COVID-19 ongoing thread part 2

[PainRack]

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5f77 ... 480aadf6d0



Fox News host Tucker Carlson dropped a crass comparison Friday as he insisted that “the left” criticizing Donald Trump’s behavior in contracting COVID-19 is the same as blaming the victim of a sexual assault.



Oh fuck you Carlson.



Between this and GOP attacks on Chrissy Teigen miscarriage, how can ANY woman support them?

[Napoleon the Clown]

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5f77 ... 480aadf6d0



Fox News host Tucker Carlson dropped a crass comparison Friday as he insisted that “the left” criticizing Donald Trump’s behavior in contracting COVID-19 is the same as blaming the victim of a sexual assault.



Oh fuck you Carlson.



Between this and GOP attacks on Chrissy Teigen miscarriage, how can ANY woman support them?

White supremacy. I'm not being glib. They straight up like the white supremacy that comes with the GOP. So long as the bootheel is pressing someone else's throat harder, they're happy.

[Broomstick]

Except as the First Lady she not only has an active office she has been doing fluff PR jobs in addition to actively campaigning for and against certain public offices. Unlike Carter's brother in your example she is involved with the Presidency. That said she's already well know for not giving a shit about people.

Part of my point is that she never sought the job of First Lady - she was drafted. I suspect she and Trump were pretty much separated in practice if not legally, not interacting much and he clearly did not need her for his own career. She is not like past First Ladies that actively supported their husband's careers and actually wanted the job on some level as part of the trappings of their husband's office.

FLOTUS has no legal or official status, and James Buchanan, a life-long bachelor as well as 15th president, didn't have one. His niece acted as White House hostess when one was needed. Seems to me that Melania would have been happier being ignored in NYC while someone else took on that role. And maybe we'd still have the old Rose Garden.

Might be time to re-examine that tradition.

[Broomstick]

Between this and GOP attacks on Chrissy Teigen miscarriage, how can ANY woman support them?

Wait, what - attacks on -- nevermind, I'll look it up myself. Good grief.

[bilateralrope]

Covid-19: Experts criticise 'irresponsible' Donald Trump for leaving hospital to do drive-by for supporters

Medical experts are criticising US President Donald Trump as “insane” and “irresponsible” for leaving hospital and doing a surprise “drive-by” for his supporters, days after he tested positive for Covid-19.

Trump briefly left hospital this morning to greet cheering supporters from his motorcade, despite the president's medical team confirming hours earlier that his blood oxygen level dropped suddenly twice in recent days. But they also said he could be discharged as early as Monday (local time).

At least one medical professional inside Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, where Trump has been hospitalised since Friday evening, questioned why Trump would do something so risky for “political theatre”.

“Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary presidential drive-by just now has to be quarantined for 14 days. They might get sick. They may die. For political theatre. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theatre. This is insanity,” Dr James P Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed, tweeted.

“That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of Covid-19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play,” he wrote in another tweet

Other medical experts have also condemned the US President for putting others’ health at risk and possibly causing a spread of the virus.

Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University school of medicine and health services, said in a tweet: “By taking a joy ride outside Walter Reed the president is placing his Secret Service detail at grave risk.”

“In the hospital when we go into close contact with a Covid patient we dress in full PPE: Gown, gloves, N95, eye protection, hat. This is the height of irresponsibility.”

Saad B Omer, the director of Yale’s Institute for Global Health tweeted: “This is an individual with an active infection in close proximity with two other individuals, in a vehicle with closed windows, performing an optional task (masks help, but they are not an impenetrable force field).”

Yashar Ali, a journalist and former Hillary Clinton campaign staffer, also shared a text message he claimed was from a former Secret Service agent on Twitter.

“I am beside myself,” the message read.

“He is wilfully disregarding the health and safety of the agents around him. They have no choice as they will carry out their mission but if this is not a clear indication that he could give two s.... about their health and safety then I do not know what is.

“I remember a time when we used to judge protectees based on whether or not they travelled over the holidays, thus impacting the family lives of the agents. Now moving forward I guess the litmus test is whether or not the President will kill me.”

The press pool were not informed about the President leaving Walter Reed, leading to The White House Correspondents' Association blasting Trump in a statement.

"It is outrageous for the president to have left the hospital – even briefly – amid a health crisis without a protective pool present to ensure that the American people know where their president is and how he is doing,” the statement said.

"Now more than ever, the American public deserves independent coverage of the president so they can be reliably informed about his health."

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement after the trip: "President Trump took a short, last-minute motorcade ride to wave to his supporters outside and has now returned to the Presidential Suite inside Walter Reed."

Before his brief drive-by, Trump released a video on Twitter, telling his supporters he “gets it”.

