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White House Whirlwind [Evening Update]
On Tuesday, 28 April, President Trump met in person with Governor DeSantis of Florida and conducted a livestreamed event on Supporting Our Nation’s Small Businesses Through the Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP event is now on the White House YouTube channel, but not the C-SPAN channel. This event replaced the usual daily press briefing, highlighting one aspect of the response to government inflicted harm to Americans, including Americans’ very lives (suicide and overdose deaths). With the White House Coronavirus Taskforce off camera for the day, Vice President Pence flew to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to meet patients and participate in a coronavirus roundtable.
President Trump made introductory remarks in the PPP event and then called up his eldest daughter, Ivanka, to tee up the rest of the speakers. President Trump then did his usual routine of thanking, praising, and introducing one great American after another. The first small business owner dropped heavy hammers on “non-essential” as she called her workers’ employment “a human right.” Every one of her employees has a developmental disability, and many had never had a job before. One of her employees said, “Me and all my coworkers are not broken and America is not broken either.” Hanky alert! Some of these wonderful people may move you.
The DeSantis sit-down was a bit earlier in the day. It ran 36 minutes, the two leaders sitting side-by-side. It is a good sign that a large state leader feels comfortable enough to leave his state and go to the White House. You would not expect that in mid-disaster response. The mere optics of the meeting signal we are not going to stay hunkered down.
Interestingly, VP Pence met with Mayo Clinic patients, who were apparently recovering from COVID-19, without wearing a mask. While everyone else wore masks in the Mayo Clinic coronavirus roundtable, he did not. This is not available on either the White House or C-SPAN YouTube channels. PBS did capture the pool video.
The MSM buzz, of course, was entirely about the mask. See the results YouTube rigs as “top news,” and then the results supposedly not skewed.
Results below “top news” section, notice that PBS is the first to not parrot the attack line:
A bit of speculation on my part: Vice President Pence knew the response he would get. He is certainly that savvy. Pence is forcing the action on hydroxychloroquine, testing its prophylactic efficacy against coronavirus even as the FDA seems to sticks its thumb in President Trump’s eye and seeks to limit possible good news stories outside its own direct control. Yes, I suspect VP Pence is taking hydroxychloroquine now. Remember that he is tested daily before he interacts with the President.
Published in General
That moved me. Put it in the next campaign video!
I am fine giving non-essential workers time off without pay. But all private sector workers are “essential” to that business. A business with non-essential employees goes broke. And all products and services offered by businesses are essential. They are essential because there is a market demand for them.
The only entities with “non-essential” employees, products and services are governments. Even if a government employee does not return value, that individual’s salary can be paid by the taxpayers not the government. (If you do not believe me, look at all of the administrators at public universities nowadays.) Even if a product or service offered by the government is not wanted in the marketplace, taxpayers are still forced to pay for them.
I agree.
Employment is the center of the pursuit of happiness in this world.
It’s not a right that creates an obligation for others to provide it. It’s a right that creates an obligation for others to not get in the way without just cause.
Sort of like the right to health insurance. Which the Democrats also hate.
Did Pence forget to wear a mask?
Shouldn’t he wear one if he is visiting patients?
Even if he is testing the prophylactic efficacy of HCQ
Bingo!
I think Pence is playing it right. Someone from Indiana has to correct me, but it seems that he is a very careful and precise person. He has calculated how his appearance plays into various messaging. If you recall the photo of John Kerry in clean room gear you know exactly what Pence does not want to have happen.
Well according to my Facebook, Pence did not wear a mask because he is an arrogant ass that wants to kill all that are not Evangelical Christian
The reaction would have been no different had he worn a mask, most of which either leak, don’t stay in place, are hot, cause your eyeglasses to fog (proving they leak) and so on. Had he worn a mask he would be accused of fomenting panic. It’s more important that he wash his hands before entering the room (to help prevent him giving the patients something) and after being at a hospital (to prevent carrying a hospital-based infection out) than wear a mask while standing far away from people who have recovered and therefore have antibodies.
This is why the discussion of Universal Income is so distressing to me. Work equals dignity and pride. A man wants to be able to provide for his family. Having him stand in line for a government check is dehumanizing. There is no pride or self satisfaction in that. And on top of that telling him that he is non-essential is criminal. Yes, let’s stay shut down until there is a vaccine (maybe by 2025) because who doesn’t want to stay home and play games.
Like 10 to the 10th power. Amen.
The normal way we interact with others is without masks. Ever talk to someone wearing sunglasses inside and find you are irritated at not being able to see their eyes? So, he’s visiting those recovering, is negative by testing daily, and just to make sure he doesn’t give them another dose, he has to mask up for pictures. Some of these things seem like kabuki theater or something.
We still haven’t determined who is protecting who in the mask dance. And if the masks can be carriers of contaminants also. I’ve seen some pretty nasty ones out there. Should beards be shaven off also? I’ve heard they can contain some nasty cooties.
It is said when Max Planck gave the Hitler salute during a presentation, he signaled Hitler was ok. Maybe Pence wants to signal things will be ok.