# How will the White House spin Woodward quoting Trump saying Covid is "deadly"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 9, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219 "2020-09-09T23:02:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/21 "2020-09-10T00:19:12Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > However, he is on tape as saying it, and it is clear even to total dimwits that he wasn’t being sarcastic. I think you’re underestimating how dim these wits are. I have no doubt that Trump’s base will believe he was telling the complete truth when he said that Covid19 was no danger. And they will believe he was also telling the complete truth when he said that Covid19 is a serious danger. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/22 "2020-09-10T00:20:48Z")
I think the thing that bothers me the most about the “he didn’t want us to panic!” argument is that it’s so patronizing. Americans didn’t panic during 911 (at least most of us). We didn’t panic during Pearl Harbor. Yes, people panicked during the banking crisis in the '30s. But the president was able to calm them down with skillful oration. It’s victim-blaming, that’s what it is. “The president lied to you because you’re a bunch of hysterical crybabies who can’t handle the truth. Stop crying about it, you hysterical crybaby!” I hate this timeline so much. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/23 "2020-09-10T00:21:42Z")
He can’t. It’s tapes. It’s the biggest smoking gun ever. On Feb 7 - Aerosols - 5% mortality (they were telling him) - Not just old people ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/24 "2020-09-10T00:21:47Z")
February 7 Trump on call: “You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed.” ———— March 23 Ohio stay-at-home order April 27 OH Gov. DeWine business re-start plan includes mask requirements for employees and customers. April 28 DeWine backpedals and removes mask mandate from the re-start plan. Reworded as a recommendation. But please. May 1 Medical procedures restart May 4 Manufacturing restart May 21 Retail restart May 15 Outdoor dining restart May 21 Dine-in restaurant restart ———— July 23 Ohio statewide mask order That’s 167 days since Trump said “You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed.” ———— Sept 9 126,046 confirmed COVID cases 14,083 hospitalizations 4,034 confirmed deaths Not sure of excess deaths data for OH I realize that masks aren’t the be-all, end-all, but nobody had a reason to give a crap about all the preventative measures we could be taking about this largely unknown (to us) thing. Yeah, I’m pissed. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/25 "2020-09-10T00:23:56Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > He can’t. > > It’s tapes. > > It’s the biggest smoking gun ever. - sTrumpet: Smoke? What smoke? I don’t see no smoke. Must be something _you’re_ smoking that makes you think The Dear Leader said anything. MAGA! ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/26 "2020-09-10T00:24:52Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > It’s tapes. Trump is on tape bragging about sexual assault. Tapes mean nothing in the 21st Century. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/27 "2020-09-10T00:24:55Z")
Let’s face the obvious reality: Trump is lying. When he was saying that Covid19 was not a problem, he wasn’t saying it to cover up the truth. He really believed it. Because he’s stupid. It’s taken six months but it’s finally sunk in to Trump’s brain that he screwed up. So now he’s pretending he knew the right answer all along. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/28 "2020-09-10T00:29:13Z")
> [@Kimera757](#): > > > [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > > > He can’t. > > > > > It’s tapes. > > > > > > It’s the biggest smoking gun ever. > > > > > > On Feb 7 > > > > > > - Aerosols > > > - 5% mortality (they were telling him) > > > - Not just old people > > Trump is on tape bragging about sexual assault. Tapes mean nothing in the 21st Century. This is much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/29 "2020-09-10T00:32:54Z")
> [@ThisIsTheEnd](#): > > This is much worse. Not to his supporters. Trump bragged he could shoot someone in public and still have support. He might as well brag that he is responsible for the deaths of dozens of thousands of people and still have support. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/30 "2020-09-10T00:33:17Z")