“It’s been a very interesting journey. I learned a lot about Covid,” Trump said, standing in his hospital room. “I learned it by really going to school.”

Earlier in the day, Trump's doctors revealed they gave the president a steroid treatment typically only recommended for the very sick. But they sidestepped questions about exactly when Trump’s blood oxygen dropped – an episode they neglected to mention in multiple statements the day before – or whether lung scans showed any damage.

It was the second straight day of confusion and obfuscation from a White House already suffering from a credibility crisis. And it raised questions about whether the doctors treating the president were sharing accurate, timely information with the American public about the severity of his condition.

Pressed about conflicting information he and the White House released on Saturday, Navy commander Dr Sean Conley acknowledged that he had tried to present a rosy description of the president’s condition.

“I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude of the team, that the president, that his course of illness has had. Didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction,” Conley said. “And in doing so, came off like we’re trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true. The fact of the matter is that he’s doing really well.”

Medical experts said Conley’s revelations raised new questions about how ill the president was and are hard to square with the doctor’s upbeat assessment and talk of a discharge.

I wish I was surprised about Trump doing this.

[FireNexus]

The only thing that surprises me is that he is still alive.

[B5B7]

I saw that on the news. When Trump drove by his insipid supporters, one of them called out that he would die for Trump. Well, 210,000 Americans already have died for him, not voluntarily. Plus of course these people who say such things are full of hyperbole; if it came to the crunch they would do no such thing, except indirectly by being a victim of Trump and the GOP.

[madd0ct0r]

In the UK the number of cases rose rapidly.
But the public – and authorities – are only learning this now because these cases were only published now as a backlog.

The reason was apparently that the database is managed in Excel and the number of columns had reached the maximum.

https://mobile.twitter.com/MaxCRoser/st ... 8915706880

[SolarpunkFan]

I can't find it now, but there's one about her "successfully arguing her first case before The Lord"

I've heard one quip saying "did someone finally write [Trump's] name in the death note?"

[LadyTevar]

And now Trump is back in the WhiteHouse, mainly because he didn't want to stay in the Hospital.

[bilateralrope]

And the first thing he did when he got back there was to take off his mask.

Yeah, I'm expecting him to personally infect more people over the next few days. Plus he's probably going to attack whoever calls off the next in-person debate.

[bilateralrope]

In other news, New Zealand just declared victory over our outbreak that started August 11. Victory meaning 95% certainty that we have eliminated it in the community.

We still don't know how Covid19 got back into the country. So we can't stop it getting in again via the same route.

[Napoleon the Clown]

And now Trump is back in the WhiteHouse, mainly because he didn't want to stay in the Hospital.

Nurses, doctors, asthma sufferers, etc. have been examining the video of that and noted that his breathing is very labored. He's obviously being kept vertical by the dexamethasone.

[B5B7]

I saw a medical expert on the news who said that Trump is still infectious and in about a week's time he could be in a bad way, needing ICU.
Also Kayleigh McEnany now also has the Corona virus.
In news I saw yesterday it mentioned that many people were concerned because with that Limo drive he could have exposed the Secret Service personnel with him in the car to Covid also.

[Broomstick]

And now Trump is back in the WhiteHouse, mainly because he didn't want to stay in the Hospital.

Nurses, doctors, asthma sufferers, etc. have been examining the video of that and noted that his breathing is very labored. He's obviously being kept vertical by the dexamethasone.

Yep, and a steroid like dexamethasone can have mental side effects. Like making you feel better than you actually are. Like.... "I feel better than I did 20 years ago". Mania. Mood swings.

He's seriously ill but pretending not to be. And his "base" will believe him as long as he stays upright.

[wautd]

And the first thing he did when he got back there was to take off his mask.

Yeah, I'm expecting him to personally infect more people over the next few days. Plus he's probably going to attack whoever calls off the next in-person debate.

Don't worry, it's fine. I'm sure that, just like Trump, the average American has access to affordable health care, and has a team of a dozen or so doctors to take care of them with the best possible support and equipment when they get sick.

[Darth Yan]

And now Trump is back in the WhiteHouse, mainly because he didn't want to stay in the Hospital.

Nurses, doctors, asthma sufferers, etc. have been examining the video of that and noted that his breathing is very labored. He's obviously being kept vertical by the dexamethasone.

Yep, and a steroid like dexamethasone can have mental side effects. Like making you feel better than you actually are. Like.... "I feel better than I did 20 years ago". Mania. Mood swings.

He's seriously ill but pretending not to be. And his "base" will believe him as long as he stays upright.

If Trump DOES bite it, would that effect the Supreme Court Nomination (i.e. they need to scramble and the hearing gets lost in the shuffle)

[Napoleon the Clown]

Yep, and a steroid like dexamethasone can have mental side effects. Like making you feel better than you actually are. Like.... "I feel better than I did 20 years ago". Mania. Mood swings.

