High Irresponsibility

Sunday continued the pattern of high political and medical irresponsibility by the White House.  But the most irresponsible act by far is the failure to keep vice president Pence in Washington, and in the White House itself.  It is Constitutionally irresponsible.

Medically, inadequate and contradictory information suggests to doctors that Donald Trump's condition is worse or at least more dangerous than both public pronouncements and White House/  Trump campaign behavior.  That is such a widespread conclusion that it was in front page headlines of the New York Times and Washington Post, particularly since Trump is being treated with steroids,  not only usually reserved for the very ill but potentially harmful in less advanced cases. 

This alone--plus the characteristically sudden changes in this disease--would politically and constitutionally demand that the Vice president be physically able to assume the office of president at a moment's notice.  Instead Pence is out campaigning, heading now for Utah.

Trump's doctor Conley is his extraordinary Sunday press conference as much as said that he is lying about Trump's condition because Trump is watching.  Even in trying to explain away his omissions and misinformation Saturday he said "In doing so it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn't necessarily true."  Not necessarily true?

Presumably the suggestion that Trump could be discharged on Monday is part of that keeping up his spirits strategy, though Trump's ride to greet supporters, sealed in with Secret Service officers, demonstrates that his medical people as well as political minions will risk anybody's life in order to mollify the boss.  Even when the boss is under suspicion of himself being the Superspreader.

The hope that this life-threatening experience would change Trump or the White House and transform them into more responsible leaders is foundering.  Trump is eager to get back to a rally, and one of his White House minions says there will be no changes in how they happen.

But this is a continuing story of reality overcoming denial.  I would be surprised even if the vice presidential debate actually happens on Thursday, let alone Trump leaving Walter Reed on Monday.

Also on Sunday, three new national polls were released, and Biden has increased his lead in all three.  The Yahoo/You Guv poll shows him with an 8 point lead, 48% to 40%, up from a 5 point lead.  Reuters/Ipso has Biden ahead by 10 points, 51%-41.  The most dramatic increase and highest numbers comes in the NBC/WSJ poll of registered voters where Biden gained 6 points to lead by a whopping 14 points, 53%-39.  All of these polls were taken since the debate.

An ABC/Ipso poll taken since Trump's Covid diagnosis (which hasn't released head to head numbers) found that near three-quarters of respondents agreed that Trump didn't take the risk of Covid seriously enough, which includes 43% of Republicans.  The percentage of  those concerned about Covid rose to 81% from 72% two weeks ago, with most of that 10 point jump coming from Republicans and Independents.  It therefore seems likely that Trump is not getting a sympathy bump, though he may be a cautionary tale.