President Donald Trump first used the term “we’re rounding the turn,” in reference to the coronavirus, on August 31 at a virtual Nevada tele-rally. Since that time, the president has used that same phrase 36 out of the last 45 days to reassure the public that his administration has everything under control.
The only stretch of time when the phrase was not used came when Trump contracted the virus himself at the beginning of October and had to disappear from view, according to Forbes.
Trump’s latest “rounding the turn” moment came on Saturday as he had big rallies in North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin, telling adoring fans, “We’re rounding the turn. Our numbers are incredible.”
“It’s always cases, cases, cases. They don’t talk about deaths,” Trump complained to several thousand in Circleville, Ohio, where few wore masks even as they stood shoulder to shoulder. “They’re trying to scare everybody.”
“We're rounding the turn. Our numbers are incredible.” — Trump declares the coronavirus pandemic almost over one day after the US set a record for new single-day infections pic.twitter.com/Sjc44UioIz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 24, 2020
On Saturday, as we were “rounding the turn,” Johns Hopkins University reported the U.S. had 83,718 new cases, while about 35 states reported more new cases in the last week than the previous week. New Jersey and Michigan both reported records for single-day cases, with 1,994 cases and 3,338, respectively, and Illinois reported its highest single-day total of 6,161 new cases, the state’s highest number since the pandemic began.
The spike in cases we are seeing goes against the president’s rosy picture as he continues to insist that the pandemic is close to being over, even without a vaccine, and that is interesting, all by itself.
Trump’s “operation warp speed” initiative to have a vaccine ready by election day has gone the way of all his other asinine plans, especially after the FDA, HHS, and CDC all refused to cut corners on approving a vaccine simply to please Trump’s ego.
The biggest slap-in-the-face to the American public came after Trump pushed one of his numerous conspiracy theories Saturday, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, saying hospitals are over-classifying coronavirus deaths because “doctors get more money”—even though there is no evidence and experts say the count is likely under-reported.
“They’re trying to scare everybody,” Trump said, adding that the country’s reporting systems “are really not doing it right. They have things a little bit backward.” This comment must be true because our leader is an expert on everything, at least according to Trump.
And Trump also downplayed the scare tactic used by public health figures, like Dr, Anthony Fauci, and others, who says we are headed for a “dark winter,” with a surge in infections we have been warned about for months.
It appears the coronavirus (that does not discriminate as to who it will infect), must be listening to the science – rather than a mere mortal like Trump.
