Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Coronavirus Could Be Trump’s Katrina
Townhall.com ^ | January 30, 2020 | Kurt Schlichter

Posted on 01/30/2020 2:49:16 AM PST by Kaslin

I have always lived my life around a simple principle, “Don’t eat weird stuff.” And see? I was right. The Coronavirus ripping through the Wuhan region of Red China – and that has now spread here – may well have crossed over to our species because some people in China eat bats. Yeah, on purpose. How the hell did they ever get the idea that dining on Dracula birds was a good plan?

It doesn’t matter – what does is our response, and right now the Administration is behind the power curve. With attention fixed on the circle of self-abuse that is the impeachment, it’s difficult to get a grip on this extremely dangerous situation. But the White House must do so, and fast.

I am not qualified to talk in detail about the proper strategies and tactics of responding to the virus’s spread into our country – I did nuclear, chemical, and biological stuff in the Army, but this is outside my skill set. Luckily, we have scientists who know how. What I do know is a little bit about communicating and leading, and a lot about disaster response, including commanding in the midst of civil crises. And the Administration risks dropping the ball.

This could be Trump’s Katrina, as Hugh Hewitt, who was way ahead of everyone else in the media on this potential nightmare, has pointed out. Understand this, and you probably don’t know because our media is garbage and most media people know nothing, but the federal disaster response to Katrina was amazing. Huge numbers of personnel and vast quantities of supplies poured into the stricken area in an incredibly short time. The incompetence came from – shocker – the Democrat leadership locally, but the media hung it around George W. Bush’s gentlemanly neck. And because he was too gentlemanly to cry “Bull Schiff!,” most everyone thinks what was a logistical miracle was a clusterfark.

The media is aching, yearning, begging for the chance to do the same thing to Trump.

And the stage is being set to do that. China is going nuts. The numbers of cases coming into the U.S. are growing. People are confused. The stock market is pitching and heaving. And the impeachment circus is going to end with the Democrats’ humiliation soon, meaning suddenly the media will soon need a new shiny object to chase.

Coronavirus is that shiny object. The media will not be honest or accurate or fair. It will lie, cheat, and give voice to leftist leakers with agendas. That’s why Trump needs to go around the media, straight to us.

Trump needs to go on the air, to the American people, and lay out the situation. Then Team Trump needs to step up the game by arm-twisting the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) into talking to us, at length, in detail. Get those science nerds in their lab coats out there, in front of the camera, every day, bombarding us with info. Talk our ears off.

The current lack of information is an invitation for the void to be filled with nonsense and lies designed to undermine the presidency – sadly, the media cares nothing about the infection risk and everything about its weird obsession with undoing the 2016 election. There is already a plan – the CDC is on this – but that plan has not been communicated to the people. The people are worried – they’ll be very, very worried when the media pumps up the threat.

If the president assures the citizenry that he understands this is a priority and that he is vectoring in America’s best scientists to respond, that not only foils the cheesy partisan political attack that is coming. It helps the actual defeat of this potential epidemic. Instead of inspiring panic, the presentation of the Administration as having this crisis well in hand will serve to calm fears as well as tell people what to do.

Do you know what you should do? I’m not sure I do. And the information has been so sketchy that right now most of us don’t know the Coronavirus from the Dos Equis virus, the most interesting flu in the world.

Pummel the people with information. Make those eggheads do briefings every day. Get a soothing one who can communicate to be the face of the CDC. And Hugh Hewitt has another good point – no one is telling us how the disease got here, what flights, what airports. Get that out there. People want to know if a carrier was in their mall or school or whatever. And explain why the hell you can still gobble a bat, jump on a plane, and fly to America? Why haven’t we limited or banned flights? Are we screening passengers? How? We need to know.

Trust us with the information and we will trust the Administration.

This is not just a public health crisis – it’s a political fight too. Sorry, but that’s the truth, and Trump is under no obligation to allow himself to be lied about as W. was. Luckily, though, Trump is a master communicator – plus, he’ll fight back.

And stop eating bats, people.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2019ncov; coronavirus; handwringers; health; kurtschlichter; publichealth; schlichter; trumpadmin; trumpcdc
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 141-151 next last
To: ncalburt

> “rump’s inaction and its been inaction
could make it a Katrina event .”

Awwww ... aren’t you such a darling little thing ,,,,

#80 above.

Read it.


81 posted on 01/30/2020 5:22:29 AM PST by Hostage (Article V)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Hostage

Why would Schlicter use such a shocking headline?

MANY PEOPLE ONLY READ HEADLINES.

I like, or maybe used to, him, but it is GLARINGLY STUPID to write a headline like that.

I am NOT READING ONE WORD. And unfortunately, neither will many others who will ONLY REMEMBER THOSE RIDICULOUS WORDS.


82 posted on 01/30/2020 5:23:48 AM PST by Maris Crane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers
You are right .

Why nothing has been done is baffling considering the
actions of the Hong Kong and The Philippines.

Why are Obama plants making the calls .

Kurt issued a well deserved warning here .

Now we have a useless Task force that will further delay action when action is needed today .

83 posted on 01/30/2020 5:26:39 AM PST by ncalburt (Gop DC Globalist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Hostage

Great keep us posted. Keep those rocks handy. He should also look back at Kurt’s track record he’s a very bright guy.


