Easter Sunday

Crunchtime

His numbers are up. Even a larger number of Democrats are giving him decent marks for his daily handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Is it because of his usually defiant, eyes on the red light, blustering of facts and figures, policy and practice, truth and fiction, facts and opinions all lathered together and spilling forth as quickly as he can get it out?

No.
Is it because he is in campaign mode…sarcastic, totally in control of huge crowds applauding his every word and off-hand gesture, sneering and joking and vulgar as he chooses?

No.
It is because he is just the opposite…almost mumbling, head down, looking at written words he did not write or read before the camera lights went on…Repeating them for emphasis, turning them this way and that…sometimes almost incoherent.

He looks scared, uncertain, wistful, almost pleading with the Gods for this mean nasty trick – no one’s fault – that turned a flying financial economy into a disaster on the edge of being out of control.

And it is this guy…suddenly so human and deeply self-concerned (as always but in a different, non-belligerent context), trying to be a nice guy to Governors he cannot stand, unable to move away from the camera but unable to look into it, willing to make statements that are simply wrong only to be corrected by people in the know who try not to insult him, a man being insulted instead by a reality he cannot ignore.

And he shows it. In amongst all the “I” this and “I” that (149 of them in a short Fox News appearance) and the ‘most’ and the ‘biggest’ and the ‘historic’ is a man unsuited for a job he never thought he’d get and openly scared that he will be thrown aside in just a few months from now.

And so the statement…said once and then again and again…with more to come: “I want to see the churches packed on Easter Sunday”.

Who will listen to that and do it?
Will it be the Ministers of those churches hurting because of the loss in their revenue through lost donations? Will it be the people all pent up with isolation deprivation, boredom and fear running toward a life they miss?

Will Drs. Tony Fauci and Deborah Birx openly contradict him? Make some obvious independent efforts to stop a door that should not yet be opened? Will physicians across the country in places under siege like New York and California try to help keep this disease from millions of Americans in mid-country who have been safe so far?

We do not know. But we know this. Tens of millions of people believe in Donald Trump and in all the ways Donald Trump can attract attention and belief. And if he says it is safe to go back to work and school and church, million ns will want to and try to and do it.

This TV reality host is showing his human side everyday and it is making a strong impression.

Meanwhile his Environmental Protection take-over is working as his people hurry to pass major reversals of environmental regulations including new measures to weaken automobile fuel efficiency standards, loosening controls on toxic ash from coal plants (that’s for you Wilbur Ross), relaxing restrictions on mercury emissions and weakening the conditions of climate change in environmental reviews.

If they hurry they can do this before a newly elected Democratic Senate and President -should that happen – can easily reverse these decisions.

So when all is said and done politics continues on its course in this Administration no matter the stresses and strains on The Leader of the pack.

In a way that should instill some confidence. The kind one gets when they see how many industries are being favored – including the hotel industry – in this aggressive bailout just passed by the Senate to try to save the economy.

But the funny thing is this: America sees through it…it really does. You can fool some of the people some of the time….etc

But here as always is the question: Will enough care to right the wrongs in November?

We The People? We’ll find out.