Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Trump, Melania Test Positive for COVID-19
President Trump took to Twitter just before 1 a.m. ET to announce that both he and the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19.
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Sean Conley, the Physician to the President, released the following statement:
I release the following information with the permission of President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The President and the First Lady are both well at this time and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.
The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions. Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments.
Get well soon, President and First Lady!
Published in General
Did you ever notice that Gary comes into a normal, friendly and peaceful post, a rational post, with thoughtful comments, and starts writing so contradictorily, chaotically and maliciously, he takes over the post, all the while feigning innocence and taking umbrage as if being singled out for unjustified abuse, and then he suddenly smiles, gets up from the table, belches satedly, hikes up his belt, and cordially insults us as he ambles out the door saying, “I’ll be back for dinner”?
He actually feeds off this stuff.
He’s not a Reagan Republican. He’s a Red Jack.
Well, at least with luck, maybe that book will keep him busy for a while.
Yeah, we all know that.
I’m late to the game.
You mean you haven’t experienced Gary doing this over and over and at the end always claims he’s a Reagan Republican?
At least he’s not Redjac.
(Star Trek reference.)
Covid Trump is better than Sleepy Joe.
So this is what you all do instead of watching football? Can’t blame you.
Um, yes. I mean that exactly. A baby Redjac.
Maybe in the future we should all just ignore him. His worst stuff never makes it to the main feed, so no one has to worry about it going out to non-members. He doesn’t argue in good faith. He stirs the pot and spews inaccuracies and outright falsehoods.
Why not just let him post his nonsense, ignore it, and use the time to engage with posters who are seeking an honest dialog? Without attention, he might change his methods or perhaps just go away.
The vast majority of Ricochet posters can argue differences in good faith, because they actually want to improve their understanding of issues. Why not give them the attention rather than a man who is obsessed with his hatred of Trump and controlled by his desire for attention?
You are correct, of course, but because I’m a jerk sometimes, I enjoy messing with him. I don’t take him seriously, however, so I’m less upset than most of his opponents. It does sort of bother me that people such as he can cast a vote for President.
I could cite one recent case where one of Ricochet’s more popular writers objected to my extremely clear statement because he thought I had said the exact opposite of what I had in fact said.
Repeatedly.
He was conversing in good faith. I think he just had preconceptions that made it virtually impossible for him to understand a statement contrary to those preconceptions. Some incompetence at reading sentences and comprehending their meaning. But all in good faith.
That happens. Especially where Trump is concerned.
I figure that’s all Gary R.’s problem is. But he still does better than most who have that problem. At least he can see that Trump did something right and important with his judicial appointments.
So, you’re saying there’s hope?
Excuse me for a moment. Some red wine sprayed out my nose.
Maybe not. Them preconceptions are stubborn things.
But did that writer “repeatedly” do this month after month, year after year – literally? Gary’s behavior has gone on for the last four years. He throws incendiary and dishonest bombs, watches the conflagration, and then righteously steps away -for four years. This isn’t just an inability to see past one’s particular mindset or world view. This is a desire to sow discord. Or maybe an unhealthy desire for attention.
Regardless, we don’t do him or ourselves or Ricochet any good participating in this game.
No.
But it wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration if I said “Yes.”
Maybe so. I’m not at all sure that said inability plus a desire to keep speaking what one thinks is true–a character trait I share–would not explain most of this. The fact that he’s a dirty sinner–a character trait I share–might explain some of the rest.
Well, we are all sinners. But have you ever heard the old saying: “It doesn’t do to wrestle with a pig. You just get dirty and the pig enjoys it?”
Yeah, no objections there.
I think Gary getting “Member Post of the Week” twice from James on The Ricochet Podcast sort of went to his head, and he now puts up posts and inflammatory comments in part for the attention factor.
But his initial reaction to the Trump-Melenia COVID diagnosis at the start of this thread was revealing. Don’t think Reagan ever was hopeful for the possible death of politicians he didn’t like (though he did muse in the mid-80s he couldn’t meet with any of the Soviet leaders because they kept dying on him).
The “official history” doesn’t go back that far, but the last time I checked, neither of those posts had more than 6 “likes.” And they spent a long time with just 2 or 3, even if they had 200+ or 300+ comments.
It seemed to me at the time that James was sucked in by Gary’s choice of subject more than the actual content of the post, let alone the resulting comments.
Gary is a useful avatar of Never-Trump for many to project anger upon. I agree with ignoring him but for many it’s low hanging fruit. Wasted energy IMHO.
Judging from the politeness and rationality of the comments to him, it looks like many people take his comments seriously, seeing his comments as mistakes, or his being misinformed, or his thinking is in error. I don’t think anyone — certainly no one that I can think of — enjoys arguing with him, or gets satisfaction from disliking or disagreeing with him, or likes to beat up on someone and choose him as being the pinata. But I do think that they don’t like his maliciousness and disingenuousness and and feel the urge to tell him off, so to speak.
I know that I for one thought that I could engage him in civil discourse, but now I believe that that is impossible. And impossible because he has no interest in such a thing.
I love this guy.
Gary is busy [rude comment directed at Gary withheld voluntarily].
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ejc-AoGXsAEJKe3?format=jpg&name=4096×4096
Trump 2016: What do I need forgiveness if I’ve never made a mistake?
Trump 2020: “They’re miracles. People criticize me when I say that but we have things happening that look like miracles, coming down from God.”
Reminds me a bit of the story of Nebuchadnezzar.