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yellowcanine

(35,701 posts)
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:15 PM Mar 2020

WH imploding in blame game over Covid-19. Pence is a target.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/03/white-house-in-chaos-as-staffers-argue-over-covid-19-response-and-blame-mike-pences-leadership-report/

According to a report from Politico, Donald Trump’s White House has turned into a hotbed of finger-pointing and squabbling as the coronavirus pandemic outraces the administration’s ability to quash it.

Among other issues is the apparent inability of Vice President Mike Pence’s office to get a handle on its priorities as the epidemic spreads disrupting daily life in the U.S. and deaths mount.

The report states, “The White House descended into a flurry of recriminations and meetings on Monday as staffers quarreled over how to control a deepening public health and economic crisis.”

“Officials, like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, had been urging staff not to overreact, while other aides advocated dramatic measures, such as shutting down borders, stopping cruise ship travel and expanding travel restrictions,” wrote Politico’s Nancy Cook, before pithily adding, “Then there was the blame game.”

She continued, “One senior administration official blamed the national security staff for bungling the early coronavirus response. Other aides blamed the vice president’s office, which has taken the lead on the response, before quoting an anonymous White House official complaining, “The Office of the Vice President seems way in over their heads. They don’t know what they’re doing.”

The chaos has also extended to Trump’s economic team with CNBC reporting, “some officials were stunned by Trump’s claim Monday that he would hold a press conference Tuesday to announce an economic plan,” and one official tells the network that Trump’s declaration “was news to everyone on the inside.”

According to the Politico report, the problem extends even further.

“Some aides took issue with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, who’d dutifully stood by Trump during his Friday visit to the Atlanta agency and commended the president for his ‘decisive leadership.’ Trump, for his part, continued to denigrate the media and Democrats on Twitter for overhyping the coronavirus threat.”

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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WH imploding in blame game over Covid-19. Pence is a target. (Original Post) yellowcanine Mar 2020 OP
This was predictable, they want to get rid of Pence and take Niki Haley for the ticket in November. redstatebluegirl Mar 2020 #1
Good strategy actually - el_bryanto Mar 2020 #3
Won't that upset the evangelicals? N/t DonaldsRump Mar 2020 #17
he already bought them off with SCOTUS justices 0rganism Mar 2020 #23
Exactly! Nt helpisontheway Mar 2020 #24
Here's the actual Politico article that Rawstory ripped off. WhiskeyGrinder Mar 2020 #2
Thanks For Posting Original Article; Many Raw Story Posts Show Up on DU and their Website Is Risky Indykatie Mar 2020 #9
Hey, come on now. Give credit where credit is due. The trump team has found a cure for COVID 19. Goodheart Mar 2020 #4
Just give Wall Street cash and ignore things like free testing/treatment and sick leave. lagomorph777 Mar 2020 #26
Run like a well-oiled machine, by the very best people dalton99a Mar 2020 #5
Who'd a thunk a radio host evangelical wouldn't be able to handle a global crisis? nolabear Mar 2020 #6
Post of the day. CrispyQ Mar 2020 #11
Pence has a proven track record in pandemic management. lagomorph777 Mar 2020 #27
We have the least competent people running our government. spanone Mar 2020 #7
The DJIA is down - time to buy stock in POPCORN! Jirel Mar 2020 #8
I thought self-quarantined Meadows was chief of staff. yellowcanine Mar 2020 #10
Yes - out on the South Lawn where folks can throw tomatoes at the bubble. lagomorph777 Mar 2020 #28
Their response had nothing to do with the problem randr Mar 2020 #12
"Pence is the target" - I don't credit SHITLER as strategist, but exception for this. UTUSN Mar 2020 #13
Flu up, Market down... safeinOhio Mar 2020 #14
it's a scheme by trump to replace pence with Haley AlexSFCA Mar 2020 #15
It looks like a set-up ScratchCat Mar 2020 #19
Sure does. Nay Mar 2020 #30
Those remaining for the White House to blame: Cyrano Mar 2020 #16
Schiff...n/t EndlessWire Mar 2020 #21
How can this be? 90% of yesterday's presser was about what a great job they are doing. nt Cognitive_Resonance Mar 2020 #18
well...the one to blame... dhill926 Mar 2020 #20
The kind of leadership that is expected from someone who is unfit to lead. ooky Mar 2020 #22
Pence comes across as more competent and decent by comparison wishstar Mar 2020 #25
Pence looks like what he is Skittles Mar 2020 #32
I got an email from the White House extolling the "Trump Leadership Style" - dawg day Mar 2020 #29
Which of the Three Stooges broke the priceless vase? ThoughtCriminal Mar 2020 #31
I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked. n/t Ms. Toad Mar 2020 #33

