[cgbg]

He should have had loyal and smart senior staffers to make sure it got to him in good time

I think the staffers made a "category error".

That is when you define a problem a certain way ("controllable epidemic"), then go to the experts on that type of problem ("CDC").

If they had defined the problem as an uncontrollable epidemic, then they would have called in the germ warfare folks.

[cgbg]

Category errors are common in large organizations, where the wrong people are in the room for key decisions, because they don’t know what they don’t know.

In smaller organizations the CEO is more likely to seek independent advice in a crisis, because they know that their organization’s survival may be on the line.

[9YearLurker]

If his senior staffers didn’t know not to trust the CDC, he needs new senior staffers.

And W already demonstrated why you don’t rely on your bureaucrats in times of real crisis.