He's seriously ill but pretending not to be. And his "base" will believe him as long as he stays upright.

Oh yeah. I've read people saying stuff to the effect of feeling like they could run a marathon after back surgery or similar procedures. He's gonna have a hell of a crash if he lives that long. I can honestly see him pushing too much for the sake of not looking "weak" and taking a severe turn. Given that he was in respiratory distress after his walk there, if he's not to the worst of it yet he's gonna have a really, really bad time. What little has been admitted about him does not paint a rosy picture for recovery. Most docs with familiarity with COVID give him better than even odds of survival, but the lasting effects? Nowhere near enough info to start guessing.

[Broomstick]

If Trump DOES bite it, would that effect the Supreme Court Nomination (i.e. they need to scramble and the hearing gets lost in the shuffle)

Unlikely - if Trump dies then they swear in Pence, it's pretty straightforward and I see no reason Pence wouldn't support the current nominee. In some ways, there's even less scrambling if Trump outright dies, "merely" incapacitated is more of a grey area.

Oh yeah. I've read people saying stuff to the effect of feeling like they could run a marathon after back surgery or similar procedures. He's gonna have a hell of a crash if he lives that long.

When you're dying on Mount Everest, with no oxygen available, dexamethasone is the shit they shoot you up with, and people near the end in the death zone have been known to get up and walk back down the mountain after a dose or two. It's a miracle drug - but a miracle with a price.

If he's properly tapered off it there shouldn't be a crash - but Trump might get it into his head that he feels so much better he suddenly doesn't need it anymore. That could be bad for him.

[Darth Yan]

Though if Pence does ascend (which I'm guessing is more and more likely) he'll need to appoint a vice president and THAT might complicate matters.

Also three members of the judiciary committee are sick; if their condition worsens to the point they can't come in to vote that essentially creates a tie, which means they can't immediately move forwards. That'll definitely set Mitch's plan back, and if they delay it until after the election they might very well have to drop the matter completely (if the Dems win an overwhelming victory in all fronts)

[Napoleon the Clown]

Oh yeah. I've read people saying stuff to the effect of feeling like they could run a marathon after back surgery or similar procedures. He's gonna have a hell of a crash if he lives that long.

When you're dying on Mount Everest, with no oxygen available, dexamethasone is the shit they shoot you up with, and people near the end in the death zone have been known to get up and walk back down the mountain after a dose or two. It's a miracle drug - but a miracle with a price.

If he's properly tapered off it there shouldn't be a crash - but Trump might get it into his head that he feels so much better he suddenly doesn't need it anymore. That could be bad for him.

So the times I joked that it would make a surgery patient feel like they can ascend Everst without oxygen weren't the level of hyperbole I thought. Huh.

As to crash and taper... The commentary I've seen from people who've been on it has been that even with a taper there's a hell of a crash. Given how little Trump sleeps, and how difficult sleep becomes on the stuff, he's probably going to be jacked up bad as they take him off of it. Dunno what your personal experience is with corticosteroids, so my info is coming from randos on Twitter and might not be as accurate as what you've got.

I did see that the Wikipedia article lists "death" as a possible consequence of going cold-turkey, though from what I gathered that's only really a risk after prolonged time and severe dependence. I highly doubt he'll have been on it long enough for that to be terribly likely.


In somewhat related news, Stephen Miller has now tested positive. Current count of positives (that they have admitted to) is close to 40 people linked to their little party.

[Darth Yan]

I'd love it if McTurtle and Graham got it,

[bilateralrope]

As to crash and taper... The commentary I've seen from people who've been on it has been that even with a taper there's a hell of a crash. Given how little Trump sleeps, and how difficult sleep becomes on the stuff, he's probably going to be jacked up bad as they take him off of it. Dunno what your personal experience is with corticosteroids, so my info is coming from randos on Twitter and might not be as accurate as what you've got.

How dangerous is it if they try to delay when he crashes until after the election ?

[Broomstick]

Though if Pence does ascend (which I'm guessing is more and more likely) he'll need to appoint a vice president and THAT might complicate matters.

The VP slot doesn't need to be filled immediately, it's stood empty for months in the past, and this close to the election it might not be worth that battle. There's a line of succession, with Pelosi next, then Chuck Grassley, and so on through a good couple dozen people.

I think the Republicans would like to fill it immediately, but with the Senate having an outbreak that may not be practical, and they might choose ramming through the SCotUS nominee to be a higher priority.

[bilateralrope]

There's a line of succession, with Pelosi next,

I've heard some people saying that having Pelosi next would violate separation of powers because Congress is not the executive branch. So if Trump and Pence are incapacitated, I'm expecting Republicans to sue to try and block her.