effectively taking the necessary actions to mitigate the physical and economic damage being caused by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, as Trump flounders ignorantly, Governor Cuomo has been highly praised for his own inspiring and masterful performance while holding daily press briefings that highlight his ability to take charge of the emergency response not just in New York state but to coordinate well with the governors of bordering states as well.
The disparity in media attention and in the evaluation of their relative performances has Trump turning the color of the Italian flag as he turns both green with envy and red with anger.
Gabriel Sherman explained to host Joy Reid what he has heard from his sources about the president’s fury over what he sees as Governor Cuomo’s theft of his thunder as the limelight seeks the brightest star in the crisis firmament.
“My sources who are in touch with the White House, several people told me that one of the things driving [Trump’s task force press conference apperances] this is that the president has been furious and frustrated at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who has been holding these very widely well-received early morning press conferences and, in the president’s view, has sort of hijacked the news cycle,” the Vanity Fair reporter said. “So now you see Trump, you know, taking the stage after Cuomo trying to take back the mantle and unfortunately he’s doing that with misinformation,” he added. “So we’re in a situation where the president’s narcissism and his need to be at the center of every story, even though the story is not about Donald Trump, this story is about a global pandemic, is what is driving the White House’s communication strategy.” “I had a senior former West Wing official tell me that the president needs to be his own press secretary and that’s what’s driving this,” he commented.
Every classic tragic protagonist has a fatal flaw. For Donald Trump, his own narcissism blinds himself to his failings and leads him to believe his performance in the crisis to date r ates a 10 out of 10 When Trump sees the public can now see the difference between his own con artistry and the behavior of a true leader who can actually perform the duties for which the public elected them, his emotional meltdown is predictable and understandable given his fractured psychology. It is why he needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
You can watch Vanity Fair‘s Gabriel Sherman speak with MSNBC’s Joy Reid about Donald Trump’s envious motivations in the video excerpt below.
Original reporting by Tom Boggioni at RawStory/AlterNet.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-23--“Romney’s in isolation? Gee, that’s too bad”: Trump revels in Utah senator’s coronavirus quarantine

As the coronavirus continues to exponentially spread across the United States as it has around the globe , the number of well-known people who it has infected or who have at the very least been exposed to someone with the virus has also continued to grow .
While the world reacted with shock after celebrities from actors like Idris Elba , Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson to TV stars like Andy Cohen and former Bachelor star Colton Underwood to musicians like opera tenor Placido Domingo , Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan , and African saxophonist Manu Dibango announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public mostly muttered “ karma ” to themselves at the news that convicted rapist and former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein had contracted the virus while in custody at Rikers Island prison in New York .
The virus has not spared Capitol Hill as numerous Republican politicians were forced into quarantine after exposure to an infected participant at the conservative Woodstock that is the CPAC conference that took place nearly three weeks ago now .
Among those who took precautions and thankfully sequestered themselves were Senators Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) and Lindsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gaetz ( R-FL ) .
Today , however , it was announced that libertarian-leaning Senator Rand Paul ( R-KY ) has tested positive for the disease and is now in quarantine , after having used both the Senate gym and swimming pool after he already suspected he may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus .
So much for that medical degree that you have , Senator Paul .
Unfortunately and ironically , Senator Mitt Romney ( R-UT ) — who was notably disinvited from CPAC after having the courage to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Trump ’ s articles of impeachment despite his conservative bona fides — had spent too much time sitting near Senator Paul recently as that silent disease carrier shed his viral load .
As of now , Senator Romney “ has no symptoms but will be tested , ” his office added .
President Trump was first informed of Senator Romney ’ s exposure by a reporter during his Sunday afternoon press conference on the federal response to the pandemic and , while he denied he was being sarcastic in his expression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfiltered reaction to Romney ’ s potential exposure seemed more like amused glee .
While Trump ’ s schadenfreude over Senator Romney ’ s sequester may have temporarily amused him , the sudden unavailability of a number of Republican senators has upset the balance of power in Congress , leaving only 48 GOP members in the Senate chamber compared to the Democrats ’ 47 senators .
Since the Senate requires 60 votes to advance the legislation , this has made the passage of the Republican version of a coronavirus stimulus bill impossible without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some attention paid to the conditions that they wish to place on the use of the money to prevent corporations from using it to buy back stock rather than retain workers .
The paid absences by the missing Republican senators torpedoed GOP plans to ram through an aid package that would bail out giant corporations that have already been given trillions in tax cuts and would have given Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin an enormous slush fund to use at his discretion without congressional oversight and now gives Democrats more time to negotiate protections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than wealthy companies and the oligarchs who control them .
