Vice Presidential Debate puts Fly to Sleep
Compared to the presidential debate last week, Wednesday’s vice presidential debate was pretty presidential.
Mike Pence was so calm he wouldn’t hurt a fly. At least he didn’t seem bothered by the fly resting on his head while he expressed his support for law enforcement.
That fly wouldn’t have stood a chance if Barack Obama were still around.
Stand up and Fight the Virus Like Trump
Maybe more of us will be able to stand up and fight the virus like Trump. At least that’s what two former FDA commissioners seem to think. And they say it could still happen this fall. Scott Gotlieb and Mark McClellan write in the WSJ that Regeneron and Eli Lilly have applied for emergency authorization for the antibody treatment Trump received.
Helicopter rides not included.
The President’s Doctor and Chief of Staff off Message
The president’s doctor, Sean Conley, gave a cheerful update on his covid condition Saturday morning at Walter Reed Hospital. He proclaimed Trump to be “in exceptionally good spirits and doing well.”
But the president’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows soon stepped on Dr. Conley’s message by leaking an update of his own:
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 are still not on a clear path to a full recovery
So there.
President’s Doctor
On Sunday Doctor Conley responded in his own defense:
I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude of the team, that the president, that his course of illness has had. Didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction
Apparently the virus was asleep at the wheel. The docs gave Trump oxygen, pills and shots and sent him back to the White House on Monday.
The Lid Closes on the Trump Campaign
Throughout September I kept reading that Joe Biden had called a “lid” on his campaign. The lid often closed by 9 a.m. and that meant no campaign activities or media availability the rest of the day.
Meanwhile President Trump put in full days, followed by Air Force One rides to campaign rallies and then back to the White House after midnight. Get up in four hours and repeat.
But now, a month before the election, the president has The Virus. And Joe is emerging from his basement shell.
The lid has turned.
Low Bar for Biden in Expectations Game
Joe Biden faced a low bar in the expectations game, and he cleared it in Tuesday’s debate.
But he had help. Every time it seemed he was about to lose his train of thought Donald Trump kept barking at him, and thereby bailed him out.
Ever ungrateful, Joe told the president, “shut up, man.” Called him a clown too. And a “lying racist fool.” At least he didn’t call him a lying dog faced pony soldier.
