April 1, 2020

"It’s an incredibly dark topic and incredibly horrible topic" and "everybody is... going crazy," and Trump doesn't want to say he's optimistic, but he's "a very optimistic person."

Near the end of yesterday's Task Force press briefing, Trump talked about optimism:
At the end of this, and there will be, don’t say I’m optimistic, because I don’t want to … I wouldn’t want to do that, but I am optimistic. I’m a very optimistic person. Let me tell you, we will have thousands of ventilators, and what I want to do is make sure that we always have plenty for the future.... Now, I will say this, it’s an incredibly dark topic and incredibly horrible topic and it’s incredibly interesting. That’s why everybody is … They’re going crazy. They can’t get enough of it and they want to be careful and I guess they’re studying it for themselves. Just studying if they get it. A lot of people have it. A lot of people are positive and they hope for the best, because when this gets the wrong person, meaning a person that qualifies, generally speaking, under the list, it is ravaging. It is horrible.... A lot of very positive things are happening with the therapeutics and drugs of different kinds and the vaccines. I think a lot of very positive things are happening....

173 comments:

rhhardin said...

Trump's showing it can be done. Back and forth across the gap.

rhhardin said...

The interesting thing is Amazon and the supply chain. Huge opportunity for Amazon to show it's a hero, if they can pull it off.

Kevin said...

Trump is counterpunching the Coronavirus.

We should have seen this coming when he gave it a name.

Todd said...

How DARE he! How could he possibly be optimistic and hopeful for the future when so many Democrat plans have gone off the rails?!?! Doesn't he know that there is an actual PANDEMIC going on?!? Doesn't he know the D aids bill with all that juice, juice pork got called out and we had to cut some of it?!?! How heartless can you BE?!? And on top of it all, he had that STUPID man, that stupid God believing MAN at the podium with him speaking about God and stuff?!? The stupid man that makes g-d-damn PILLOWS for g-d-damn sake! What a f*cking MORON! What, is he TOO stupid to be afraid?!? If only Hillary or Biden were in charge!

exhelodrvr1 said...

Showing excellent leadership.

Shouting Thomas said...

Trump’s most fervent haters mistake his optimism for lying.

A certain personality type revels in misery, bad news, prophecies of doom... That is his worldview.

In the view of this type of person, Trump’s relentless optimism, his habit of constantly stating the most positive possible outcome is... deliberate lying.

Mr. D said...

I'm glad he's being optimistic. Someone has to be at the moment. The most depressing part of all this is finding out how many people you know and love are willing to be Stasi.

Whiskeybum said...

Here is something that I think a lot of commenters here would be interested in viewing.

Exponential Growth and Epidemics

Simulating an Epidemic

Grant Sanderson, a 2015 Stanford grad in mathematics, former Khan Academy contributor, and now owner of the 3blue1brown.com math tutorial website, has recently created these to visual math presentations related to the COVID-19 epidemic. Sanderson has a fantastic ability to take complex math topics and make them easier to understand through visual means. The first link will give viewers a refresher on exponential growth in the context of epidemics. The second link (which was also linked-to in last night’s café comments) provides visualizations of how different parameters effect the outcomes of epidemics.

Note that Sanderson does not claim to be an epidemiologist – these simulations are for heuristic purposes in having a better personal understanding of what parameters are important, which ones are less important, and how they interact.

Whiskeybum said...

Hyperlinks at 6:43 didn't work; reposting URLs here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kas0tIxDvrg (Exponential Growth and epidemics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAaO2rsdIs (Simulating and epidemic)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Shouting Thomas said...
Trump’s most fervent haters mistake his optimism for lying.


Trump is currently in chastened mode. Even he knows he fucked up. He will get back to straight up lying soon enough.

Shouting Thomas said...

ARM, your statements about knowing Trump’s mind are among your dumbest.

I was speaking of you, in particular, in my first post.

You’re a very depressed, stoic, emotionless person with virtually zero understanding of emotional life.

Thanks for illustrating my point so vividly.

Shouting Thomas said...

One of the strange things about talking to a depressing, morbid, dull person like you, ARM, is that I know it’s absolutely useless talk to you.

You’re going to continue to see the world thru your flat, dead, emotionless perspective.

This shit goes back to your genetic makeup and upbringing. It isn’t going to change.

I’m, as you noted, an exciting and excitable person, an optimist. I’m not going to change either.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Mr. D said I'm glad he's being optimistic. Someone has to be at the moment. The most depressing part of all this is finding out how many people you know and love are willing to be Stasi.

Me too. We need to be buoyed up. Not depressed and told to give up. Optimism with realism is what Trump is giving us. The idea that there WILL be an end to this and with a dose of realism that this is hard and damaging.

Not Little Mary Sunshine and not Debbie Downer either.

Finding out just how many people are willing to be Stasi, or who will steal from you, or who will actively try to harm you during a crisis comes as a surprise to many. Many who have never lived anything other than a nice protected lives...(I'm looking at you millennial whining special snowflakes and media shills Not you Mr. D).

Not everyone has been that sheltered and they have always known the dark side of humanity. We see your true colors and they AREN'T shining like a rainbow.

Then again. We see the true colors of the heroes, first responders and as Mr. Rogers Mom told him...the helpers. Those are shining like rainbows.

This is Trump, trying to help raise hopes without giving FALSE hope. A very fine line to walk indeed.

Temujin said...

Small minds continuously chanting that somehow it's Trump that has caused the disease to spread is no longer just annoying. It is a sign of singular stupidity. And at this point it is repulsive. It's not cute. It's not smart. It makes you look like a small, tiny, insignificant whiner out there among people who are actually working to get things done, get things accomplished, and help others.

Those of you who can see the facts on how China let loose this disease, failed to corral it, failed to warn the world, then 'disappeared' their own doctors who tried to warn the world, and instead sent thousands of their citizens worldwide to share it, then threatened to withhold equipment and meds to the US (and others, if they did not fall in line), then watched the WHO suck up to their Chinese masters and tell the world in January and February how the Chinese were doing an amazing job corralling the disease, then wailed as Trump halted travel from China, then wailed as Trump pulled together the might of US companies to reconfigure and produce that which is needed. Those of you who pick at small shit, as if Trump was the one who created this disease and further, has spread it and infected hundreds of thousands of people personally, as he spends hour upon hour with his team and others, working non-stop to get this thing corralled as best as we can- you who whine that Trump did this....are to be dismissed as too stupid to listen to. Too mired in the muck to think clearly. Too full of irrational hate to go to for any opinion on anything.

Just sayin- you're not coming off well here. And this will live on you as a stain for years. When people are looking for help, looking for answers, you gave them the usual batch of TDS. Very fucking lame. Your opinion is meaningless. It's all fun and games until its not any longer.

Amadeus 48 said...

ARM--you are an idiot.

Let's see, we are talking about early focus, right? So why is the US doing better on deaths per million population than Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland (!),Belgium, UK, Sweden(!), and just about every other Western industrialized country except Germany? Why is this mess worst in peoples'paradises like New York, Seattle, etc.? If we could just get rid of New York City, things would look a lot better wouldn't they? Let's see...who runs New York--the city, the state?

What was going on in January and February in the USA? Oh yeah, your team were trying to impeach Trump. Well, what was going on in Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland,Belgium, the UK, Sweden, etc.? Nothing like that. Trump at least has an excuse.

Your spin is tiresome. Your outlook is stupid. Don't be evil.

