Imagine yourself as a Secret Service agent — protecting President Trump — a metaphor with legs

© 2020 Peter Free

 

05 October 2020

 

 

Yesterday, the Lunacy Carnival's ringmaster went for a ride

 

After receiving dexamethasone:

 

 

Donald Trump drew immediate rebuke from doctors on Sunday afternoon for an “insane” surprise drive-by visit to supporters outside the Walter Reed military medical center, where the president is being treated for an infection of Covid-19.

 

At least two other people, probably Secret Service agents, wearing respirators and eye protection, were seen on video in the vehicle accompanying Trump, who was also masked, during the short drive.

 

James Phillips, doctor of emergency medicine at George Washington University, who is an attending physician at Walter Reed, called the stunt “insanity”.

 

“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,” he wrote in a tweet.

 

“For political theater. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theater. This is insanity.”

 

In a second tweet, Phillips added:

 

“That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID19 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.”

 

© 2020 Richard Luscombe and Helen Sullivan, ‘This is insanity’: Walter Reed physician among critics of Donald Trump drive-by visit, Guardian (05 October 2020)

 

 

Chuckle

 

Leave it to Trump to come with such a beautifully effective attention-getting stunt.

 

Trump's COVID drive-by will certainly appeal to his base:

 

 

There goes Political Jesus, despite his ailments.

 

What a hero!

 

 

Having once been in a profession that involved protecting people . . .

 

. . . no matter their own initiating stupidity, I thought of the Secret Service agents involved.

 

What were they thinking?

 

Even if they were optimistic about not becoming ill themselves, they must have realized that they would have to spend a noticeable number of days away from families, friends and human interactions. This, just so that Toddling Donny could try to steal a few ego votes from Basement-Brain Biden.

 

 

The moral? — American absurdity never stops

 

It's all about drawing and casting impulsive likes and dislikes. And almost never about the real substance of what is at hand.

 

Meanwhile, a bunch of ordinary Americans — who do the nation's true day to day work — are taking up the mental and moral slack of the United States' parasitic leadership.

 

One can be optimistic and despairing at the same time.