84 posted on 01/30/2020 5:26:57 AM PST by CincyRichieRich (Vote for President Trump in 2020 or end up equally miserable, no rights, and eating zoo animals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: Hostage
Stop trying to bully people here .
Snark is childish .
That game is old .

Handle the fact Trump has screwed up and Kurt is
warning him .

Its a fact .

You can not even see your own post
supported Kurt's article .

We don’t need a task force to see
Hong Kong has closed off the mainland traffic and we should
follow suit quickly. i

85 posted on 01/30/2020 5:32:22 AM PST by ncalburt (Gop DC Globalist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: CincyRichieRich

Mommy and daddy those kind Muslims need some of your money to help fund their kindness to immigrants policies and interest. They promise it will not be used for terrorism.


86 posted on 01/30/2020 5:36:52 AM PST by CincyRichieRich (Vote for President Trump in 2020 or end up equally miserable, no rights, and eating zoo animals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: Maris Crane

Beltway competition.

These are creatures of DC cultivation. After they do their DC tour they settle in the suburban McMansion and look for something to keep busy with.

Too many of them.

So the trick is to write headlines that create a buzz.

Unfortunately the content behind the headline is most often a rant or speculation upon speculation.

Many do the same here on FR but this is a forum whereas theirs is a DC culture that promotes obnoxious behavior.

Perhaps this author has done good work in the past. But as in everything, to get paid, one must meet a deadline and to keep getting paid, one must attract readers. Eventually the quality deteriorates.


87 posted on 01/30/2020 5:38:13 AM PST by Hostage (Article V)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: ncalburt

> “Handle the fact Trump has screwed up and Kurt is
warning him .”

Uh Huh ...

Did you contact Joe’s campaign for a job yet?


88 posted on 01/30/2020 5:39:36 AM PST by Hostage (Article V)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: Hostage
Stop with childish comments .

How old are you ?

Please don't bother me with the
childish games .

89 posted on 01/30/2020 5:45:05 AM PST by ncalburt (Gop DC Globalist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

To: Hostage

And this is the point, Hostage:

The content of the article may very well be something thoughtful and memorable, because Kurt is usually an ally, but he spoiled it for me and I am punishing him by not reading the article. Which is totally silly, yet it will be a while before I read another Kurt.

That PHONY Headline thing is a pet peeve of mine.

Cheers!


90 posted on 01/30/2020 5:46:44 AM PST by Maris Crane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: CincyRichieRich

I wonder what the Vegas line is someone finding the first picture of Melinda Gates wearing a hijab.


91 posted on 01/30/2020 5:47:11 AM PST by CincyRichieRich (Vote for President Trump in 2020 or end up equally miserable, no rights, and eating zoo animals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: All

Townhall has a few moles just like Amricam Thinker this fool is on of them.


92 posted on 01/30/2020 5:48:24 AM PST by gibsonguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Maybe eating bats has nothing to do with it.

https://amp.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/24/virus-hit-wuhan-has-two-laboratories-linked-chines/

Virus-hit Wuhan has two laboratories linked to Chinese bio-warfare program


93 posted on 01/30/2020 5:49:24 AM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ncalburt

Pot meet kettle.

Get your flame on!


94 posted on 01/30/2020 5:49:37 AM PST by Hostage (Article V)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin; Hostage
What a stupid reply.
Who's Schlicter?

You're calling him stupid - yet you don't even know the name of the author from an article YOU posted.

95 posted on 01/30/2020 5:50:24 AM PST by AAABEST (NY/DC/LA media/political/military industrial complex DELENDA EST)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
This could be Trump’s Katrina, as Hugh Hewitt...has pointed out.

Well, that explains it. Hewitt is a died in the wool Romneybot and never-Trumper.

96 posted on 01/30/2020 5:50:36 AM PST by Fresh Wind (The Electoral College is the firewall protecting us from massive blue state vote fraud.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
Exactly , Hong Kong knows what is going in China .
We do not know a fact .
The Communist Chinese have blocked WHO staff .

Beijing has purposely isolated itself for a week .

Trump does not need a Task Force to delay action today .

The media will jump on his inaction and sadly there right for a change

And thousands of possible infected Chinese flood into our airports as we post here .

97 posted on 01/30/2020 5:53:11 AM PST by ncalburt (Gop DC Globalist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: gibsonguy

It is a worthless column.


98 posted on 01/30/2020 5:53:12 AM PST by buffaloguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

Soon, it won’t be Asians with coughing fits. It might be Americans with coughing fits.

Many other countries have shut off Chinese nationals. No entry for them.

We continue to let them fly in by the thousands.


99 posted on 01/30/2020 5:54:03 AM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: AAABEST; Kaslin

Neophytic Professor Kaslin was riled up to launch a barb over a misspelling. That was sooooo important to do.

And the response was his barb was about as valuable as Schlickles curmudgeon rant.

Thread is stupid.

See the news that POTUS established a Coronavirus task force.

Oh wait, it won’t show up in the trash media. But it’s posted in FR and also linked in #80 above.


100 posted on 01/30/2020 5:55:30 AM PST by Hostage (Article V)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 141-151 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson