Thread by @ClaraJeffery

I will watch this Trump presser so you don't have to. They are full of bad information and false hope, typically. This one has started out no differently.

Trump claiming all sorts of miracle properties w/r/t using malaria drag that have no basis in fact. Worth experimenting, sure. But he's giving people bad medical information that has already proven deadly

Real ID deadlines extended. That said, line up those DMV appointments now!

Trump says Barr will be talking about cracking down on hoarding and price gouging.

You know what else would do that? Using the DPA to get factories cranking out PPE and gear and pricing equitably.

Trump's weird affect is always horrible but man is just insanely awful given what we face.

Fauci not on stage. Hopefully his honest diplomacy re reeling Trump back in has lead only to a temporary penalty box stint.

Without him though there is even less reasons for networks to air these things live.

Barr up: cue Vader music

Barr: Trump greenlights POSSIBLE use of DPA on March 13 to make critical items....Trump has signed another executive order to crack down on hoarding/price gouging...

OR JUST ORDER FACTORIES TO MAKE, PAY THEM WELL TO DO, DISTRIBUTE FAIRLY

Dr Birx up, scarf game still strong: Says no child under 15 has succumbed to this in Europe. One 14 yo in china.

Reassuring to parents.

Dr Birx also repeats the "15 day challenge" rhetoric.

I mean, this is not the Amazing Race

Dr Birx on NYC: area has 5x infection rate as rest of country. the group that absolutely needs to social distance. says obviously it was circulating for a number of weeks there.

Pence doubling down on the 15 days.

Nobody who knows what they're talking about says this will be a 15 day isolation period only

It won't be 15 days from now. It won't be 15 days after 15 days from now, almost inevitably. Or 15 days after that.

I will be excited to be proven wrong.

https://twitter.com/TopherSpiro/status/1242218986890297350

So they're STILL not using the DPA. We STILL don't know when more masks or PPE are coming via feds to states.

Pence "evaluating national stockpile...businesses across America are stepping up"

I mean it's great that governors have found other providers to give ventilators to hospitals. But eventually people need ventilators for other surgical needs.

the scary thing about this is that they're clearly doubling down on trying to lift restrictions 6 days from now.

That would kill tens of thousands or maybe hundreds or maybe even more. Read @DavidCornDC motherjones.com/politics/2020/…

Whole thing is being presented as a "who do i need to call to get some ventilators" issue.

No, this is not getting a break on construction supplies. This is a complete lack of supply issues.

Trump: back to comparing probable mortality rate to that of flu.

THAT IS NOT TRUE

Trump "we're going to be opening our country up to business" BIG RED FLAG

and then says private business will save us

Q: If in a week, Birx/Fauci tell you we need to continue lockdowns, will you?

Trump: arglebarglebippityboop

Trump back to talking about hospital ships, how admits the one bound for NYC will be there in THREE OR FOUR WEEKS

THREE OR FOUR WEEKS FOR HOSPITAL SHIP TO NYC

Three days ago we were told it was days.

Trump always looks absolutely befuddled when Birx or Fauci starts talking data/science

Trump: people die in car accidents it doesn't mean we tell them not to drive.

FUCK

Birx: Rand Paul is exhibit A on why "each person has to be responsible"

Birx: Until we figure out surface transmission to respiration transmission we are fucked, basically

Birx says she had low-grade fever and that's why she wasn't around on weekend and got test and was negative.

I like this lady but man, this underlines why we need more testing

Q: weeks or months

Trump: I'm not looking at months, i'm telling you that right now.

Trump implies that more people will die of suicide over despair and fear than from virus itself.

Jesus fucking christ. Not true. And if you're feeling really down please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
1-800-273-8255

Any mental health professional will tell you that statements like that are deadly counterproductive

Trump is babbling so much now its hard for me to parse

"Ill-i-noise"

Trump reduces NYC's value to that of Dow and Nasdaq

Birx: because this is hitting at same time as seasonal flu it probably masked our ability to understand how wide this has and will spread.

THIS IS IMPORTANT

Q: is there an antibody test to show who/where infected and how symptomatic people have been

A: couple of weeks out

Trump to Birx: when can we let more angry press back into briefings and "almost sitting on each others lap"

ewwww

Q to Birx: Are you ok with Trump's approach to reopen country.

Birx: We will be assembling data and giving our best recommendation.

Get the hook. Jesus these things are not only misinformed but soooooo windy

https://twitter.com/karavoght/status/1242231990851645443

Finally reporter asks about Trump's crazy statements that more people will commit suicide than die of COVID. And ....maybe they shouldn't do that.

Whew

Q: Doesn't talk of ending social distancing (WHICH READER PLEASE DON'T DO) undermine the entire point of doing it, because people will be reckless?

Birx: please keep going

Q to Trump: will you take Fauci, Birx and experts about continuing social distancing

A: maybe? but probably not.

Trump: Mike [Pence] has been soothing

Q: You said we'd hear from @BetsyDeVosED, where is she?

A: bunch of bullshit, and then some stuff around relaxing standards around distance learning. Which would seem to make sense except: motherjones.com/politics/2018/…

Trump back to attacking the media

Pence: Self-swab tests are getting ready to go "directly to market"

which...maybe we could skip the market step? Just pay the companies to make them.

Trump clearly either believes or wants us to believe that the mortality rate will not be too high. 1% of let's say half of total population of 330 million is still 1.5 million people.

Takeaways from presser:

-No news re tests/equipment
-Trump seems prepared to lift restrictions, science be damned
-Trump says more people will klll themselves over worry about virus than virus will kill.

As a way of lifting my own black mood--prompted mostly by Trump incompetence--I am off to walk the dog.

If you're feeling bleak, take a break from news. Call a friend. Binge watch something fun and dumb. And
1-800-273-8255 is there if you need it.