# A coronavirus pandemic provides a HUGE opportunity for Democrats **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 28, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630 "2020-02-28T02:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/121 "2020-03-07T08:41:28Z")
We’re in Florence. Every time I cough, people stare at me:D ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/122 "2020-03-07T13:50:18Z")
Not sure where this goes… **‘Maybe I have a natural ability’: Trump plays medical expert on coronavirus by second-guessing the professionals** > **[‘Maybe I have a natural ability’: Trump plays medical expert on coronavirus...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maybe-i-have-a-natural-ability-trump-plays-medical-expert-on-coronavirus-by-second-guessing-the-professionals/2020/03/06/3ee0574c-5ffb-11ea-9055-5fa12981bbbf_story.html)** > > The president attacked political rivals, joked about Ukraine during tour of CDC headquarters in Atlanta as he sought to calm jittery nation. > [@](#): > > President Trump likes to say that he fell into politics almost by accident, and on Friday, as he sought to calm a nation gripped with fears over coronavirus, he suggested he would have thrived in another profession — medical expert. > > “I like this stuff. I really get it,” Trump boasted to reporters during a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, where he met with actual doctors and scientists who are feverishly scrambling to contain and combat the deadly illness. Citing a “great, super-genius uncle” who taught at MIT, Trump professed that it must run in the family genes. > > “People are really surprised I understand this stuff,” he said. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability.” > … There really is no limit to his ego or to his delusions. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/123 "2020-03-07T14:15:26Z")
Beginning to wonder if Pence is praying hard enough, I mean, he’s only got the _one_ job. Maybe bring on Jared as co-prayer.? You know, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/124 "2020-03-07T14:16:41Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Not sure where this goes… > > **‘Maybe I have a natural ability’: Trump plays medical expert on coronavirus by second-guessing the professionals** > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maybe-i-have-a-natural-ability-trump-plays-medical-expert-on-coronavirus-by-second-guessing-the-professionals/2020/03/06/3ee0574c-5ffb-11ea-9055-5fa12981bbbf\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maybe-i-have-a-natural-ability-trump-plays-medical-expert-on-coronavirus-by-second-guessing-the-professionals/2020/03/06/3ee0574c-5ffb-11ea-9055-5fa12981bbbf_story.html) > > There really is no limit to his ego or to his delusions. We will quickly move past the point at which the disease can be contained; efforts will shift away from trying to control the spread to controlling the political damage. He’ll viciously go after anyone who contradicts his public statements. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/125 "2020-03-07T20:50:41Z")
Political damage works in several directions: [Iranian MP dies from coronavirus](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-iran/iranian-mp-dies-from-coronavirus-tasnim-news-agency-idUSKBN20U0DL). Trimp will take credit when enough enemies have croaked. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/126 "2020-03-08T00:40:03Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > We will quickly move past the point at which the disease can be contained; efforts will shift away from trying to control the spread to controlling the political damage. He’ll viciously go after anyone who contradicts his public statements. He has already done this, even rebuking Pence for saying anything nice about Jay Inslee. And that comment about how maybe he should have been an epidemiologist or whatever… :smack: That’s one of those deals that the Onion cannot even match. It’s amazing that he doesn’t seem to have a clue as to how cringe he sounds. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/127 "2020-03-08T13:27:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Age 71 here. > > Now wearing gloves when I use the SDMB. 😉 And remember not to touch your face! 😛 ISTM that the best thing for the Dems to do is just exercise their Congressional oversight responsibilities. Have they had any hearings about the Administration’s handling of the coronavirus? If not, why not? They’ve been saying for the past two years that they want to run on health care - well, here’s your chance, guys! ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/128 "2020-03-08T20:52:16Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > ISTM that the best thing for the Dems to do is just exercise their Congressional oversight responsibilities. Have they had any hearings about the Administration’s handling of the coronavirus? If not, why not? They’ve been saying for the past two years that they want to run on health care - well, here’s your chance, guys! So congressional committees subpoena executive minions who refuse to appear. Will the House cut agency or White House money till someone shows up aka blackmail? Right. Oversight doesn’t mean Congress runs things. This administration eschews oversight. SOS. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/129 "2020-03-10T00:51:10Z")
I still think the OP’s phrasing is grotesque, but it’s becoming more and more clear that the Administration response isn’t criminally negligent only because it didn’t occur to anyone that such criminal laws would be necessary. It’s not that the pandemic is a great opportunity. But the administration should be held to the highest standard possible in their preparation for, and response to, the pandemic; and in any case where they fall short (and holy shit, y’all), Democrats need to be talking about what a competent and non-corrupt administration would do instead. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/130 "2020-03-10T02:20:25Z")
I agree **Left Hand of Dorkness** , I also did point at the gross way the OP approached this, and it has been easy for Republicans to use that in an attempt to make it backfire on the Democrats, unfortunately for them even some Trump supporters are beginning to notice now how incompetent and ignorant the current leadership is. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/131 "2020-03-10T02:25:02Z")
