Crises are not uncommon to life, and the Trump presidency has been practically defined by one crisis after another, the biggest one being the complete abandonment of his 2016 platform, having exchanged it for handouts and favors for himself and his friends, unlimited handouts for Israel and the interests of the Israeli lobby, and the institutionalized promotion of sodomy. Indeed, these are the only three things one can truly say that Trump has accomplished for sure.
The New York Times recently pointed out in a relevant editorial that while Trump has had many crises, this current one with the COVID-19 virus epidemic could be an unexpected blow to him that may serve has his undoing in 2020.
For years, experts have warned that Mr. Trump has been squandering the credibility he could need in a moment of national emergency, like a terrorist attack or a public health crisis.
Now, as the coronavirus races across the globe and has begun to threaten the United States, Mr. Trump could face a moment of reckoning. Maintaining a calm and orderly response during an epidemic, in which countless lives could be at stake, requires that the president be a reliable public messenger.
“I think the president has a unique opportunity to dispel fears and calm the situation — if people believe he is telling the truth,” said Kathleen Sebelius, who served as secretary of health and human services in the Obama administration. “And I think that’s really where a great disconnect occurs.”
On Wednesday evening, Mr. Trump delivered an almost casual account of the administration’s response to the coronavirus, leaving it to the experts appearing with him to relay the real information and assure a jittery public. Still, he kept trying to suggest the risk was low.
“We will see what happens,” the president said as he addressed the nation. “But we are very, very ready for this, for anything.” (source)
I am not convinced that the virus has dealt any “death blow” to Trump at all. To the contrary, I do not see any serious changes taking place to his credibility, more than already confirming what people already think about him. However, this could change, and while patterns are generally consistent, it is the unexpected that can cause results in the future that one would not have believed to be possible- until they happen.
For the time, I still hold that Trump will likely lose the popular vote by a larger margin but win by way of the electoral college. Indeed, it is possible that the next election could depend on how his administration is perceived to handle this virus crisis.
There are a lot of things that we do not know right now. Since the virus seems to be part of a social engineering project, it should be noted that such plans do not always work out, either as a proven reality or a theory based upon real evidence. While it is not likely, there is a possibility that Trump could lose.
Many things remain to be seen. However, the fact is that Trump has a credibility crisis, and if he manages to win in 2020, it is nearly guaranteed that he will lose the rest of his credibility in the following four years, and likewise that for the Republican party, which could provoke a backlash and result in a Democrat 2024 victory.