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
3. Good strategy actually -
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:19 PM
Mar 2020

Pence is kind of a drag if you support Trump (which of course I don't because my brain works properly). Haley would be more marketable.

Bryant

0rganism

(23,970 posts)
23. he already bought them off with SCOTUS justices
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 01:47 PM
Mar 2020

and the presumption is, if he gets re-elected, RBG and Breyer will probably fold. so 7-2 rabid rwnj majority for a long long time.

add that to a willingness to proudly ignore science when drafting policy, and that's a lot of incentive for an evangelical. if they have to swallow a female non-Xian as VP, i think they'll line up. after all, the blessings of Jesus protect Trump and make him immortal while he's got the Mandate of Heaven, enforcing God's Will.

Indykatie

(3,697 posts)
9. Thanks For Posting Original Article; Many Raw Story Posts Show Up on DU and their Website Is Risky
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:35 PM
Mar 2020

At least for me so I never go there anymore.

Goodheart

(5,345 posts)
4. Hey, come on now. Give credit where credit is due. The trump team has found a cure for COVID 19.
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:24 PM
Mar 2020

Just give people cash.

nolabear

(41,991 posts)
6. Who'd a thunk a radio host evangelical wouldn't be able to handle a global crisis?
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:30 PM
Mar 2020

His reality TV star boss con man must be SO disappointed in him.

CrispyQ

(36,518 posts)
11. Post of the day.
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:40 PM
Mar 2020

We went from Obama/Biden to Trump/Pence. The difference between parties couldn't be more stark.

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
27. Pence has a proven track record in pandemic management.
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 02:34 PM
Mar 2020

Well, technically, horrible mismanagement that made the AIDS pandemic worse in Indiana.

Jirel

(2,025 posts)
8. The DJIA is down - time to buy stock in POPCORN!
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:34 PM
Mar 2020

This is going to get funnier. No chief of staff. Idiots all panicking and pointing fingers at each other. Bad news coming fast and furious. Financial press no longer friendly.

Kettle Corn today, I think.

yellowcanine

(35,701 posts)
10. I thought self-quarantined Meadows was chief of staff.
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:37 PM
Mar 2020

They could put him in one of those "bubbles" just outside of the Oval Office.

randr

(12,415 posts)
12. Their response had nothing to do with the problem
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:49 PM
Mar 2020

They are only concerned over the optics and if they will be blamed.

AlexSFCA

(6,139 posts)
15. it's a scheme by trump to replace pence with Haley
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:51 PM
Mar 2020

as his running mate. Trump will put all of the coronavirus failures on pence.

Cyrano

(15,060 posts)
16. Those remaining for the White House to blame:
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 12:53 PM
Mar 2020

Californians
Muslims
African Americans
Jews
Obama
The deep state
Hillary Clinton
Joe Biden
Hunter Biden
George Soros
Michael Bloomberg
Oprah
Immigrant children in cages
Nancy Pelosi
Chinese restaurants

Did I leave anyone or anything out?

ooky

(8,929 posts)
22. The kind of leadership that is expected from someone who is unfit to lead.
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 01:37 PM
Mar 2020

He just keeps checking all the boxes for that description.

wishstar

(5,271 posts)
25. Pence comes across as more competent and decent by comparison
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 02:31 PM
Mar 2020

He can at least act the part of being a dignified figurehead with some common sense. I wonder if Pence will avoid media and public criticism and instead make Trump look like even more like a hapless bumbling doofus who is out of touch with reality. Will Pence be seen as an asset instead of a liability or will narcissistic Trump dislike being upstaged and turn on him.

dawg day

(7,947 posts)
29. I got an email from the White House extolling the "Trump Leadership Style" -
Tue Mar 10, 2020, 02:40 PM
Mar 2020

and how effective it is for the pandemic.

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