It was April, 2020 and COVID was spreading rapidly across the US. The propects were grim. Infectious disease experts were warning, a million Americans could die. The virus would overwhelm US hospitals. A complete shutdown was needed.
Trump was facing reelection in just six month, November 2020. He was terrified and needed a way to spin this evolving catastrophe. So what did he do? He turned to his trusted political PR consultants, O’Donnell and Associates for help.
https://odonnellsolutions.com/
They gave him a strategy and talking points in a document called the “Corona Big Book”. Here it is, in its entirety.
Here is a summary of message “1. SHORT VERSION ● China caused this pandemic by covering it up, lying, and hoarding the world’s supply of medical equipment. ○ China is an adversary that has stolen millions of American jobs, sent fentanyl to the United States, and they send religious minorities to concentration camps. ● My opponent is soft on China, fails to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party, and can’t be trusted to take them on. ● I will stand up to China, bring our manufacturing jobs back home, and push for sanctions on China for its role in spreading this pandemic. 2. EXPANDED VERSION China did this: ● The Chinese Communist Party caused this pandemic. They arrested doctors who tried to warn us. They covered up the number of deaths. They lied and pretended the disease could not be transmitted. China bought up the world’s supply of face masks and medical supplies, and then stopped exports out of the country when we needed them. ● China is not an ally, and they’re not just a rival -- they are an adversary and the Chinese Communist Party is our enemy. China is not an ally, and they’re not just a rival -- they are an adversary and the Chinese Communist Party is our enemy. ○ For decades, China has stolen millions of our jobs, they’ve hacked into our networks, and they’ve exported plagues and fentanyl to the United States. ○ At home, China forces women to have abortions, they send religious minorities to concentration camps, and they arrest Christians.”
“We are too reliant on China: ● 97% of antibiotics and many critical pharmaceuticals are now produced only in China -- because China used predatory pricing to drive American manufacturers out of business. They did this to corner the market. They’ve stolen millions of American jobs. ● We also know that China blocked exports of critical medical products from American companies in China when the world needed them the most. China caused the virus and then made it worse. My Democratic opponent refuses to stand up to them: ● My opponent is soft on China. He/She’s never criticized them, throughout this entire pandemic. He/she opposed tariffs on China even though China has stolen millions of American jobs. ● He/She was silent when Nancy Pelosi delayed aid to the American people to try to pass parts of the Green New Deal. She didn’t say anything when Democrats passed money to fund the D.C. opera - the Kennedy Center - which then laid off its employees. ● Democrats blocked money from small businesses when the paycheck protection program ran out. Republicans tried for weeks to pass this unanimously -- and this program had bipartisan support - - but Schumer and Pelosi blocked it. I will stand up to China, bring our jobs back home, and push for sanctions on the Chinese Communist Party ● If I’m elected, I’ll fight to move our manufacturing out of China and back home. This will create jobs in the United States, and it is important for our national security. We need to get all of our pharmaceutical production out of China because we can’t trust them. ● I will also fight for a strong military. We need to be prepared as China continues its aggression in the South China sea and campaign of cyber attacks. Finally, we need to investigate how China was able to keep this pandemic hidden. China should pay a price for arresting doctors who tried to warn about the pandemic. We should impose sanctions on China and treat China like the pariah state that they are. Key Facts in Brief China did this: ● That delay from Jan. 14 to Jan. 20 was neither the first mistake made by Chinese officials at all levels in confronting the outbreak, nor the longest lag, as governments around the world have dragged their feet for weeks and even months in addressing the virus.”
Trump’s handling of the pandemic was a disaster.
Trump needed a different strategy. Infection Control practices would reduce the spread f disease and limit the death toll but would hurt the ecnomy and hence his reelection. The Great Barrington Declaration was crafted to give Trump what he needed, an excuse to abandon infection control practices.
Where was the Great Barrington Declaration conceived? In the Oval Office in a “secret meeting”.
There is a reason Trump’s adminsitrations have been dogged by infectious disease issues: COVID, Measles, Cyclospora, etc… The man just doesn’t follow doctors orders. He finds unquaified doctors to to tell him what he wants to hear.
We have two more years to endure the American Pathogen in the White House. Given his track record, I have a feeling even worse infectious disease problems are likely to occur.
