The press conference continues to droll on – as it does daily now, and will from now until the election, or at least until Trump can hold rallies. Everybody is sitting at home now, Trump has a rapt audience for his performance pieces, which is exactly what these have become. The real action – or inaction, as the case may be – is going on inside the bowels of the White House, and in one guy’s office in particular – “Kush.”

I have a special contempt for this man because he’s a brat playing with daddy’s money, and now playing with daddy-in-law’s powers. Point is, he’s always been playing, and like Trump, he’s often caught up on playing both sides, this side of his financial fortunes on one, and the United States on the other. When I hear about a young man who couldn’t qualify for a security clearance, inserted himself (no one appointed him) as the “point man for COVID,” I sense he’s passing information along to get some sugar for himself.

The New York Times has it dialed-in:

Because of his unique status, he has made himself the point of contact for many agency officials who know that he can force action and issue decisions without going to the president. But while Mr. Kushner and his allies say that he has brought more order to the process, the government’s response remains fragmented and behind the curve.

Brought more order? Oh, and of course “Kushner and his allies say that he has brought more order …” what else are they going to say? “He’s been shit”? Hardly. Most importantly, he inserted his ass into this process, wasn’t appointed.

Who the fck is in charge? Is it Mike Pence? Is it FEMA? Is it “Kush”? Is it Admiral Giroir Is it the CDC? The governors?

It isn’t Trump.

The nation’s top “emergency manager” Pete Gaynor (maybe he is in charge) was about to go on TV last week and announce the use of the wartime production powers act, but he had yet to let the White House know:

With minutes until the camera went live, though, he still had to let the White House know. The person he hurriedly called: Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, who endorsed an announcement that surprised many officials. Among those unaware that Mr. Kushner had agreed to the use of the special powers? President Trump.

It is not like I “want” Trump making these calls, but I sure as fck don’t want Kushner running the United States, either – nor believing that he does have that authority. If he uses it here, perhaps he steps in front of Trump in another matter where another advisor could talk some sense into Trump.

Dr. Birx just mentioned (in the press conference) that Kushner has been busy finding out what hospitals “need.” Does that sound like a mark Kush would want? “Reaching out to hear what people need from the hospitals and business community,” sounds far more like the Kushner we know. You won’t ever hear that Kushner was “calling government agencies to see what support they might need, or how to improve communications internally. Nope. Kushner is always the one working with the “outsiders.”

I had not even seen this when I originally wrote the first draft of this piece:

We will just note, as if this isn’t obvious, that if one wanted to make money, finding out what outsiders need would be the way to do it. Pass along information on what is needed most throughout the U.S. to people who can put money on those manufacturers, or Kush can pick the winners and losers as to who gets what. That’s our boy.

Some officials said Mr. Kushner had mainly added another layer of confusion to that response, while taking credit for changes already in progress and failing to deliver on promised improvements. He promoted a nationwide screening website and a widespread network of drive-through testing sites. Neither materialized. He claimed to have helped narrow the rift between his father-in-law and General Motors in a presidential blowup over ventilator production, one administration official said, but the White House is still struggling to procure enough ventilators and other medical equipment.

Name one single significant victory or task to which Kushner has been credited?

Correct. That is a trick question since this White House has never had a victory or done anything correctly. But they don’t even advertise that Kushner was invaluable in something they wanted to be done. I have never heard it. Maybe it’s because Kushner doesn’t know what the f- he’s doing.

JARED KUSHNER: "The notion of the federal stockpile was it's supposed to be our stockpile. It's not supposed to be states stockpiles that they then use." pic.twitter.com/9Q7j8QBCMv

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 2, 2020

This person is as dumb as a post. The reason the “federal” government had a stockpile is because there might need to be some held back for hot spots around the country, so some could rotate. Jared, you’re a fcking idiot. If the vents weren’t supposed to be to supplement states, what were they supposed to be?

I am going on pure speculation here, and what I have noticed about Kushner. He always wants to be in the middle of the action. That is true of every White House advisor that ever served. Kushner, however, always seems to be the one wanting to work with American business leaders or foreign dictators. He’s never working with Americans like Mitch McConnell. From what I know of this crowd generally, and Kushner particularly, I would be willing to bet/guess (because that’s all it would be), that Kushner knows he can make money through his “friends” on the outside.

And we still don’t know who’s in charge. We only know that Kushner wants to be in charge … of certain things, and has inserted himself to do it.

****

Peace, y’all

Jason

[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom