Trump Exhibiting "Mild" COVID-19 Symptoms As Aides Search For Way To Show He's Still In Charge
Update (0832ET): The NYT beat its competitors by publishing the first "behind-the-scenes" look at the events of Thursday and Friday, as President Trump confronted the news that one of his top aides had fallen ill, before learning that he and his wife had been infected.
It also offered the first hint that the next two debates will likely be cancelled, or the format substantially modified.
It’s almost certain that the remaining two debates between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden will be canceled or drastically changed. The next one is scheduled for less than two weeks from now, on Oct. 15, and medical guidance would most likely keep the president isolated until then.
While also pointing out that under Washington DC's quarantine rules,
Trump won't be able to leave the area during the final stretch of the campaign.
And after having gone forward with the rallies he craves, despite rules against large gatherings in many states, Mr. Trump will not be able to leave Washington during a final, crucial stretch of the campaign.
Perhaps the most salacious claim reported by the NYT is that Trump aides are discussing ways to get him out in front of the cameras on Friday to project an image of strength and reassure the American electorate that he would still be leading the country. One aide even suggested delivering a national address.
“Trump is now in the position of becoming exhibit No. 1 for the failure of his leadership on coronavirus, and he runs the risk that his supporters will feel misled by his dismissiveness of the virus and the need for precautions,” said Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster.
While Trump has never been a sympathetic individual, the fact that both he and his wife have fallen ill could help drum up public sympathy, especially as the public reacts to the deranged tweets from leftists praying for Trump's demise.
NYT White House reporter Maggie Haberman shared reports that Trump seemed lethargic and may have been mildly symptomatic with cold-like symptoms on Thursday during a meeting with donors at his Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey. Some of her sources also claimed that Trump fell asleep on a flight back from the Minnesota rally, and may have been symptomatic as early as Wednesday.