If we continue to lose Republican Senators from the halls of Congress at this rate , it may just be a great time for the House to reintroduce articles of impeachment .
With the new , more even , playing field in the Senate and the examples of Trump ’ s massive failures to manage the pandemic crisis sending faith in the president ’ s leadership cratering , the results may be quite different this time around .
Original reporting by Jordain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think ?

As the coronavirus continues to exponentially spread across the United States as it has around the globe, the number of well-known people who it has infected or who have at the very least been exposed to someone with the virus has also continued to grow.
While the world reacted with shock after celebrities from actors like Idris Elba, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson to TV stars like Andy Cohen and former Bachelor star Colton Underwood to musicians like opera tenor Placido Domingo, Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan, and African saxophonist Manu Dibango announced their positive tests for the disease, the public mostly muttered “karma” to themselves at the news that convicted rapist and former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein had contracted the virus while in custody at Rikers Island prison in New York.
The virus has not spared Capitol Hill as numerous Republican politicians were forced into quarantine after exposure to an infected participant at the conservative Woodstock that is the CPAC conference that took place nearly three weeks ago now.
Among those who took precautions and thankfully sequestered themselves were Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
Today, however, it was announced that libertarian-leaning Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has tested positive for the disease and is now in quarantine, after having used both the Senate gym and swimming pool after he already suspected he may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. So much for that medical degree that you have, Senator Paul.
Can confirm that Sen. @JerryMoran briefly saw Sen. Rand Paul at the Senate gym this morning and that he shared this information with his colleagues during today’s policy meeting. This morning, Sen. Moran followed CDC guidelines and kept a safe distance between him and Sen. Paul. — Tom Brandt (@tomwbrandt) March 22, 2020
Unfortunately and ironically, Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) — who was notably disinvited from CPAC after having the courage to be the lone Republican voting in the affirmative for one of Trump’s articles of impeachment despite his conservative bona fides — had spent too much time sitting near Senator Paul recently as that silent disease carrier shed his viral load.
“Since Senator Romney sat next to Senator Paul for extended periods in recent days and consistent with [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance, the attending physician has ordered him to immediately self-quarantine and not to vote on the Senate floor,” Romney’s office explained in a statement on today.
As of now, Senator Romney “has no symptoms but will be tested,” his office added.
President Trump was first informed of Senator Romney’s exposure by a reporter during his Sunday afternoon press conference on the federal response to the pandemic and, while he denied he was being sarcastic in his expression of regret at the news, his unfiltered reaction to Romney’s potential exposure seemed more like amused glee.
Trump says he's not eager to use the Defense Production Act because he doesn't want the USA to [checks notes] end up like Venezuela pic.twitter.com/sQn4CuGfaO — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 22, 2020
While Trump’s schadenfreude over Senator Romney’s sequester may have temporarily amused him, the sudden unavailability of a number of Republican senators has upset the balance of power in Congress, leaving only 48 GOP members in the Senate chamber compared to the Democrats’ 47 senators.
Since the Senate requires 60 votes to advance the legislation, this has made the passage of the Republican version of a coronavirus stimulus bill impossible without the cooperation of the Democrats and without some attention paid to the conditions that they wish to place on the use of the money to prevent corporations from using it to buy back stock rather than retain workers.
The paid absences by the missing Republican senators torpedoed GOP plans to ram through an aid package that would bail out giant corporations that have already been given trillions in tax cuts and would have given Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin an enormous slush fund to use at his discretion without congressional oversight and now gives Democrats more time to negotiate protections that would benefit the suffering average Americans rather than wealthy companies and the oligarchs who control them.
If we continue to lose Republican Senators from the halls of Congress at this rate, it may just be a great time for the House to reintroduce articles of impeachment. With the new, more even, playing field in the Senate and the examples of Trump’s massive failures to manage the pandemic crisis sending faith in the president’s leadership cratering, the results may be quite different this time around.
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Original reporting by Jordain Carney at The Hill.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-23--Man dies after swallowing fish tank cleaner thinking it was the untested drug Trump promoted

As of the start of the writing of this article , Donald Trump is already more than half an hour late for today ’ s edition of the daily coronavirus press briefings that he commandeered after he realized that his Task Force head , Vice President Mike Pence was getting all the credit for any minute semblance of competence associated with the administration ’ s response to the crisis .
That ’ s likely a good thing although not nearly as beneficial as if the president were to skip attending the briefings entirely since his contradictions of health experts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insinuations about the origins of the COVID-19 virus and his promotion of untested and unproven drugs as potential miracle cures for the virus have proven to be not only dangerous but in at least one case downright deadly .
