# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making Part Deux (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083 "2020-06-22T03:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 318
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6360 "2020-11-13T01:22:58Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > I guess he thinks the FDA was in cahoots with Pfizer to purposely hold back the initial results. It makes no sense at all. If Pfizer hasn’t applied for FDA approval and isn’t taking OWS money unless and until they provide an approved vaccine, then the FDA has nothing to do with it AFAIK. Trump was probably just afraid to call Pfizer and scream at _them._ Sounds like an investigative job for Ghouliani. Got to be a laptop somewhere, abandoned, with Hillary’s Biden’s emails on it. Barr is busy tilting windmills in Pennsylvania Dutch country. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6361 "2020-11-13T01:27:42Z")
I’m sure it will never be admitted, and maybe it’s not true in the slightest, but delaying the announcement of a vaccine release until after the election, so there is no perception possible that it would benefit Trump… It’s conspiracy-level woo, but my opinion is that public trust in such a vaccine will be strengthened by having this announcement come out after the election. Before, and it would always be tainted with the possibility that it was rushed to paint Trump in a better light, thus public trust would suffer. Someone keeping this in mind could have introduced a delay here, a rework there, slowing the development _just_ enough… Like I said, woo-woo level. At the end of the day, I think the timing of the announcement was, in the end, for the greater good. And _fuck_ little Donny’s fee-fees. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6362 "2020-11-13T01:44:23Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Barr is busy tilting windmills in Pennsylvania Dutch country. It does make one a tad uneasy, though. This administration has been highlighted by its pure baffoonish incompetence. Imagine where we would be if faced with a sly and effective alt-Right. The prospect would be disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6363 "2020-11-13T01:46:01Z")
While I’m sure Pfizer were more than aware of the political ramifications and optics of the timing of their announcement, they’re also aware that the company that announces first - and gets their product out first - is going to make a metric shit-ton of money (and watch its share price soar). They might have delayed a few days but no way they delayed much more than that and risked getting pipped at the post by a rival pharma company purely to piss off Donald. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6364 "2020-11-13T03:02:08Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > One of Individual 1’s lawyers claims that Biden should prove that he won the election. “Only the best people …” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6365 "2020-11-13T04:07:07Z")
Pfizer is a private company, right? As such, aren’t they free to release this sort of information whenever they choose to? Even if they did take money from the government to develop the vaccine, and even if they did deliberately withhold the information in an effort to damage Trump, I don’t think any of that is illegal. I’ve been hearing from Republicans for years that businesses should be free to do what they want. Pfizer did. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6366 "2020-11-13T05:32:30Z")
Pfizer made clear a long time ago that they weren’t going to have any major findings before the election. Trump never had any reason to expect them to do otherwise. He just needs someone to blame–anyone other than himself–for losing the election. He always does this. When he fucks up, he has to find someone else to blame. But what he can’t grasp is that he fucked up the WHOLE PROCESS of being a president. There is no single thing to blame. HE himself is the problem, and has always been the problem. He just can’t comprehend that. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6367 "2020-11-13T06:29:07Z")
I figure this is as good a place as any for this info: > **[US piles up record October budget deficit of $284.1 billion](https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-financial-crisis-us-news-76d647c881f9ae66d8839f76aad7c1db)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is starting the 2021 budget year the way the old year ended, with soaring deficits... ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6368 "2020-11-13T06:47:52Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > US piles up record October budget deficit of $284.1 billion Deficits don’t matter until Biden is in charge. Then deficits will once again be a terrible, terrible thing. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6369 "2020-11-13T08:17:04Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > I’m sure it will never be admitted, and maybe it’s not true in the slightest, but delaying the announcement of a vaccine release until after the election, so there is no perception possible that it would benefit Trump… It’s conspiracy-level woo, but my opinion is that public trust in such a vaccine will be strengthened by having this announcement come out after the election. Before, and it would always be tainted with the possibility that it was rushed to paint Trump in a better light, thus public trust would suffer. > > Someone keeping this in mind could have introduced a delay here, a rework there, slowing the development _just_ enough… > > Like I said, woo-woo level. At the end of the day, I think the timing of the announcement was, in the end, for the greater good. And _fuck_ little Donny’s fee-fees. Anybody else think the America-hating fuckstick may try to pressure the FDA to withhold approval of the vaccine, as payback? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6370 "2020-11-13T09:28:38Z")
He would have no moral qualms whatsoever about doing so, even if it cost hundreds of thousands of lives. It would backfire horribly, of course, but he’s too stupid to know that. One can only hope that there are enough sane people left around him to prevent that, the way they prevented him – in the very early days of his presidency – from trying to have Hillary Clinton arrested. I just hope he doesn’t burn down the White House. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6371 "2020-11-13T12:09:20Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I just hope he doesn’t burn down the White House. Knowing him, he’ll block his only way out while doing so. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6372 "2020-11-13T12:42:01Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Deficits don’t matter until Biden is in charge. Then deficits will once again be a terrible, terrible thing. And as soon as Biden takes office, the record deficit will turn out to be Obama’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6373 "2020-11-13T12:52:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Knowing him, he’ll block his only way out while doing so. And yet emerge personally unscathed, somehow. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6374 "2020-11-13T13:04:26Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > There is no single thing to blame. HE himself is the problem, and has always been the problem. He just can’t comprehend that. He could blame the voters stupid enough to make him president. I know I do. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6375 "2020-11-13T13:09:19Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve been hearing from Republicans for years that businesses should be free to do what they want. But what they are supposed want is to give big donations to Republican politicians. > [@guizot](#): > > He just needs someone to blame–anyone other than himself–for losing the election. No shit. Looking at how close the overall voting was, I have to assume that if Trump did something rather than nothing with regards to the virus, he would have easily won re-election. Fortunately for us his sickness that won’t allow him to admit he was wrong kicked in so he never did the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6376 "2020-11-13T13:43:13Z")
Well, he’s already said that it was Obama’s fault he got elected, so we have that. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6377 "2020-11-13T14:03:07Z")
what, barr thinks that amish hacked into voting machines??! ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6378 "2020-11-13T14:22:14Z")
I think he’ll be more like USA’s Francisco Franco. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/6379 "2020-11-13T15:43:13Z")
There are more than 130 secret service members sick with covid. > > > The Washington Post @washingtonpost [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=317) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=319)