Steve James wrote:The problem is that he listened to his hunch that the virus would not be bad, or as windy is saying now, that it won't be as bad as the seasonal flu. I.e., according to Trump's opinion at the beginning of March, there'll only be 22K deaths. Before this, no one was blaming him for that number or how "he" handled it. That's because "he" had no hand in it. It was all CDC run. Besides, why put his brand on it anyway?
Then, he was warned about the covid19 virus. He stopped travel from China, but what did he do in the US? He kept saying it wouldn't be serious here. His supporters at FOX news (except one) repeated what he said. He then put Pence in charge of a task force over the CDC chief. All reports from the CDC came through the WH. Watch his news briefing. FEMA is there; the surgeon general is there; the CDC isn't. Dr. Fauci constantly has to correct what the president says. If this were The Apprentice, he'd be fired.
His whole administration is repeating that talking point about this having to be handled on the state level to take the responsibility off the Pres almost to embarrassment.
As you said he and they have to double down since the Pres basically painted himself into a corner as ten of thousands of Americans die but then we'll hear they we senior citizens...blah blah blah...we can't blame the Pres.