Viral Gambit

President Trump would have won re-election easily if he had taken early and decisive action on the pandemic, if he had looked into the camera and said, “America, we are facing a big problem, but together, we will get through this. My administration will ensure that our doctors and hospitals have the tools that they need to fight the pandemic: masks, face shields, protective clothing, supplies. We will set up a testing and tracing program that will be the envy of the world. We will do everything in our power to limit transmission of the virus until safe vaccines have been developed and distributed, and we will work with Congress to ensure that businesses and individuals have the financial resources that they need to get by until this crisis is over.”

If he had done that, then despite his failings, despite his divisive rhetoric, his questionable policy decisions, and his autocratic tendencies, Mr. Trump would have been viewed as a heroic figure in American politics.

But he didn’t do that. Instead, he succumbed to fear.

He was concerned that an economic slowdown would hurt his chances of re-election. Instead of addressing the problems proactively, he went in the other direction.

He claimed that the virus would “magically go away” (his own words). He ignored the problem and encouraged unrealistic expectations. But it was not simply a policy of avoidance. Mr. Trump actively exacerbated the situation by refusing implement a national strategy. This created chaos and bidding wars as states fought over the acquisition of critical supplies. Lack of national testing standards made it impossible to keep the virus from spreading between regions. 

He criticized people for wearing masks. He criticized any and all attempts to keep people separated, instead urging business and schools and churches to “open up” when it was unsafe to do so. He demonized anyone, including renowned infections disease experts, who spoke openly about how bad the situation was getting and urged changes in policy. 

He turned daily White House briefings into useless sideshows. He claimed to have made arrangements companies to provide testing and other support, but those empty promises never came to fruition. He refused to provide funding to reimburse the states for the massive expenditures that fighting the pandemic demanded.

He held in-person campaign rallies and political events at the White House where few of his supporters took precautions such as wearing masks or maintaining a safe distance from others.

In the process, a quarter or a million American citizens lost their lives. Another quarter million could die before Mr. Biden’s administration has a chance to take corrective action. 

Last week, five million American voters said, “Enough is enough. It’s time for a change.”