And that goes for the horse you rode in on, too.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

ST, there are objective truths. Are you seriously trying to argue that Trump did not screw up in the first six weeks of this thing? He knows that he is in trouble. He got almost no bounce in his ratings (compare to Cuomo) and as this thing wears on he will receive increasing blame. The plague and its effects create an objective reality that cannot be changed by happy thoughts, or BS from the guy in sales.

Sebastian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sebastian said...

The latest from originally pro-panic expert Ferguson along with lots of other experts:

"Our estimated overall infection fatality ratio for China was 0·66% (0·39–1·33)"

Oh.

Spiros Pappas said...

You know what's going to be incredible? The spectacular bills from the medical industry. If our annual GDP is $20 trillion, the healthcare industry will demand $40 trillion. That's for one month of round the clock work and pretty crappy care (it's just fluids and oxygen in a very dirty hospital setting). If it goes on longer, expect them to take several decades worth of GDP.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Trump is president of all the country - not just the bits that have yet to be hit by the plague. To take one example, the federal government should have taken the lead in procurement of ventilators and PPE. It should not have created a situation where individual states are bidding up the price of this essential equipment. It is fundamental incompetence.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Amadeus 48 -you are an idiot.

Shouting Thomas said...

I’m seriously saying ARM, that the morbid shit you’re obsessing over ceased to matter a couple of weeks ago, but that you are still stewing in it because that’s what you are predisposed to do. You will continue to do this.

I could counter-argue that Pelosi opposed the China travel ban as deliberate racism in late January and that she should have been omniscient and seen precisely where we would be today.

But that would be a waste of time and energy. I don’t care. Finding a scapegoat ceased to interest me a couple of weeks ago.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

It is tiresome to hear Jim Acosta ask the same question every day like a fucking automaton: Didn’t you give people a false sense of security by downplaying the seriousness of this pandemic, (sometimes including) and you cost lives because we didn’t react sooner?

Every day. Same question. Trump’s response (part of yesterdays anyway) is the subject of this post.

Shouting Thomas said...

To take one example, the federal government should have taken the lead in procurement of ventilators and PPE.

We should have planned and stockpiled goods for every potential imaginable Black Swan event that occurs once a century!

Or else somebody’s to blame!

Yes, that’s part of the morbid, dull mindset, too.

Risk is the price of freedom and enjoying life.

narciso said...

Hes a moron, frank is a nazgul. Its a duatinction without a difference.

Shouting Thomas said...

My life story would be of absolutely no interest to you ARM. Here’s an incredibly brief synopsis.

I was born in a shack in the middle of the cornfields.

The risks I took to escape that and to become an educated, upper middle class person would seem insane to you. In retrospect, they look that way to me, too.

And, yet, it worked.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

If preparedness is important it seems Coumo’s TEN YEARS IN POWER should have put NY in a great position to fight this. But he chose to do OTHER things than buy the ventilators his predecessor had budgeted for. Wonder why.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

ARM said there are objective truths. Are you seriously trying to argue that Trump did not screw up in the first six weeks of this thing

Ok. Answer me this. Just EXACTLY was the first moment that Covid-19 became a problem bigger than a regular flu. Give us the exact date.

What exactly did you expect Trump to do to fight a virus that no one even knew about at first? Put on a Superman cape and completely take over the government to single handed eradicate a previously UNKNOWN, NOVEL, never seen before virus.

The reality is that ANYTHING Trump would have done would have been either too much...HE'S HITLER!!! or too little...INCOMPETENT NINCOMPOOP. Nothing can make you happy.

ARM and his ilk.....Yes ILK..... want to have it both ways. They want to whine about everything.

AND the rest of us are sick of it. Be helpful for once in your miserable life.

(Rant over. Now to my second cup of coffee.)

narciso said...

others game the system better

Todd said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said... [hush]​[hide comment]
Trump is president of all the country - not just the bits that have yet to be hit by the plague. To take one example, the federal government should have taken the lead in procurement of ventilators and PPE. It should not have created a situation where individual states are bidding up the price of this essential equipment. It is fundamental incompetence.

4/1/20, 7:39 AM


Of ALL the stupid crap you say, this is one of the stupidest. So instead of the individual locations that need supplies, getting their own supplies, YOU want the FED to procure ALL of it and then dole it out "as needed"? Instead of each location trying to get what they need. You want them begging/fighting the FED and all of the political "pull" that goes with it, to get supplies? So you DON'T want rural areas to get anything they need. You want NY and LA to get ALL available supplies?

The government could not EVEN put up an insurance web site and you want them to control the distribution of country wide medical supplies?

What really has you mad is that Trump has NOT become the dictator you all hoped/planned/expected he would become.

NitWitCharmer said...

Several perspectives presented as a collage.

Is his a Dadaist or Cubist presentation?

Lincolntf said...

I'm in an online class right now. About half of the students are optimistic, the other half are nervous nellies, but nobody is too panicky, which is nice.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Trump is president of all the country - not just the bits that have yet to be hit by the plague. To take one example, the federal government should have taken the lead in procurement of ventilators and PPE.

So...ARM thinks that Trump should have taken over ALL of the State's governments and down to the County levels. He should just to tell them what and how to act. The Federal Government should just step in and take over? Perhaps send in the Army? Would you like that?

Besides being Unconstitutional...Trump isn't a KING or Tsar, although people want to accuse him of it.

If Trump DID do what ARM suggests, the squealing would be endless. TRUMP is a tyrant!!! States rights!!! from those who don't believe in such things anyway and who want to take away our rights and secretly want to send people to gulags. Just who are the tyrants?

Now they want to blame Trump for things that did or didn't happen YEARS before he was President. We don't have enough ventilators...it is TRUMP'S FAULT. Get a grip on reality...please.


Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Dust Bunny Queen said...
What exactly did you expect Trump to do to fight a virus that no one even knew about at first?


It is not the case that 'no one knew' about the possibility of a bad pandemic. Everyone paying attention knew.

It is reasonable to criticize the Trump administration's response. Even now they are not taking the lead on procurement of supplies, which increases the cost and stress for everyone else. I understand the desire of Trump voters to protect their man, but understand the position of those of us who did not vote for Trump. This is their worst case scenario - the country faces a genuine crisis while being led by a man who, at best, is poorly equipped to deal with that crisis.

Lurker21 said...

Typical Trump. Rambling, but still coherent, and he's not swallowing or fumbling his words.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Trump has been president for three years. If he was responsible for the run up in the stock market during that period then he is also responsible for adequately protecting the nation from a plague. This is in fact a unique responsibility of the Federal government, which is the only governmental entity with the resources and authority to monitor international plagues and formulate a national response.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Dust Bunny Queen said...
If Trump DID do what ARM suggests, the squealing would be endless.


And he would have emerged as a prescient hero, a true protector of the people.

Bob Boyd said...

Think Positive
Test Negative

narciso said...

Cdc with their single minded obsession on obesity and gun control, thats what the confirmation hearings were about.

I Callahan said...

And he would have emerged as a prescient hero, a true protector of the people.

No, he wouldn't have. Because it would have taken 2-3 times longer for the hospitals to get the equipment they needed. Having the federal government handle everything from the top is not heroic, it's mindlessly stupid.

It'd be nice if you libs would make up your mind: is Trump supposed to be a dictator, or not? Or at least way when.

I Callahan said...

While Trump was putting together a Covid 19 task force, Trump was being impeached. When he was shutting down flights from China, he was called racist.