Trump ’ s constant harping about the potential of an anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for the coronavirus infection — despite the fact that it has neither been tested for safety and efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration under a proper drug testing protocol — has led to the first confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of misinformation , even after Nigeria reported two cases of chloroquine overdose poisoning after Trump first started mentioning it as a possible cure .
Not only did Trump force medical experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci , the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , to contradict his optimism about potential cures and vaccines in disclaimers to press after Trump yielded the microphone at the briefings , but Trump continued to push the drug as a miracle cure in subsequent Twitter postings even after he had been publicly corrected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ team .
Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately !
Now , NBC News is reporting that “ an Arizona man died after ingesting chloroquine phosphate in an attempt to protect himself from becoming infected with the coronavirus .
The man ’ s wife also ingested the drug and is currently under critical care.
” Chloroquine phosphate is a commonly used ingredient used for cleaning fish tanks and , while chemically related to Hydroxychloroquine , the two chemicals are quite distinct .
In response to the news , Dr. Daniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poison and Drug Information Center , said that “ given the uncertainty around COVID-19 , we understand that people are trying to find new ways to prevent or treat this virus , but self-medicating is not the way to do so.
” Even if properly administered by a doctor in a clinical setting , the false hopes that the president has set up for the non-approved use of the drug has caused a run on the medication that is now preventing researchers from obtaining sufficient quantities of the substance to run legitimate trials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if it can actually make a significant difference in treatment of the disease , as MSNBC ’ s Chris Hayes reported .
Of course , during the course of writing this article , Trump has finally begun today ’ s press briefing and continues to promote the drug as a proven success , with Dr. Fauci missing in action at the podium after contradicting the president last week and stealing his limelight .
With Trump now appearing to be ready to prematurely end the quarantines that are keeping the virus from spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shuttered businesses look like they will soon shutter his reelection chances , the overdose death of the man who trusted the president ’ s hype about the potential cure will likely not be the last death that Trump will bear responsibility for .
The price for believing this man is far too high to be worth trusting your — or the country ’ s — future to his veracity or his “ hunches ” and “ feelings.
” He will get us all killed if he ’ s not removed from power as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think ?

As of the start of the writing of this article, Donald Trump is already more than half an hour late for today’s edition of the daily coronavirus press briefings that he commandeered after he realized that his Task Force head, Vice President Mike Pence was getting all the credit for any minute semblance of competence associated with the administration’s response to the crisis.
That’s likely a good thing although not nearly as beneficial as if the president were to skip attending the briefings entirely since his contradictions of health experts in favor of crackpot conspiracy theories and racist insinuations about the origins of the COVID-19 virus and his promotion of untested and unproven drugs as potential miracle cures for the virus have proven to be not only dangerous but in at least one case downright deadly.
Trump’s constant harping about the potential of an anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for the coronavirus infection — despite the fact that it has neither been tested for safety and efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration under a proper drug testing protocol — has led to the first confirmed U.S. fatality due to his ignorant spread of misinformation, even after Nigeria reported two cases of chloroquine overdose poisoning after Trump first started mentioning it as a possible cure.
Not only did Trump force medical experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to contradict his optimism about potential cures and vaccines in disclaimers to press after Trump yielded the microphone at the briefings, but Trump continued to push the drug as a miracle cure in subsequent Twitter postings even after he had been publicly corrected.
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains – Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)….. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2020
Trump fired America’s pandemic response team. Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately!
Now, NBC News is reporting that “an Arizona man died after ingesting chloroquine phosphate in an attempt to protect himself from becoming infected with the coronavirus. The man’s wife also ingested the drug and is currently under critical care.”
Chloroquine phosphate is a commonly used ingredient used for cleaning fish tanks and, while chemically related to Hydroxychloroquine, the two chemicals are quite distinct.
In response to the news, Dr. Daniel Brooks, the medical director for Banner Poison and Drug Information Center, said that “given the uncertainty around COVID-19, we understand that people are trying to find new ways to prevent or treat this virus, but self-medicating is not the way to do so.”
“Medical toxicologists and emergency physicians are warning the public against the use of inappropriate medications and household products to prevent or treat COVID-19. In particular, Banner Health experts emphasize that chloroquine, a malaria medication, should not be ingested to treat or prevent this virus,” the Banner Health system said in a statement.
Even if properly administered by a doctor in a clinical setting, the false hopes that the president has set up for the non-approved use of the drug has caused a run on the medication that is now preventing researchers from obtaining sufficient quantities of the substance to run legitimate trials of the chemical on COVID-10 patients to see if it can actually make a significant difference in treatment of the disease, as MSNBC’s Chris Hayes reported.