Agreed that the phrasing is unfortunate. But it is true that disasters are places where leaders show what they got. Great leadership _reveals itself_ in those times (Lincoln would not have been much remembered if nothing of note had happened during his term), and incompetence is also shown more clearly. Pointing out incompetence and its consequences in that context will be expected. Using the fact that tragic events demonstrate how bad of a leader someone is something I’d love to not have a chance to do, but reality is that such is the circumstance we are likely to be in, to one degree or another (even COVID-19 being a moderate influenza-level event occurring as regular influenza season ramps up in the Fall, will be horrific). I hope not at all, and maybe it WILL fizzle … but right now this is a significant force hurricane heading straight at a major population center and leadership is going “what storm?” It could veer off, but I wouldn’t bet on that. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/132 "2020-03-10T02:33:16Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > … even some Trump supporters are beginning to notice now how incompetent and ignorant the current leadership is. A little slow on the uptake. Dumber than a sack of wet mice. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/133 "2020-03-10T09:04:31Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > So congressional committees subpoena executive minions who refuse to appear. Will the House cut agency or White House money till someone shows up aka blackmail? Right. Oversight doesn’t mean Congress runs things. This administration eschews oversight. SOS. I’m quite aware of what oversight does and doesn’t do, thanks. But even if they can’t compel the testimony of a single Executive Branch official, there’s still plenty of information already in the public record, but it’s scattered across various sources from the past two months or so. They can pull together that historical record, they can interview experts from outside the Administration, they can summarize the story of how this Administration has blown it so far, and where we should be now. And then tell the public what we should do next, now that we’re in this timeline rather than the one where we had a competent government responding to this crisis. ETA: Really the only reason you’d need to interview Administration officials is to lay the blame on specific persons within the Administration. That’s not necessary here. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/134 "2020-03-12T01:34:03Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > The upcoming pandemic benefits Tramp, not any Dem challenger. Watch the White House focus any relief efforts on red states while denying aid to blue states. At that level, it’s massive votive suppression. But if / when the crisis spirals out of control with a large portion of the populace infected, that’s just a great excuse to declare a State Of Emergency, round up sick dissidents, and cancel the November election. This is more or less how I see it, although it’s not so simple as breaking the glass and pulling the lever labeled “cancel the November election”. The states hold a lot of the power here. But I give Trump the advantage in this pandemic situation. His presidency has been kept afloat by the glib phrase “how’s your 401k”, which is now evaporating before our eyes. He absolutely cannot lose this election because he will be looking at serious criminal charges the moment he stops being president. Therefore he will do anything to remain president. Should it become clear that the recession is seriously bad and getting worse, he will use the pandemic to do whatever he can to inject chaos, confusion, and delay into the electoral process, anything at all to stay president as long as possible, fighting it one day at a time. Expect voter suppression. Expect manufactured riots. Expect suppression of the free press. Expect outrageous limitation on movements at the border. Expect caravan stories. Expect wars of distraction. This is going to be a nasty election and I predict the serious nastiness is going to start around July, when the Supreme Court lays its cards on the table regarding the Mazars subpoenas. If this doesn’t go Trump’s way, all gloves are off. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/135 "2020-03-12T02:29:12Z")
As usual, not sure where to post this. A friend of mine had a great idea for the cruise ships with quarantined passengers: send them all to Mar-A-Lago! I’m sure there’s plenty of room there, right? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/136 "2020-03-12T03:16:20Z")
For the record, the one thing needed to get Trump gone was a recession before the election. Whee… On the financial side, the one bonus is that the longer the wound festered, the worse it was going to be. One might view any economic downturn that comes from this as a pressure release - annoying, but necessary. The pestilence and plague is harder to be warm towards. But I do hope and believe that this is finally the moment when everyone had to admit that the man is actually as stupid as everyone says. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/137 "2020-03-12T06:40:33Z")
Pelosi shows how it’s done. This is such a stellar, well-timed proposal. Great politics because great policy: absolutely ideal! [https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/31120-2](https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/31120-2) > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I still think the OP’s phrasing is grotesque But you have yet to say _why_. 😕 Because lives are at stake? Same is true about gun policy, military policy, health policy, criminal justice policy, policy about nearly everything that matters–even the National Weather Service. Why is it grotesque to see a political opportunity here but not in those areas? Or are you against seeing such opportunity on any issue that’s not totally anodyne? I’m sorry, but to me this verges awfully close to the typical GOP talking point after a mass shooting: “Hearts and prayers, this is no time to politicize a tragedy, blah blah blah”. Fuck that noise. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/138 "2020-03-12T11:04:41Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > But you have yet to say _why_. 😕 I don’t generally find that addressing you directly does anyone much good, but I’ll say here: no, I haven’t, nor do I plan to, get bogged down in explaining what’s grotesque about your phrasing. Maybe someone else plans to fight that battle, but not me. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/139 "2020-03-12T11:15:26Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > But you have yet to say _why_. 😕 Because lives are at stake? The debate over politicizing tragedy will be endless. The advantaged team will claim it vindicates their policy; the disadvantaged team will cry callousness and bad luck. There is nothing wrong with saying we elected a bad person who defunded public health and pandemic readiness, and we are now facing a pandemic, and he is now treating it mainly as a recession risk. Literally he had one job to do, he failed to do it, and he keeps failing by the day. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2020, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/140 "2020-03-12T13:22:34Z")
Democrats would look foolish if they deliberately politicize the crisis; they should simply call for more testing and for better access to healthcare - that’s all they need to do. Economically, they need to urge more direct stimulus in the hands of households and businesses - that’s pretty much it. Let Trump hang himself with his own rope. This is the kind of crisis that will expose Trump, just like Katrina and the housing crisis exposed Bush. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630.md?page=8)