No, it's your side, ARM, that dragged their asses. It's your side that was out there telling people to party and get together. Trump was putting stuff in motion to weather the biggest pandemic in 102 years.

You couldn't be more full of it than you are now, and I've read your comments here for a long time. I didn't even think that was possible.

Ken B said...

I get so annoyed when people go after him for this kind of thing, especially if they say he is lying.

“Nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Churchill — several examples

Dust Bunny Queen said...

ARM Trump has been president for three years. If he was responsible for the run up in the stock market during that period then he is also responsible for adequately protecting the nation from a plague.

Trump is NOT responsible for the run up in the stock market. People who have decided how to play their cards/trade/holdings/futures/strategies ...are responsible.

They are responding to the policies that Trump instituted and has proposed. In that respect he can be claimed to be responsible. However it is the actions and reactions of individuals and entities trading those stocks that cause the market to move.

In the sense that creating an environment,as Trump did and does, makes him responsible in some people's minds..... the Media can be claimed to be responsible for much of the current crazy panicking that we see. Media puts out the memes and people respond. You can't have it both ways.

Pookie Number 2 said...

And he would have emerged as a prescient hero, a true protector of the people.

Your own demonstrated inability to acknowledge the benefits of curtailing Chinese travel shows that his critics’ partisanship will always overpower their integrity.

MayBee said...

It's ok to criticize Trump's response, but at the time we thought this was SARS like, and our country has a history of panicking in health crises. People forget, but at the onset of SARS, MERS, Bird Flu....there were people calling for quarantine and very frightened people. I don't prefer an over reaction, though some do.

MayBee said...

Did any governors start stocking up when this became so obvious?

tim maguire said...

ARM, if you're going to live in a fantasy world, why do you choose to make it such a dreary fantasy?

The rest of us live in the real world where people struggle with partial information and do the best under the circumstances. We do not judge Trump against some perfect imaginary standard that no human could live up to based on "facts" that don't exist and we will never be swayed by you.

The most thoughtful liberals I know often ask themselves, why can't the conservatives see what I see? How can I help them understand what I understand? No liberal ever asks about conservatives, what do they see that I don't? How can I discover what they know? Which is, of course, why liberals never grow as people.

Martin said...

As usual Trump is only semi-articulate, but he is honest and the honesty comes through to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Which puts him ahead of about 95% of national-level politicians.

Bottom line for me and millions of others, I suspect: Trump is far from perfect, but at least he is on my side and wants to do right for the country as a whole, which is more than I can say about the others.

Shouting Thomas said...

If he was responsible for the run up in the stock market during that period then he is also responsible for adequately protecting the nation from a plague.

Your assumption that "protecting the nation from the plague" is within the grasp of humans is another indication of the strangeness of your outlook.

This is beyond control of the leader of any country.

You're very heavily invested in the false notion that everything can be controlled by your intellect. This often makes you abjectly stupid.

This is your psychological mechanism for trying to control fear. Accept the fear. Live with it.

Gusty Winds said...

If there are any traceable descendants of Aristotle, can they sue ARM for copyright infringement?

Kirk Parker said...

DBQ,

".Trump isn't a KING or Tsar, although people want to accuse him of it.
"

It's just projection.

Howard said...

You're absolutely wrong, Thomas. It is critical that when you're in a tight spot to remain calm but keep working the problem all the way to The bitter end. People who just throw their hands up and leave it into the fate of the gods is the very definition of a coward.

DanTheMan said...

Can't we all just get along? I offer the following modest proposal:

1) Everything Trump does is wrong. Even if later it turns out to be right, he did it too late or too early, or for the wrong reason.
2) Everything Trump says is a lie. Even if it is actually true, there will be some tiny detail that was not 100% accurate. So the entire statement is a lie.
3) Everything is Trump's fault. No matter when or where it happened, it somehow ties back to something Trump did or didn't do.
4) Everything Trump does is motivated by evil reasons. No matter how innocent it may seem, there's a dark and nefarious desire at work.
5) Anything good that happens while Trump is president is due to someone else's policies, or random chance.

If we can all just agree to these principles, our conversations here will be much more civil.
As I hope is very obvious, some of Ann's commenters are already following these rules. It would be helpful if the rest of us would agree to them as well.

rcocean said...

Trump's rhetoric is so much better listened to than read. All those digressions, tangents and repetitions which look terrible in print, sound OK. Trump understands that repetition is good in talking because some people hear what they want to hear, and they need it repeated so they get it.

But reading it print is just LOL horrible!

Bob Boyd said...

Can't we all just get along? I offer the following modest proposal:

I think that French flag is starting to get to you.

rcocean said...

Of course the Left pretends to despise Trump's manner of speaking because he's...wait for it...so DUMB. Just like both Bushes were DUMB. Just like Reagan was a stupid Cowboy, Ike was a DUMB General, and and Ford was a blockhead (they were right in that case). The only Republican that wasn't stoopid, was Nixon, and he was EVIL.

Unlike Obama who was a genius. Or Carter, Or LBJ. Or JFK, etc. Notice how Biden's stumbling around isn't labeled DUMB, but somehow endearing.

rcocean said...

One job of the President is to give us hope and remind people that victory is inevitable and keep our spirits up. That's why Trump is optimistic. Its also why he talks up the stock market.

Howard said...

Personally I like the way Trump is now handling the crisis after seriously stumbling out of the gate. He is obviously giving himself over to the Deep state who are running things while he stays out in front as the ultimate PR flack. Hopefully his positivity will be infectious.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

“This is Trump, trying to help raise hopes without giving FALSE hope. A very fine line to walk indeed.”

But smart positioning with an eye to the future. Look, it’s a fair bet that things will get much better relatively soon. A matter of weeks. And the Left is going to get caught flat-footed in full Chicken Little mode as the rest of America celebrates a return to normalcy. Cautious optimism is always the best political stance. Anything else is an admission of defeat.

Shouting Thomas said...

People who just throw their hands up and leave it into the fate of the gods is the very definition of a coward.

This proving you’re a real man and not a coward is your coping mechanism, Howard. It’s your way of feeling in control.

I’m sure you’ve got good reasons for that. I don’t know your story well enough to know what those reasons are.

I’m as opposite from a coward as is possible, Howard. I’m a wild risk taker and gambler. Believe me I took my fate by the horns. Later today, I’ll post a weblog bit on that.

But, I’ve got a different life story than you.

Howard said...

I can't stress this enough. The next two weeks are the most dangerous for catching the disease. Now is not the time to let your guard down. Now is the time for hyper-vigilance. You know the situation is dangerous when even Trump the eternal optimist is recommending that people fashion makeshift masks for themselves.

Ken B said...

I heartily endorse Whiskybum's links above. I posted the simulation yesterday.

Rick.T. said...

DanTheMan

I’m putting that away for future use (with attribution). Highly useful.

Shouting Thomas said...

@Howard

The problem is, I think, that you're most likely to be exposed thru a family member.

For instance, my daughter the school teacher is probably home for the rest of the year. My son-in-law, however, is an essential infrastructure worker in the NYC metro area.

He has to come home sometimes. I live downstairs and have close contact with him every day.

I'll be exposed, if I haven't been already.

MadisonMan said...

If people clicked on News Items that were sunny and upbeat, then those news stories would be generated. That's not human nature though. People want to see that others have it worse off.

MadisonMan said...

The next two weeks are the most dangerous for catching the disease.

Why?

DanTheMan said...

>>I’m putting that away for future use (with attribution). Highly useful.

Thanks, Rick, but I must confess I stole them from MSNBC's style guide.

Shouting Thomas said...

@Howard

I do keep a weblog, but I've been loathe to impose on our host for self-advertisement and I really don't want that much traffic.

I journalize mostly for my own satisfaction.

For once, however, I'll link to a post.

Temujin said...

ARM: "...the federal government should have taken the lead in procurement of ventilators and PPE."

First off all, no administration going back years, yes- including His Barackness, ever did a thing about it. Years ago Gov. Schwarzenegger beefed up California's stock, but later on Gov. Brown got rid of it looking for money for his High Speed Rail (wonder how many Californians are clamoring for a High Speed Rail to Fresno at this time?).

But no one until now has been handed a crisis of this magnitude to take action. So there's that. You guys act as if there is a playbook for this thing. You are exactly the kind of people who would be a disaster in a disaster.

And those who keep harping that the federal government should be doing mass procurement has never had to work with government procurement offices, has never seen how utterly inefficient they are, how badly they manage products and pricing. The Left always assumes things are done better by the government, when throughout history the opposite has been the case in all areas but one, the military. And even in the military, when it comes to procurement, they suck.

Better to figure out what's needed and pay skilled professionals in the private sector to do the procurement. However once this is over, the feds will start procuring for future stockpiles. But I can pretty much guarantee that there will be massive overpayments done by the feds. Inefficient inventories that are incorrect. And stealing. Lots and lots of stealing.

Howard said...

Thomas I'm not particularly worried about myself. I am worried about my family who lives in Boston and Cambridge. But not overly so. I work for over 30 years in the field directing the investigation and cleanup of hazardous waste sites and have been responsible for writing all of the health and safety plans managing the plans in the field and keeping everyone safe. I am quite used to working in hazardous environments and I understand that no matter what happens you have to use your noodle to get yourself out of a jam.

In any event it's just basic physics as the number of people carrying the infection who are contagious increases to its maximum the likelihood of getting exposed also increases to its maximum.

Now is not the time to be cavalier. It's interesting how different people react to danger. Denial that there is a problem is a form of cowardice that is unseemly.

Drago said...

It is absolutely amazing that the biggest, most shameless booster of transparent Chinese Commie propaganda and lies that have all been exposed has the nerve to show up to continue his Xi-Cuckholster act. But thats ARM for you.

On top of that, Howard's newest moronic fallback talking point (which changes about every 3 or 4 days) is that Trump has given himself over to the Deep State.....after a period of 2 months where Trump and his team dynamited every single previously existing idiotic FDA/CDC strategic policy and supply chain process.

Trump demeanor is a result of the new FDA/CDC operational reality.

But the little minds who spent 4 years fever dreaming of russian hookers peeing on beds need a new impeachment driven "fix".

I suggest our lefties who couldnt even figure out that they were being played about how Trump fed some fish in Japan are not in a position to tell anyone else what "really happened" here.

Howard said...

Yeah even if we all end up getting it I would rather get it sometime in August where there are plenty of hospital beds masks ventilators lots of prophylactic drugs etc etc etc. one of the most disgusting things about this is the number of people that cannot understand the flattening of the curve is the only way at this time we know how to mitigate this problem.

Shouting Thomas said...

Denial that there is a problem is a form of cowardice that is unseemly.

This chest thumping over your bravery, masculinity and hatred of cowardice is a wildly amusing part of your game, Howard.

Do you really think a 70 year old man who raised his kids thru the deaths of their mother and stepmother takes that shit seriously?

Howard said...

You know what's wrong go you keep harping on all the politics of this and you take every criticism of trump personally. That is really just sad. I cannot stand the president but I wish him well and think that now he is finally doing the right thing. Your kind of attitude is more akin to idiots like morning Joe and Rachel maddow.

Shouting Thomas said...

It would be interesting to know what happened in your formative years, Howard, to instill this chest thumping obsession in you.

I’m sure you have good reasons for it.

Howard said...

I don't know what you're doing, Thomas. The main point that I was refuting is that you told Altos that you cannot use your intellect to solve the current problem that we are in. That's fatalism and also a form of cowardice in my opinion. I prefer to live a more deterministic existence because I believe in that crazy Christian concept of free will.

Shouting Thomas said...

The main point that I was refuting is that you told Altos that you cannot use your intellect to solve the current problem that we are in.

I'm absolutely helpless, other than to quarantine myself in my house.

As I told you, I've accepted that I'm already exposed or will be exposed.

Who I vote for will have absolutely no affect on my personal outcome. Over the past year, I've lost 50 pounds and gotten myself into better shape than when I played high school football. I didn't do that for the purpose of protecting myself against the plague, but it might serve to do that.

My saving grace is that I don't have any co-morbidities.

Howard said...

Thomas I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family of older brothers who took me along for the ride on their adventures, then I created my own adventures once I was old enough to ride the bus all over Los Angeles starting at about the age of 12. I also had a mother who encouraged us boys to be adventurous who never doubted our ability to accomplish dangerous goals.

Howard said...

I'm glad to hear you lost that weight Thomas. Obesity is a risk factor for a number of maladies. By getting into shape you will be a better grandfather and father. Good for you.

Temujin said...

ARM, here's how the feds do their 'procurement'. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Fed Regulators

Shouting Thomas said...

I worked at every kind of dirty, dangerous and often disgusting job on farms from the time I was 6 years old, Howard.

It was common among the farmers in my area to be minus a few fingers or an arm or a leg.

Sebastian said...

"Trump's rhetoric is so much better listened to than read"

True. Applies to most people's speech.

But one of Althouse's achievements over the last few years has been to take Trump on the page, and live, seriously, but not literally, showing that when read generously, he often makes sense and uses considerable craft. As a result, I listen to him differently now.

Drago said...

Howard: "You know what's wrong go you keep harping on all the politics of this and you take every criticism of trump personally."

Team Dem is openly manuevering for Sham-peachment III as Pelosi gleefully proclaimed.

But its the other side that is harping on politics.

Its as if we didnt already have nearly 5 years straight of evidence exposing what you guys have done and will do.

All on top of the IG report yesterday that showed the obambi admin DOJ/FBI violated the law on EVERY SINGLE one of the 29 Fisa requests that were randomly sampled.

All on top of dem Sham-peachment II which was being celebrated by the dems at the very moment Trump was convening his virus task force.



Jeff said...

It should not have created a situation where individual states are bidding up the price of this essential equipment.
Bidding up the price of something is how you get more of them produced. Look at it this way: At the ventilator price that prevailed several months ago, actual and potential manufacturers were willing to produce, and actually did produce, some number of them. Now you want them to produce many more. How do you accomplish that? You bid up the price. If the price does not increase, then there's no reason to expect higher production.

Now I understand that, as a Marxist at heart, you want to pretend that it's immoral for people to not do what you want them to do, but maybe you should just grow up and realize that you don't get to boss other people around. If you want them to do something, something they aren't otherwise inclined to do, you have to make it worth their while. Is this really so hard to understand? Most of us are either working, or used to work and are now retired. Hardly any of us enjoyed our work so much that we would happily put up with long commutes, annoying coworkers, clueless managers and long hours if we weren't getting paid to do so. Why do you think you should be able to tell other people what to do without paying them?

Howard said...

Drago none of that shit is important right now. The only thing that matters inside people obey the direction given by the Deep state has communicated through the madman like rantings of our president who apparently is now on board and understands that these next two weeks are critical.

Safe the blame game for November. How's the Red hot chili peppers say: this life is not a read-through

Howard said...

Speaking of sham, I dug out the old shamwows to be used as ersatz Corona masks

Drago said...

Temujin: "ARM, here's how the feds do their 'procurement'. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Fed Regulators"

ARM only reads press releases out of Beijing for his "facts".

Thats how ARM "knew" the benevolent ChiComs were much more generous towards other countries than the US....and thats how ARM "knew" that ChiCom fatality numbers were less than the US.

However, across the globe the has indeed been a Great Awakening that the claims if the ChiComs and ARM's are all lies.

But only every single one of them.

You would think ARM would realize that after acting as Tiananmen Rose for months that he is hopelessly exposed and compromised.

But nope.

Sham-peachment III Narratives must be advanced at all costs because as we speak Slow Joe cant get the oatmeal on to his spoon.

Howard said...

Good for you Thomas.

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

Howard: Safe the blame game for November."

Shorter Howard: Just pretend the shots we are firing at you aren't real...

Sham-peachment III is underway and your team is doing everything it can to transfer ChiCom culpability to Trump and republicans while lying 24/7.

Including you.

So my response to you is: "Nuts"

Biff said...

There's actually a lot of nuance in that Trump quote. Remember when Kerry was running for President, and all the "smart" people made a big deal about the importance of nuance?

Howard said...

I couldn't have said it better myself, Drago, however I did not want to bring up the sensitive topic of your mental condition. First step to recovery is recognizing you have a problem, good for you.

Drago said...

Howard: "I couldn't have said it better myself, Drago, however I did not want to bring up the sensitive topic of your mental condition."

Filed Under: Things to post when all other lies have been exhausted

Howard said...

Someone's got their panties in a bunch

Drago said...

Howard: "Someone's got their panties in a bunch"

I'm sorry the failed Sham-peachment II happened to you.

hombre said...

Years ago, I did a communications seminar in which the presenters talked about an “assumed background of obviousness.” It refers to speaking as though the listeners have the same information as the speaker.

Trump has not been particularly articulate since he entered politics and that is aggravated now because he has so much information we don’t have. For example, when he speaks of persons “under the list” we can only speculate who they are. We have no background of obviousness.

Unfortunately, the trolls and mediaswine jump on his comments filling in the blanks with their TDS wishlists. Perhaps Trump has reasons for optimism of which they are unaware. Never mind. Just bash him!

Seditious assholes!

Howard said...

Now you're just projecting your own insecurities on me Drago. go back to the record and you will see that I called the Mueller investigation a giant nothingburger from the get-go.

Michael K said...

The only thing that matters inside people obey the direction given by the Deep state has communicated through the madman like rantings of our president who apparently is now on board and understands that these next two weeks are critical.

Howard is a Deep State wannabe. He doesn't remember how Roosevelt won WWII by getting Bill Knudson to run procurement.

Sort of like how Trump has bypassed FDA and CDC and their sleepy bureaucrats.

Howard said...

I hope you're right, Doc Mike.

Known Unknown said...

"And he would have emerged as a prescient hero, a true protector of the people."

He cannot constitutionally do many of the things you are thinking he has the power to do. And if he did, you would be here harping on the sidelines about "king for life" bullshit.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael K said...
Howard is a Deep State wannabe. He doesn't remember how Roosevelt won WWII by getting Bill Knudson to run procurement.


This literally makes no sense. Knudson was working in the role of military officer. Hard to get more deep state than that, except for the fact that he was appointed by FDR.

Ray - SoCal said...

Mueller investigation, and the Justice Department / FBI investigations were a huge weight / stressor on the Trump Administration, and then followed by the impeachment fiasco.

I’m still amazed Trump survived this.

In the US I give a huge amount of blame to the slow response to the CDC and FDA. Many states are not covering themselves in glory.

Trump is doing an amazing job with what he has to work with. It could be better, but it could have been a LOT WORSE.

Image the US response if Hillary was President...

MadisonMan said...

I like the anecdote that Knudsen's son asked for a car and his Dad gave him one in pieces that he had to construct.

Drago said...

Howard: "Now you're just projecting your own insecurities on me Drago."

If that makes you happy.

Michael K said...

Knudson was working in the role of military officer. Hard to get more deep state than that, except for the fact that he was appointed by FDR.

This is so stupid I wonder if ARM really wrote this. Do you even know where Knudson came from ? Are you so ignorant that you think Knudson was a career military officer ?

Someone who is a moron has taken over your ID.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Was or was not Knudson working as a military officer while he ran procurement?

Mr. D said...

Dust Bunny Queen said:

Finding out just how many people are willing to be Stasi, or who will steal from you, or who will actively try to harm you during a crisis comes as a surprise to many. Many who have never lived anything other than a nice protected lives...(I'm looking at you millennial whining special snowflakes and media shills Not you Mr. D).

Understood. Along with the unhappy discoveries, we are seeing opportunities. A big one would be redoubling our efforts to teach civics.

Michael K said...

eloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
Was or was not Knudson working as a military officer while he ran procurement?


He was APPOINTED Lt General. Are you trying to defend your stupid comment ?

William Signius Knudsen (March 25, 1879 – April 27, 1948) was a leading automotive industry executive and an American general during World War II. His experience and success as a key senior manager in the operations sides of Ford Motor Company and later General Motors led the Franklin Roosevelt Administration to directly commission him as a lieutenant general in the United States Army to help lead the United States' war materiel production efforts for World War II.

You are really reaching hard here, ARM

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Yes, he was appointed as a military officer by FDR. He was part of the DEEP STATE. You can't get more DEEP STATE than that. He was leading the government's response to a crisis, not the response of individual companies.



Michael K said...

ARM is hopeless but complains that "right wing trolls" interfere with his left wing nonsense.

It's interesting, but indicative of the mentality of the left, that he comes here to a libertarian./conservative site and posts left wing comments, most of which contribute little or nothing.
At least Inga, another leftist, posts links which, even if she doesn't understand them often, at least shows willing.

ARM posts left wing opinion unsupported by any attempt at evidence.

Jeff said...

Lessee, FDR brings in a guy from outside, and sez "Now you're a general! Get in there and kick some ass!" and ARM says that makes the guy a DEEP Stater. ARM, give it up already. You lost this round.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

He became a government employee. It was the government who oversaw the response. The government was very successful. Unfortunately, Trump didn't learn a single thing from that success.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

I think we have just learned that government employee Donald J. Trump is part of the deep state.

Drago said...

Jeff: "Lessee, FDR brings in a guy from outside, and sez "Now you're a general! Get in there and kick some ass!" and ARM says that makes the guy a DEEP Stater. ARM, give it up already. You lost this round."

ARM (Althouse Blog ChiCom representative): "He became a government employee. It was the government who oversaw the response."

By that definition, Trump is a Deep Stater.

Drago said...

Ah!

Unknown beat me to it!

Todd said...

Michael K said...

You are really reaching hard here, ARM

4/1/20, 12:22 PM


Micheal, I understand you are trying here. I really do. At some point though, if only for your own sanity you have to come to the realization that what you are attempting is on par with trying to teach a poodle algebra. In the end, the poodle would just rather lick his balls...

Inga said...

“At least Inga, another leftist, posts links which, even if she doesn't understand them often, at least shows willing.”

Michael K, for someone who routinely attributes other commenters quotes to the wrong commenter, I’d say maybe your own ability to understand what you’re reading isn’t that great. Also wouldn’t it be refreshing for you to try not to be such arrogant condescending prick for a change?

Michael K said...

Also wouldn’t it be refreshing for you to try not to be such arrogant condescending prick for a change?

Inga, you are an idiot but at least an honest one. ARM and Freder and Steve uhr make statements that are false and provide no evidence at all. I provide evidence and you dont like it. OK.

I try not to be condescending but it is tough with a few dullards.

Michael K said...

for your own sanity you have to come to the realization that what you are attempting is on par with trying to teach a poodle algebra

I know and I usually limit myself to politics here. I read books and only come here on breaks.

Inga said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Inga said...

“Inga, you are an idiot but at least an honest one. ARM and Freder and Steve uhr make statements that are false and provide no evidence at all. I provide evidence and you dont like it. OK.

I try not to be condescending but it is tough with a few dullards”

No I guess it was too much to ask for you to try to be less of an ass. You are a senile coot who thinks he’s still able to get away with being a arrogant jerk.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Unknown said...
government employee Donald J. Trump


Trump is a government employee - just a really shitty one. There are bad apples in any barrel. Too much time spent watching TV and golfing.

PresbyPoet said...

After this is over, we need to find out why we never replaced the emergency supply of masks and other PPE. This should have been a no-brainer for us to do.

Who knew? Who did nothing? Why? This is not about blame, or finding fault. Obama did nothing for 7 years, Trump for 3 years. Did Obama know? Did Trump know? What broke down? Why? Clearly people will die because of the shortage. If we had another 100,000,000 masks it would help. What do we need to change? Why didn't we know?

Drago said...

PresbyPoet: "After this is over, we need to find out why we never replaced the emergency supply of masks and other PPE. This should have been a no-brainer for us to do."

You'd have to ask OBiden-bama, and that will never happen.

Assuming you aren't speaking about why New York state did not have their stockpile built up, because we already know precisely why that is:

Cuomo's team decided to take the $550M needed to replenish the stockpile of pandemic gear for NY and use that cash as part of a $750M green/solar deal in the state (which fails like all other govt funded green deal nonsense).

But have no fear, in place of the equipment, Cuomo's staff very very helpfully provided, for all of us to view, a revised plan of action in case of a pandemic with a shortage of ventilators/masks/other equip: Increased Triage to deny equipment to those patients deemed most likely not to survive anyway.

Yes.

Death Panels.

To cover for an equipment shortage...that was consciously allowed...in order to fund Green New Deal crap.

Something for the dems to think about as they are drafting the inevitable replacement for Dementia Joe.

Drago said...

ARM: "Trump is a government employee - just a really shitty one. There are bad apples in any barrel."

There is no limit Tiananmen Rose-ARM wont exceed to protect the reputation of his ChiCom "benevolent" heroes.

Drago said...

Posted on this thread for the benefit of the lefties who simply take their schtick from one thread to the next:

Bruce Hayden:
"Congressional Democrats, in particular, the ones in the Congress, are the ones really boxed in here:

Some one on BB posted this and asked that we repost...so here ya go. DIMMS?


January 11: Chinese state media report the first known death from an illness originating in the Wuhan market.

January 15: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds a vote to send articles of impeachment to the Senate. Pelosi and House Democrats celebrate the “solemn” occasion with a signing ceremony, using commemorative pens.

January 21: The first person with coronavirus arrives in the United States from China, where he had been in Wuhan.

January 23: The House impeachment managers make their opening arguments for removing President Trump.

January 23: China closes off the city of Wuhan completely to slow the spread of coronavirus to the rest of China.

January 30: Senators begin asking two days of questions of both sides in the president’s impeachment trial.

January 30: The World Health Organization declares a global health emergency as coronavirus continues to spread.

January 31: The Senate holds a vote on whether to allow further witnesses and documents in the impeachment trial.

January 31: President Trump declares a national health emergency and imposes a ban on travel to and from China. Former Vice President Joe Biden calls Trump’s decision “hysterical xenophobia … and fear-mongering.”

February 2: The first death from coronavirus outside China is reported in the Philippines.

February 3: House impeachment managers begin closing arguments, calling Trump a threat to national security.

February 4: President Trump talks about coronavirus in his State of the Union address; Pelosi rips up every page.

February 5: The Senate votes to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, 52-48 and 53-47.

February 5: House Democrats finally take up coronavirus in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia.

While Nancy Pelosi was passing out pens, COVID-19 was aiming at the U.S. while the House and Senate were consumed with a fake news impeachment. And now that skany troll hints at yet another 'investigation'? The only thing that needs investigated is the Dem controlled House and their Senate lackeys.

For typical soldiers in the 101st Left Wing Keyboardist division who can't type and chew gum at the same time, posting crap like, "well, can't he do two things at once?" is about as uninformed and stupid as it gets.

Own it Dems. Own it neckbeards and basement dwelling Momma's boys. Own it icky little latte sniffers.

You lose. Your Left Wing vendetta is killing Americans NOW. And you dare to demean My Pillow for converting factories to produce life saving gear to combat the epidemic YOU caused


I think that Pelosi is going to have a hard time investigating Trump’s handling of the Wuhan pandemic, without opening up her caucus’ fake impeachment."

minnesota farm guy said...

I followed a few of ARM's comments with a wry smile because I always get a kick out of people who are terrific second guessers that you know would absolutely freeze when given the actual responsibilities they are critiquing. When he got to the part where he said "everyone knows' Trump did us wrong I had to laugh. Everyone but Trump in this nation of 300+ million knew just what should have been done well before the Chinese even admitted there was a problem, but only Trump missed the bus.

I don't recall ARM ever mentioning the upcoming "pandemic" while he was commenting on the fraudulent impeachment. Since he clearly was perfectly aware during the months of January and February what we should be doing he really did the country a terrible disservice by not telling us.

effinayright said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
Yes, he was appointed as a military officer by FDR. He was part of the DEEP STATE. You can't get more DEEP STATE than that. He was leading the government's response to a crisis, not the response of individual companies.
****************

Yeah, that's it. You spend your life working as a high level private sector executive, then FDR taps you to run military procurement and----VOILA!!!---you are suddenly transformed into an entrenched government bureaucrat who will do anything to hang onto his power.

S N O R T

walter said...

Alex Berenson
@AlexBerenson
·
1h
This is the @IMHE_UW model for #Covid_19, the new US standard. It was put out SIX days ago (post lockdown). It projects New York State will have 50,000 hospitalizations TODAY. Instead NYS has 12,000. Wrong by 4x in under a week. What on earth are we doing? http://covid19.healthdata.org/projections
---
FWIW, Cuomo today claims apex will be end of April.

sonicfrog said...

"" Now, I will say this, it’s an incredibly dark topic and incredibly horrible topic and it’s incredibly interesting. That’s why everybody is … They’re going crazy. They can’t get enough of it and they want to be careful and I guess they’re studying it for themselves. Just studying if they get it. A lot of people have it. A lot of people are positive and they hope for the best, because when this gets the wrong person, meaning a person that qualifies, generally speaking, under the list, it is ravaging."

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA... What???

What a maroon.

And Yeah... SONICFROG IS BACK BABYS!!!! :-)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

minnesota farm guy said...
I don't recall ARM ever mentioning the upcoming "pandemic" while he was commenting on the fraudulent impeachment.


Let's test these claims. Was I in favor or against impeachment?

sonicfrog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sonicfrog said...

Minnesota farm guy said:

"""I followed a few of ARM's comments with a wry smile because I always get a kick out of people who are terrific second guessers that you know would absolutely freeze when given the actual responsibilities they are critiquing. When he got to the part where he said "everyone knows' Trump did us wrong I had to laugh. Everyone but Trump in this nation of 300+ million knew just what should have been done well before the Chinese even admitted there was a problem, but only Trump missed the bus."""

China gave the WHO the genetic map of the virus in the first week of January. The WHO published that info so the health organizations in countries around the world could develop tests and start work on a vaccine. Germany had a working test on January 12, and they sent out the guidelines on replicating the test kits and reagents to all countries that wanted it. The tests are critical.

At this point in this short history, it no longer mattered what China did. The responsibility now rested on each country to ramp up and prepare for what epidemiologist were screaming at the top of their lungs what they predicted was likely to happen. The top leadership of one large country didn't take them seriously.

PS. I'm not faulting you. Just pointing out how the "blame China" defense makes no sense after mid-January.

Drago said...

Beijing ARM: "Let's test these claims. Was I in favor or against impeachment?"

Why start there?

Why don't you start by admitting every single ChiCom bit about "benevolent" giving to other nations for the virus outbreak that you advanced on these threads for weeks was a lie?

Go ahead and start there tiger.

walter said...

Alex Berenson
@AlexBerenson
·
5h
NYC has now presented new cases, new hospitalizations, and death data by age and most importantly by day. It speaks for itself. Most importantly, NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY FLAT FOR 10+ DAYS (they peaked early last week).
NYC Daily Counts

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Drago said...

sonicfrog: "Just pointing out how the "blame China" defense makes no sense after mid-January."

That's funny.

I missed all the pre-mid-January acceptance of China culpability by the lefties.

Care to help us out here?

This is quite reminiscent of the Clintonian strategy of Hey man, that's old news and what difference, at this point, does it make?

Drago said...

Yeah, all this going back and blaming China stuff is getting in the way of the left/media going back and blaming Trump!

Michael K said...

The top leadership of one large country didn't take them seriously.

"The evidence is highly suggestive that the outbreak is associated with exposures in one seafood market in Wuhan. The market was closed on 1 January 2020. At this stage, there is no infection among healthcare workers, and no clear evidence of human to human transmission. The Chinese authorities continue their work of intensive surveillance and follow up measures, as well as further epidemiological investigations.

Do you speak Mandarin, sonicfrog?

Bob Boyd said...

How Donald Trump caused the Coronavirus pandemic.

The virus first crossed the species barrier when it leapt from Trump's hair to a horseshoe bat that had become entangled in a swoop. The bat eventually extracted itself and flew west with the night. Several hours later this hapless creature was snapped from the cool evening air by the super-quick chopsticks of a Chinese Mr. Miyagi impersonator who was working the crowd outside an '80's film festival being held in the student union at UVA. Down the hatch it went. Shortly thereafter, the Chinese Mr. Miyagi impersonator checked his chopsticks and boarded a plane back to his home town of Wuhan, China, unaware a deadly new strain of Trumpvirus, that would soon explode into a world wide epidemic, was already replicating inside his cells.

Inga said...

Well, here’s something potentially positive.

Pandemic' scientist says his team has discovered potential cure for COVID-19
Dr. Jacob Glanville's team took antibodies used to neutralize SARS and used technology in their lab to adapt them to recognize COVID-19.

sonicfrog said...

""The evidence is highly suggestive that the outbreak is associated with exposures in one seafood market in Wuhan. The market was closed on 1 January 2020. At this stage, there is no infection among healthcare workers, and no clear evidence of human to human transmission."

Ummmmmm OK. And what should the Chinese have done right then? Close down a market where they had no idea a virus was propagating at that point? Are you faulting them for not being prescient enough to know at that point a virus was going to erupt there?

Again. Yes. The Chinese mishandled the initial outbreak.

I'm shocked I tell you... SHOCKED!!!

But once the world was provided the genetic map of this virus, it falls on the nations of the world to do all they can to slow or stop the the spread of the virus. We failed.

walter said...

From Inga's link:
How did you come up with this potential cure?

We took a series of five antibodies from around 2002 that were able to neutralize SARS. We were able to use technology in our laboratories to evolve those antibodies against SARS to adapt them to recognize COVID-19.

We tried with five different antibodies because we weren’t sure which one would work the best. All five worked so we have a pretty powerful tool chest available to us right now to produce a final therapeutic.

Would the drug be a shot? Or a pill?

We think we will be able to deliver it as a shot. We’ve been deliberately trying to engineer extremely potent antibodies because if they’re potent you need less material and then you could give it as an injection.

Will you be doing the trials on sick patients in the United States?

This is a conversation we’re having with the United States government on exactly where the study is being done. We're also talking to the European Commission.

We want to make sure when we’re ready to release this we’re ready to release it to the entire world.

What is the next step?

We are sending [the antibodies] to the military for confirmation testing and to Charles River Laboratories for safety and tox characterization. We’ve partnered with two different companies that will help us scale up large batches of the antibody for production. We're in discussions to start humane phase one/two trials that would happen at the end of the summer.

walter said...

FDA Approves Phase III Clinical Trial of Tocilizumab for COVID-19 Pneumonia
Hannah Slater
March 26, 2020
News
The FDA has approved a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous (IV) tocilizumab (Actemra) plus standard of care in hospitalized adult patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, according to Genentech, the agent’s developer.
....
Tocilizumab is already approved by the FDA for the treatment of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) that is severe or life-threatening. The agent is used in adults and children aged 2 years and older who have CRS caused by CAR T-cell therapy.

Additionally, tocilizumab also has FDA approved indications for rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and systematic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
https://www.cancernetwork.com/news/fda-approves-phase-iii-clinical-trial-tocilizumab-covid-19-pneumonia

-----

Leora Horwitz
@leorahorwitzmd
10th Our standard protocol right now is azithro/hydroxychloroquine/zinc but I have little faith in efficacy. For the patients I really worried about (fast O2 requirement rise, high inflammatory markers) I gave tocilizumab off label. Clinical trial of sarilumab starting this week.
8:16 PM · Mar 30, 2020

The Godfather said...

I'm flabbergasted that there are still adult people who think that state governments buying a gazillion masks, ventilators, or whatever will "bid up the price", but the federal government buying the same gazillion masks, ventilators, etc., won't.

It's hard to be optimistic when there are people walking around who are so ignorant. So I give T. credit for whatever optimism he has managed to maintain.

sonicfrog said...

March 6th: “Anybody right now, and yesterday, anybody that needs a test gets a test. They’re there. And the tests are beautiful…. the tests are all perfect like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. Right? This was not as perfect as that but pretty good.”


April 1st: I STILL can't get a test.

sonicfrog said...

"I'm flabbergasted that there are still adult people who think that state governments buying a gazillion masks, ventilators, or whatever will "bid up the price", but the federal government buying the same gazillion masks, ventilators, etc., won't."

Tell me; if the Federal government, a single buyer, is buying masks instead of 50 separate buyers, how is that going to drive up costs??? What exactly would happen at an auction where there was only one buyer bidding? What happens on eBay when there is only one bidder?

Call me crazy, but I'm betting the price is not going to go nearly as high than if you had 50 bidders.

Known Unknown said...

"April 1st: I STILL can't get a test."

Do you qualify? Where you referred by a doctor? Are you really sick and exhibiting symptoms or not?

Known Unknown said...

"Call me crazy, but I'm betting the price is not going to go nearly as high than if you had 50 bidders."

The problem is not price, but logistics. The Feds would just be playing middle man, slowing down the entire process.

sonicfrog said...

"Do you qualify? Where you referred by a doctor? Are you really sick and exhibiting symptoms or not?"

I was sick last week. Couldn't get a test.

South Korea and Germany have both been able to manage Covid by testing the crap out of their population and finding out who had the virus, and finding who they were in contact with, and putting them in isolation. If we did that, we could shorten the timeframe that people have to shelter in place.

But no.

Daniel said...

Sonic frog: you were sick last week. Why do you need a test? Isolate yourself. Simple.

Gk1 said...

I was sick last week for 4 days. Sore throat, congestion, headache. By day 3 it slid into my lungs and I have a cough for a couple of days. My wife has been sick for 2-1/2 weeks so on week 3 doctor told her to get tested and she went to a clinic but they listened to her chest and symptoms and said she didn't have Covid-19 but prescribed anti-biotic & inhaler and sent her home. I'm fine too and now only have to contend with seasonal allergies.

I wouldn't think of trying to get tested when there are so many people who actually need it and we are all sheltering in place anyway until May 4th anyway.

minnesota farm guy said...

ARM My point was and remains: did you ever mention the coming pandemic during the period that you say Trump should have done a better job? Given your straw man response I will take that as a "no". Given your omniscience I am "shocked, shocked" that you never took it upon yourself to warn us of the dangers of the coronavirus during December, January and February. Think of the agonies you could have saved the world.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Wait a second, you lied about my views on impeachment and then think you have some moral standing? What a piece of shit. In reality I spoke about my wife's reports from Italy saying that things were going very badly and that we needed to prepare. I did in fact prepare very well, which I also spoke about.

Moneyrunner said...

I called my doctor and he asked me if I wanted a test.

sonicfrog said...

"Sonic frog: you were sick last week. Why do you need a test? Isolate yourself. Simple."

If I have Covid, I'd want to get tested so others that were around me in the contagious period would know if they got exposed. And they get tested. If they are positive then the trace continues. That's one reason South Korea has been so successful at fighting this without having to basically shut down their economy.

I'm not sure why that's not getting through.

Moneyrunner said...

I'm impressed by the people who inhabit the comments section of the biosphere who are so incredibly prescient. In time for the next global catastrophe I will recommend to everyone I know that we fire everybody in government and replace them with internet bloggers.

If we give them military rank that immediately makes them part of the NEW DEEP STATE and insures that we are never surprised again and insures that we are not only never surprised by the next Black Swan even that wanders down time's highway, but we will always have just enough (never too much) of anything we need to meet any eventuality.

ARM had a handle on the Wuhan flu last December so he'll position is for the next catastrophe which will pass without so much as a hangnail. SF will be in charge of production at no cost and distribution without a hitch. Howard will be telling us tales of derring-do to keep our spirits up.

Problems of the world solved.

Next!

Gk1 said...

Sonicfrog, you sound like a pussy. Suck it up buttercup. You are hogging resources other, more needy folks could use. Are you usually this big of a hypochondriac?

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Moneyrunner said...
had a handle on the Wuhan flu last December


Did not say this. I did say that I received an early view on how bad things could get from in-laws in Italy. As Mike Pence said, the US is 'most comparable' to Italy now.

Moneyrunner said...

Don't be so reticent ARM. Be proud of your wisdom, your ability to see the future. Give Pence a heads up next time. Don't keep it to yourself or limit your Paul Revere warnings to comments on Althouse. Be a MAN!

Moneyrunner said...

While the wisest among us are here, can you contribute by predicting the level of the DJIA at the end of this year?

Thanks in advance.

Moneyrunner said...

Did COVID-19 Originate in a Chinese Lab? And Why Is It Crazy to Ask? Let's ask our resident experts.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Not sure that what is happening in Italy in regards to a novel virus has ever been shown to be a good predictor of the long-term performance of the DJIA, maybe you are confused about this.

Moneyrunner said...

On February 6, scientists from the South China University of Technology uploaded a paper on the origins of the Coronavirus. At the time, the official death toll in China from the epidemic was 564. The paper made a number of notable observations and claims that are worth knowing about. We are not endorsing any of these conclusions. We can’t. We haven’t independently confirmed them. But you should keep in mind that these findings come from Chinese scientists, who work for a university controlled by the Chinese government. Whatever else they are, these views are probably not racist anti-Chinese propaganda. Here’s what the paper says:
First, the scientists confirmed what scientists around the world have said they believe: the virus mostly likely came from an animal known as the Intermediate Horseshoe Bat. There are no known colonies of this bat within 900 kilometers of Wuhan. Nor is there evidence they were sold in the Wuhan wet market, despite many claims in American media to the contrary. Interviews with almost 60 people who frequented the market confirmed there were no horseshoe bats for sale there.
So where did the virus-carrying bats come from? The paper says this, quote: “We screened the area around the market and identified two laboratories conducting research on bat coronavirus.” Within a few hundred yards of the wet market was something called the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention. According to public reports, the center used Intermediate Horseshoe Bats for research. About seven miles away was another facility, called the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The virology institute also conducted research on Intermediate Horseshoe Bats.

Moneyrunner said...

ARM is now begging off broader questions, leaving us to understand that his expertise is limited to Italian medical practices.

Moneyrunner said...

I had hope ARMs prescience extended to other topics. I am sadly mistaken.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Yes, definitely confused.

Moneyrunner said...

In other news, an engineer deliberately ran a train off the tracks at high speed near the Port of Los Angeles in an attempt to crash into and damage the USNS Mercy hospital ship, prosecutors say.

I blame Trump for
1) putting the Mercy there when
2) he should have known that the alleged train engineer Eduardo Moreno lacked the skill to actually ram the ship.

Moreno, addicted to CNN, stated "You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don't know what's going on here. Now they will."

Moneyrunner said...

Meanwhile Fox News reports that Joe Biden is offering to call President Trump to discuss coronavirus strategy. Here's the chance for ARM, SF and Howard to get in on the call.

Help us you guys, you're our only hope!

Moneyrunner said...

Babylon Bee - the most trusted name in news - reports:

China Claims No New Deaths As Peasant Passes By Shouting 'Bring Out Your Dead!'

The Godfather said...

Sonicfrog asks (5:41 pm), "if the Federal government, a single buyer, is buying masks instead of 50 separate buyers, how is that going to drive up costs [I think you mean prices]?" Because the seller (is it China?) knows the buyer (the US Govt) needs the masks, as many as it can get. Monopsony (a single buyer in a market) only works to lower prices if the buyer can credibly threaten not to buy, or to limit its purchases, and the federal government can't do that in this case. If the seller knows you need a gazillion masks and you need them ASAP, the price the seller will charge will reflect those facts, whether there's one purchaser or 50.

DanTheMan said...

>>I blame Trump for
1) putting the Mercy there when
2) he should have known that the alleged train engineer Eduardo Moreno lacked the skill to actually ram the ship.


Runner,
Thanks for following the guidelines I posted above, and offering such a clear and compelling example.
You did omit the part about how Trump wanted Moreno to crash into the Mercy and kill people, because he is evil and likes to kill innocents.

I'm sure you will get better as you read posts from others who have been following the guidelines for years now.

Francisco D said...

Insanity = trying to reason with ARM. He is a rabid partisan and known liar. It's like pissing in the wind.

Howard can be an annoying bullshitter, but he sometimes sounds open minded. It's better to try to reason with him.