I failed to mention Trump’s other spin tactic used today, and in days past. China! Not only did China “send” the virus, but China uttely failed to control their outbreak. I had the radio on, but I’m assuming he said that last with a straight face. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/31 "2020-09-10T00:38:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Let’s face the obvious reality: Trump is lying. > > When he was saying that Covid19 was not a problem, he wasn’t saying it to cover up the truth. He really believed it. Because he’s stupid. > > It’s taken six months but it’s finally sunk in to Trump’s brain that he screwed up. So now he’s pretending he knew the right answer all along. This is it. He also believes that he can run a country the same way he runs his average con job. Sadly, that’s kinda working since he has so many followers that are dumber than he is. What did George Carlin say? Oh, here we go - “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” But he doesn’t believe he screwed up, because that’s impossible in his world. Maybe it was on one of those stupid daily briefings that he doesn’t pay attention too. So not his fault. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/32 "2020-09-10T00:44:45Z")
Sorry, was so focused on the timeline I didn’t even reply to the OP: How CAN this be spun?? This is a dumb reply. Sorry. If this becomes nothing I’ll be apoplectic. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/33 "2020-09-10T00:50:12Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Maybe it was on one of those stupid daily briefings that he doesn’t pay attention too. That’s a funny, yet accurate typo. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/34 "2020-09-10T01:20:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Let’s face the obvious reality: Trump is lying. > > When he was saying that Covid19 was not a problem, he wasn’t saying it to cover up the truth. He really believed it. Because he’s stupid. True. > [@](#): > > It’s taken six months but it’s finally sunk in to Trump’s brain that he screwed up. No, I don’t think so. Nothing has sunk in. > [@](#): > > So now he’s pretending he knew the right answer all along. Whatever he says is right. At the moment he says it. By definition. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/35 "2020-09-10T03:33:15Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Given the stark nature of the audiotapes, none of those approaches seem likely to work. You kidding me? Compared to the other things you mention, this is child’s plays, he has the ready-made excuse in the tape itself, _I didn’t want there to be a panic_. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/36 "2020-09-10T03:37:55Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > he has the ready-made excuse in the tape itself, _I didn’t want there to be a panic_ . Unspoken: It would have been bad for _me._ ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/37 "2020-09-10T03:43:29Z")
Just check out Reddit’s [r/conservative.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/) . That already gives you an idea of how it will be played. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/38 "2020-09-10T05:13:29Z")
How many of his supporters will even listen to a recording? I mean, whatever he says, they believe. No fact checking is wanted or needed. _He says it’s lies, he never said that, and also he had a really good reason for saying it. Good enough. Also, ha ha! Look at the liberals getting all worked up over it! Go Trump, make em cry!_ ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/39 "2020-09-10T05:51:59Z")
The obvious spin seems to be: Trump didn’t actually fail to appreciate the dangers of the pandemic, he was perfectly aware of them all along, but skillfully steered the public away from a panicked response by projecting confidence. Despicable bullshit? Of course. But that just doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219/40 "2020-09-10T05:52:32Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Just check out Reddit’s [r/conservative.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/) . That already gives you an idea of how it will be played. Or just check out today’s Fox News siite. The top stories are : 1. a SCREAMING headline that Woodward “DOES HIT JOBS” , when the President simply wanted to prevent panic. 2. “BIDEN’S BIG BOTCH” --(about Biden confusing the statistics on numbers of virus victims. A legit story, but not front-page stuff, in my opinion.) 3. “DESTROYED BY PELOSI” (about the hairdressing scandal) 4. “PRIVILEGED PROTESTERS” (about left wing violent protests) So don’t worry, it’s all under control. Woodward is irrelevant, and the it’s the libs who are threatening us all. By now, we should know that Trump is bulletproof. Four years ago, we saw that he could shoot somebody on 5th Avenue, grab pussy, etc. and get away with it. And now we’ve had several books and investigations each one of which was supposed to end his career. (Fire and Fury, Bolton’s “In the room where it happened”, and now Woodward…Plus the Muller report and the impeachment. With each one of these events, Rachel Maddow told us that this it–the absolute, final end for Trump. The OP asks how the Republicans will spin it, this time. As if this time is different than all the other times. Get over it, folks. Trump is bulletproof. And be prepared for 4 more years, because I really do expect him to win. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-white-house-spin-woodward-quoting-trump-saying-covid-is-deadly/920219.md?page=3)