Trump’s Mishandling of the Pandemic Was Criminally Negligent, But How Will that Figure in History’s Remembrance?

For those who may not remember, Dr. Deborah Birx is the epidemiologist who, last fall, found herself in the unfortunate position of conducting an on-camera dialog with then-President Trump when he suggested that she should look into some perhaps “unconventional” treatments for COVID-19, including shining light into the patient’s lungs and somehow having the patients ingest liquid bleach. I found it funny, but I’m sure she didn’t.  She must have wanted to say that these suggestions were beyond asinine; they were insane.  But as a direct response to the most powerful person on Earth?  On live television?  In front of tens of millions of viewers all over the world?

Obviously, the final chapter has not been written yet on the Trump administration, and it’s hard to know at this point the actions for which it will be best remembered by posterity.  So much depends on the indictments that come forth and their ultimate disposition.  But regardless of anything else, there is no way that Trump can escape the shame associated with the criminally negligent mishandling of the pandemic and the unnecessary death of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.