In one of the most perverse twists of logic, Trump spent his morning today trying to demonstrate that he answered Woodward’s questions perfectly (or at least normally) by saying that if his answers were so terrible, Woodward would have come out with them months ago.
There is little doubt that Woodward should have come out with at least some of the information months ago. However, we should acknowledge that Woodward likely had a contract with his publisher than none of the stories would be released prior to the week before publication – when books always go through a publicity phase. Woodward did have an opportunity to break the contract and possibly spare the country a lot of misery, but that’s not something Trump would ever have done. Hearing Trump say “but he would have” is completely bizarre.
We realize it’s very subtle (not!) but see if you can pick up a flaw in the logic here:
Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didn’t he immediately report them in an effort to save lives? Didn’t he have an obligation to do so? No, because he knew they were good and proper answers. Calm, no panic!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2020 [1]
First of all, Woodward may have had a moral obligation to come forward but he was certainly no more obligated to come forward than Trump – who is in office – and the failure to come forward doesn’t make anything about Trump’s plan “good and proper.” Trump seems to think that the disaster here is how Trump “answered” some questions. No, the disaster is that the answers themselves give away his attitude and approach. He is willing to lie to the American people in order to calm the markets and economy. When it comes to black people, he very much wants white suburban America to panic.
Americans saw right through this:
So, now you are admitting that if America knew that you were misleading them, lives could have been saved, but it's not your fault. It's Bob Woodward's fault for not telling the public soon enough?
WOW! You are really bad at this!
— Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) September 10, 2020 [2]
YOU had an obligation to tell the truth. Instead you lied, flip flopped and caused mass confusion and panic. Your coverup resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands. Your entire platform is stoking fear and panic, quit pretending otherwise. pic.twitter.com/KLjztYlz1Z [3]
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) September 10, 2020 [4]
"I wanted to always play it down" #ad [5] https://t.co/vdVMdGa55p [6]
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) September 10, 2020 [7]
Donald Trump is a pathological liar and 200K have died. #TrumpKnew [8] pic.twitter.com/gXcAJwSQC2 [9]
— Jules Morgan (@glamelegance) September 10, 2020 [10]
Only a psychopath could live with the crimes you have committed against thousands of innocent people, against countless families against America, against all that is right and good.
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) September 10, 2020 [11]
It is difficult to panic when dead.
Also, Daddy didn't tweet this, @IvankaTrump [12] is toggling between accounts.
Woodward had no duty to the American people; #TraitorTrump [13] did.
— Carmela Starr (@CarmelaStarr7) September 10, 2020 [14]
And lest anyone be under the impression that any of this could have any impact on the true MAGA heads, well, one couldn’t be more wrong. It is good, however, to know that nothing will chip away at the true cult, only around the outer edges.
Fact check: WRONG! pic.twitter.com/g2t9wNWmez [15]
— Rebecca Bailey (@BB_Patriot) September 10, 2020 [16]
He is on tape saying it is very serious, and that he wants to downplay it. The MAGAs “fact-check” it and it’s “wrong.” Nothing can penetrate their bubble.
****
Peace, y’all
Jason
jmiciak