The president touting hydroxychloroquine has, predictably, triggered hoarding of the drug to the point that even one hospital I know attempting to administer it as part of a trial is having a hard time getting its hands on the drug. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 23, 2020
Of course, during the course of writing this article, Trump has finally begun today’s press briefing and continues to promote the drug as a proven success, with Dr. Fauci missing in action at the podium after contradicting the president last week and stealing his limelight.
Bill Barr keeps touching his face pic.twitter.com/V4La6ecZ6q — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2020
With Trump now appearing to be ready to prematurely end the quarantines that are keeping the virus from spreading more rapidly because the economic consequences of shuttered businesses look like they will soon shutter his reelection chances, the overdose death of the man who trusted the president’s hype about the potential cure will likely not be the last death that Trump will bear responsibility for.
The price for believing this man is far too high to be worth trusting your — or the country’s — future to his veracity or his “hunches” and “feelings.” He will get us all killed if he’s not removed from power as soon as possible.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Erika Edwards at NBC News.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-23--New reports accuse Jared Kushner of feeding Trump coronavirus conspiracy theories

We are in the midst of one of the worst crises in modern history and in dire need of real leadership .
Unfortunately , we ’ ve found ourselves saddled with a clueless game show host who it now turns out is relying on the coronavirus counsel of his slumlord son-in-law who—to be clear—has no medical background whatsoever .
According to Vanity Fair , Jared Kushner has been serving up crackpot panaceas to the president and telling him about “ experimental treatments ” that he ’ s learned about by talking to people in Silicon Valley .
Trump , desperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global predicament , is gobbling them up .
“ Jared is bringing conspiracy theories to Trump about potential treatments , ” explained one Republican .
While not out-of-character given his long history of flirtation with conspiracy theories , it ’ s still deeply disturbing to think that the president is relying on Alex Jones-like ideas instead of consulting with the army of medical professionals he has access to .
Trump fired America ’ s pandemic response team .
Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately !
It ’ s clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his reelection chances than the health and safety of the American people .
He has no interest in actually rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work it ’ s going to take to lead this country through the next several months so it makes sense that he ’ s holding out hope for some quick fix to save his presidency .
He wants an easy solution , not an effective one .
“ Trump is like an 11-year-old boy waiting for the fairy godmother to bring him a magic pill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To make things worse , Kushner has also been in Trump ’ s ear claiming that the fears about the virus are overblown and that the media is exaggerating the risk , a terrifying prospect given Trump ’ s early claims that the virus was nothing but a “ Democratic hoax.
” Clearly , he is uniquely susceptible to these kinds of paranoid narratives .
Two sources told Vanity Fair that the situation is so bad that Vice President Mike Pence has actually complained to Trump about Kushner ’ s influence on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing the full scope of the massive mistake this country made in 2016 .
Now , more than ever we need a president and instead , we ’ re stuck with this con artist and his clueless , bumbling family .
Booting him from office this November is quite literally a matter of life and death .
What do you think ?

We are in the midst of one of the worst crises in modern history and in dire need of real leadership. Unfortunately, we’ve found ourselves saddled with a clueless game show host who it now turns out is relying on the coronavirus counsel of his slumlord son-in-law who—to be clear—has no medical background whatsoever.
According to Vanity Fair, Jared Kushner has been serving up crackpot panaceas to the president and telling him about “experimental treatments” that he’s learned about by talking to people in Silicon Valley. Trump, desperate for an easy way out of this global predicament, is gobbling them up.
“Jared is bringing conspiracy theories to Trump about potential treatments,” explained one Republican.
While not out-of-character given his long history of flirtation with conspiracy theories, it’s still deeply disturbing to think that the president is relying on Alex Jones-like ideas instead of consulting with the army of medical professionals he has access to.
Trump fired America’s pandemic response team. Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately!
It’s clear that Trump is far more concerned about his reelection chances than the health and safety of the American people. He has no interest in actually rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work it’s going to take to lead this country through the next several months so it makes sense that he’s holding out hope for some quick fix to save his presidency. He wants an easy solution, not an effective one.
“Trump is like an 11-year-old boy waiting for the fairy godmother to bring him a magic pill,” said one White House official.
To make things worse, Kushner has also been in Trump’s ear claiming that the fears about the virus are overblown and that the media is exaggerating the risk, a terrifying prospect given Trump’s early claims that the virus was nothing but a “Democratic hoax.” Clearly, he is uniquely susceptible to these kinds of paranoid narratives. Two sources told Vanity Fair that the situation is so bad that Vice President Mike Pence has actually complained to Trump about Kushner’s influence on the coronavirus task force.
We are finally seeing the full scope of the massive mistake this country made in 2016. Now, more than ever we need a president and instead, we’re stuck with this con artist and his clueless, bumbling family. Booting him from office this November is quite literally a matter of life and death.
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts