Dr. Sean Conley, flanked by other members of Donald Trump’s medical team, addresses reporters outside Walter Reed Hospital, October 3, 2020
UPDATE, 1330 GMT:
Political analyst Juliette Kayyem is not impressed with Donald Trump’s posed photograph, pushed by his daughter Ivanka, that he is working while in hospital.
This narrative — that the President will beat COVID-19 because he is strong and a fighter — is 200000 plus insults. Those who have died didn’t do so because they were lacking the will. It was because our government was weak in its response and didn’t fight for them. https://t.co/kuBT83SVqr
— Juliette Kayyem (@juliettekayyem) October 4, 2020
UPDATE, 0915 GMT:
Sharp-eyed, sharp-eared observers note that Donald Trump’s video message was edited to remove any indication he is unwell.
The White House is editing video to remove coughs. https://t.co/L4xo4wFFrR
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) October 4, 2020
ORIGINAL ENTRY: There is confusion about Donald Trump’s condition as he is hospitalized with Coronavirus, after White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows contradicts a deceptive briefing by Trump’s doctor.
Trump advisor and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is the latest high-profile Republican figure to test positive, bolstering the likelihood of a White House “super-spreader” event over a week ago.
The developments case as the US death toll reached 209,382. Confirmed cases are 7,382,194.
See EA on Times Radio and Monocle 24: How Will Trump’s Coronavirus Affect Election?
EA on Monocle 24: The Week in US Politics
“Next 48 Hours Will Be Critical”
On Saturday night Trump put out a video message proclaiming that he is doing well with “miraculous” treatment of the virus.
But the brief address appeared to be damage control, following the medical briefing — and Meadows’ contradiction — that only added to concern in the afternoon.
Dr. Sean Conley, flanked by Trump’s medical team, proclaimed that Trump was recovering quickly and was working from the Presidential suite in Walter Reed Medical Hospital.
But he was caught out over his declaration that Trump was not receiving oxygen treatment: “None at this moment, and yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen.”
Reporters queried if Conley’s statement referred only to the present and not Friday, when Trump was medically evacuated by helicopter to Walter Reed.
As soon as the briefing ended, Meadows told reporters to accompany him to a spot away from cameras. He explained that Trump had been oxygen after his level suddenly dropped on Friday in the White House.
The Chief of Staff continued, “The president’s vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning, and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care. We’re still not on a clear path to a full recovery.”
“People close to the situation” said Meadows’ remarks sent Trump into fury, and he insisted on intervening directly. He posted a Twitter message, “I am feeling well!” and called his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to issue his message, “I’m going to beat this.”
His four-minute video was a ramble that includes boasts about his record. He said he “wasn’t feeling so well” but was “much better now” and expected to return to work shortly: “I think I’ll be back soon, and I look forward to finishing up the campaign the way we started.”
Still, like Meadows, he admitted that the next few days will be “the real test”.
Trump played down the rush on Friday night to get him to the hospital:
I had no choice. I just didn’t want to stay in the White House.
I can’t be locked up in a room upstairs and totally safe and just say, hey, whatever happens happens. I can’t do that. We have to confront problems.
“Two people close to the White House” said in separate interviews that Trump had trouble breathing, prompting the delivery of supplemental oxygen and the transfer to Walter Reed.
Dr. Conley also fed confusion, in his incessantly positive briefing, with the statement that it came “after 72 hours” of Trump’s infection — pointing to a diagnosis on Wednesday afternoon, well before Trump disclosed his positive early early Friday.
The White House later issued a statement, in Conley’s name, that he meant “Day 3″ and was referring to diagnosis of Trump on Thursday.
But Dr. Brian Garibaldi said Trump received an experimental antibody therapy “about 48 hours ago”, which would have been midday Thursday.
“Three administration officials and people close to Trump” said he was in better shape than the Chief of Staff had indicated to reporters.
Meadows later tried to walk back his summary: “The President is doing very well. He is up and about and asking for documents to review.” He called Fox TV, knowing that Trump would be watching, to praise Trump’s “unbelievable courage” and “unbelievable improvement”. But he repeated that on Friday, “we were real concerned” with Trump’s fever and drop in oxygen level.
More White House Cases
With his Saturday announcement of a positive test, Trump advisor Christie joined at least 10 prominent White House and Republican figures who have confirmed infections since Thursday night.
They include Trump’s wife Melania; White House advisors Hope Hicks and Kellyanne Conway; director of Oval Office operations Nicholas Luna; Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien; Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel; and Sens. Thom Tillis and Mike Lee.
Several of them were at last Saturday’s White House ceremony for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, where guests were crowded together and few wore masks.
John Jenkins, the President of Notre Dame University where Barrett long taught, and several White House reporters have also tested positive.
The Barrett event intersected with days of White House preparations for Tuesday night’s first Presidential debate. Stepien and Christie were among those involved.
Other advisors such as Hicks were on Air Force One with Trump as he flew to Ohio for the debate.
Despite the evidence of a “super-spreader” event — and of Trump rallies which have spiked cases in areas such as Tulsa, Oklahoma — the Trump campaign said Vice President Mike Pence will appear at a rally at the end of the week.
There has been no social distancing at the gatherings, and few people have worn masks.
Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden emphasized on Friday:
We have to do our part and be responsible. It means following the science and listening to the experts, washing our hands, social distancing. It means wearing a mask in public and encouraging others to do so as well.
Sen. Ron Johnson also announced a positive test on Saturday.
His confirmation put a question mark over Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, as Trump and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell try to rush through her confirmation by the November 3 election.
See also TrumpWatch, Day 1,343: Trump Links Supreme Court to His “Hoax” Election Plan
Johnson, Lee, and Tillis are all members of the Judiciary Committee.
But while McConnell said on Saturday that the full Senate will not meet this week, Judiciary Committee chair and Trump friend Sen. Lindsey Graham said he would proceed with plans for hearings to begin October 12.
