MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is also very much a local story. The virus has upended our local economy and killed more than 400 people in Shelby County since early March. Nearly 166,000 cases have been confirmed in the county. And our way of life has been drastically altered. So how the government, especially the President, has responded to COVID-19 matters locally. Which is why the revelations in Bob Woodward’s new book, Rage, are so stunning.
The biggest bombshell comes from President Trump’s own words. He knew at the beginning of February that COVID-19 was an airborne disease and was five times more deadly than the most serious flu. He also knew that the virus strikes children, although not as badly. Yet, the President kept telling America the virus was a minor annoyance that would simply go away. And he kept holding packed indoor rallies while discouraging people from wearing a mask.
So it stands to reason that this President helped to spread the virus rather than contain it. He kept vital information from the public for political gain. And it’s not a stretch to say that at least some of the 400 lost lives in Shelby County could have been saved had the President been truthful with us from the start.
Forget politics. This is about human lives. And it saddens me to say I am ashamed that this man is our President. And that’s my point of view.
