Beltway Insider: Trump Hospitalized, Debate Debacle, Economy, Aid Package, COVID-19, Election: VP Debate

President Trump, who downplayed the severity of the COVID-19 virus for eight months, was diagnosed after Tuesday debate, with the deadly illness and airlifted to Walter Reed Military Medical Center where he has received the experimental drug Remdesivir.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, which tracked polls of likely or registered voters for the period ending October 4, 2020, increased by 0.7 percentage points to 44.2% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by .04% at 52.3%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.


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Election 2020, according to the website 270towin, which tracks the latest Presidential Poll averages have President Donald Trump trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden by 8.8% percentage points in ten National Polls. With an average of 50.6% of the sample audience indicating they will be casting their vote for Biden, and 41.8% of the voters sampled indicating they will be casting their vote for Trump.

Based on the state poll projections, the 270towin offers a color coded electoral map which projects, based on current state polls, the expected November vote. The map can be seen here.

Trump, Biden Attempt Presidential Debate

The first of three schedule Presidential debates took place, Tuesday, September 29, 2020 hosted Case Western Reserve University and The Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. With Chris Wallace, of Fox News moderating, the debate, unfortunately showcased the President's determination to dominate the time and topic, to consume as much of the clock as possible, and of course, fluster his opponent.

By the end of the 90 minutes, an opportunity for the trailing president to present his platform and accomplishments had passed. Continually admonished by Wallace, former Vice-President Biden finally lowered his own level of decorum and told the President to "shut-up."

After Wallace stopped the President from rambling, interrupting, and his long-winded verbal diatribes, the two had very few exchanges that weren't met with antagonistic barbs. By the end, social media registered from pundits, to the public, the debate, one for the record books, deteriorated into a nasty mess.

President Questions Fairness

Determining the next two debates President Trump has voiced his preference for commission rule changes as he expressed concern over the fairness of the process.

"The President made clear his view on that yesterday, that he thinks the only way there's a fair debate is changing the moderator and a change in the Democrat nominee.  He wants to debate.  He plans on being at the debate, but he wants the rules to be fair and wants a fair exchange, and doesn't want rules that cover for a certain candidate's inability to perform well," White House Press Secretary Kaleigh McEnany said during a press briefing.


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Polls React

Blindsided and blasted by the lack of decorum by the President, the repercussions reverberated into the narrow swing vote states, where the president had held a small, but solid lead over former Vice-President Joe Biden.

The New York Times reported, "By overwhelming margins, voters in Pennsylvania and Florida were repelled by President Trump's conduct in the first general election debate, according to New York Times/Siena College surveys, as Joseph R. Biden Jr. maintained a lead in the two largest battleground states. Overall, Mr. Biden led by seven percentage points, 49 percent to 42 percent, among likely voters in Pennsylvania. He led by a similar margin, 47-42, among likely voters in Florida."

Trump Family Refused PPE Before Debate

Arriving at the debate site late, The President and the First family were unable to undergo testing for COVID-19. They also opted to forgo any personal protective gear in order to maintain the President's policy of downplaying the severity of the virus.

Additionally, observers would say, the camera-ready family would not want to miss the opportunity to be seen.

Trump, First Lady Diagnosed with COVID-19

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have each been diagnosed with COVID-19. After White House Counsel Hope Hicks received a positive diagnosis, the President was tested, and it was determined he had been exposed.

According to Sean Conley, Physician to the President indicted the president was diagnosed on October 1, 2020 and has continued to receive the Regeron Antibody. He has not, according to a memo released from the White House, received supplement oxygen and is resting.

As the President recovers election 2020 has been thrown another curve ball, as all political leaders from his opponent former Vice-President Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic Challenger Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama have all voiced concern over the diagnosis and the president's health.

Democratic Challenger Joe Biden has announced he would remove all negative ads against the president while he is ill. Facebook has announced it would monitor negative comments on the condition of the president.

President Retains Power

Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence were also tested for the virus and both received a negative pronouncement. The President has not transferred power to Vice President Pence.


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RNC COVID Naysayers Testing Positive

After the President and First lady were diagnosed with COVID, party stalwarts were acknowledging their own positive diagnosis. Former New Jersey Governor Christ Christie, White House Advisor Hope Hicks, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, former Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tills, all reported testing positive for the virus.

Throughout the Republican National convention, the President and the RNC ignored the scientific advice of the medical experts and invited, more than 1500, to the White House to hear the president nomination speech. The low-end expectation was that ten percent of those in attendance, who did not participate in the use of personal protective equipment, would become infected.

The urge to get back to normal has been a driving force in the top down policy of the president which trickles down to the public. Unfortunately, the new normal includes personal protective equipment, it includes masks, and many on the republican side would explain the instability of this medical advice.

The facts present themselves and until, we, the people, of the United States, not European nations who have felt the stranglehold of the disease and while mourning the dead, the staggering loss of life, are breathing thankfully easier. Until we, the people of the United States reach the other side, we must do everything to protect our own.

Coronavirus Totals

The infection rates of the coronavirus have continued to rise around the world. The weekly account confirms that the virus appears to have leveled out, while still increasing, the rate of infection remains constant, with sharp increases.

The importance of maintaining personal protective practices is imperative to controlling the spread.

For the week ending October 04, 2020, coronavirus cases increased globally by 2,140,400 confirmed cases, brings the total of confirmed cases worldwide to 35,006,700, with 1,034,200 deaths, an increase of 40,100.

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the week ending October 04, 2020, the total confirmed cases rose to 7,428,600 with new confirmed cases rising by 326,700. The coronavirus has claimed 209,400 total deaths, a weekly increase for 5,100 deaths. (Data from The New York Times).

Economy

The US Economy fell short of expectations adding just 661,000 jobs in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bringing the unemployment rate fell to 7.9%, which according to analysts suggest the job market may be hitting a plateau, in this last economic report before the November 3, 2020 election.

This past week more than 50,000 workers from major corporation including Boeing and Disney were furloughed due to the economic effects of the coronavirus.

Entire industries have been wiped off the map and the "numbers" explain the economy is getting better. Where is the economy getting better? What state? The President and the GOP talking heads are contributing to a downward spiral by failing, again, to move ahead on a stimulus plan that will assist the citizen, not Boeing or other big corporations who through poor choices, bad decisions considered the population expendable.


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Aid Package

House leader Democratic Nancy Pelosi, and Secretary of Treasury Steven Munchin, have continued this week to engage in warfare with each side presenting the other as the outrageous in demands and expectations.

The House passed the HEROES ACT in May 2020, and have as the public has been told, are were waiting on the Republican led Senate to move forward. The bill with a price tag of $3trillion was deemed "dead in the water."

The American people expected the elected government to move ahead to ensure the safety net they have unanimously provided would remain. No stop gap or other measures were provided until the President signed an executive order ensuring a furthering of the boost unemployment as well as other protection.

White House Press Secretary Kaleigh McEnany, addressed the aid package during a press conference, said "When you lower your offer $2.2 trillion, and you ask for direct payments to illegal immigrants, and you ask for certain deportation forgivenesses in your offer, it's not a serious offer.  What we are talking about here is relief for the American people, for American citizens, not direct payments for illegal immigrants. We raised our offer to $1.6 trillion; The $250 billion for state and local is the estimated loss because of COVID.  There's $150 billion for schools, $50 billion above what Nancy Pelosi asked for.  It is a good proposal, but it's one that she is not interested in."

The Republican leadership may have backed themselves into a corner, as the two sides are deadlocked on advancing the aid package, the election one month away, and the president now stricken with COVID and the election break is in the very near future.

Election: Nation Reacts To Debate Debacle

The September 29, 2020 debate was an embarrassment. It embarrassed the American people, portrayed our nation as weak and on the edge of complete breakdown. A level of decorum, clearly for the Office of the President, would/should have been the order of the day.

There were plenty of moments to jab at the other candidate, and throughout history those moments are remembered, "I knew Jack Kennedy and You're no Jack Kennedy," Senator Lloyd Bentsen said to Republican vice-presidential candidate Senator Dan Quayle in 1988 as a response to Quayle's mentioning the name of John F. Anyone remember that statement?

State-wide polls, especially those in swing states, have indicated the behavior was subpar and costly to the president who has lost the edge in Ohio and Florida, each must win states. Pennsylvania was leaning Red, the pendulum has swung and now, one month before the official election day, Pennsylvania which trump carried in 2016 has moved blue.

Debates are for presentation and soundbite, not chaos and confusion. A train wreck is mild.

2020 Election Debate Schedule

The remaining two Presidential debates are now in question as the President has been hospitalized with COVID. If they do continue, they will be held, from 9:00pm to 10:30pm Eastern time October 15th and October 22nd.

The vice-presidential debate between Senator Kamala Harris and Vice-President Mike Pence, is schedule from 9pm to 10:30pm Eastern time on October 7th, 2020. The debate between the two politicians is expected to be a more civilized presentation which will also provide undecided voters the opportunity to see the actual presentation of both platforms without the mud wrestling style witnessed recently.

One Vote Won't Make a Difference. Or Will It?

The question may not be the most talked about question of the campaign and yet many American citizens are refusing to even consider voting with the impression that the singular vote they cast will not make a difference. Each vote becomes a total of all votes cast, win or lose, exercising the right to vote is part of a free society.

This election will choose the leaders who present the blueprint for the future which bests aligns with each voter's vision.

Check USA.gov for the local election office in all fifty states and US territories. Register to vote today, opt for the mail in ballot, and send it in as soon as possible.

For more information on President Donald Trump www.whitehouse.gov.

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection

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