How Covid Disappeared—Politically

By David Corn  October 29, 2022

President Joe Biden receives a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at the White House on October 25, 2022. Sputnik/AP

In airports, offices, and stores, few people wear masks these days, as if the pandemic is done. Yet Covid hospitalizations have started ticking up, with about 20,000 Covid patients hitting hospitals last week. This is a stark decline from the 150,000 or so who were flooding medical facilities on a weekly basis last January, but the nation is still experiencing hundreds of Covid deaths a day. Public health officials have called for returning to mask-wearing in some areas, but there’s not much discussion of that. Nor is there much of a conversation about the risks and consequences of long Covid. We haven’t ended the epidemic; we’ve accepted it.

As Celine Gounder recently wrote in the Atlantic,

The United States has defaulted to treating life with the coronavirus as the new normal, but this normal, sadly, is anything but new. Americans have always lived with deadly inequities in our society, and we can’t seem to imagine doing better. For the past six months, the U.S. has averaged 300 to 500 COVID deaths a day. Living with COVID has become a euphemism for accepting perhaps 150,000 additional deaths a year. Is this how many deaths Americans are willing to tolerate? The question hasn’t been explicitly debated, because the truth is too ugly to acknowledge.

There’s little talk from our government leaders about Covid, except for the occasional spasm of vaccine boosterism. Which hasn’t seemed to do much good. As the Washington Post reports, “More than 19 million Americans have received the new boosters that became available to those 12 and over in September and to children as young as 5 earlier this month. That’s just a sliver of the population ahead of a potential coronavirus surge this winter.” The Biden administration has trotted out a campaign to encourage Americans to get the latest jab. But have you seen it? The New York Times notes that only 44 percent of Americans over 65 have sought the second booster. Ninety-two percent of this age group received the first two shots. And winter is coming.

Been there, done that. This seems to be the collective attitude toward the virus that is still killing thousands a week. And we can see this—or not see this—in the political campaign underway. The pandemic was one of the most consequential developments in American history, and yet it is largely absent from the midterm elections. With the Republican Party still enthralled with Donald Trump—still a cult of personality driven by his needy ego and ugly id—it could be judged for its support of a president who profoundly botched the response to this national emergency. Under Trump’s watch—with his refusal to fully address the seriousness of the threat, his opposition to widespread testing, his encouragement of mask skepticism (which would morph into vaccine skepticism)—Covid-19 mortality in the United States, according to Scientific Americans was “40 percent higher than the average of the other wealthy nations in the Group of Seven.” A Lancet study released in early 2021 found that about 40 percent of the Covid deaths “could have been averted.” It noted: “"Many of the cases and deaths were avoidable” and added that "instead of galvanizing the US populace to fight the pandemic, President Trump publicly dismissed its threat (despite privately acknowledging it), discouraged action as infection spread, and eschewed international cooperation."

Brass tacks: Trump’s misguided actions—and his inaction—led to the avoidable deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. He and his party did lose the 2020 election—barely—but they have not been held to full account for one of the greatest failures in American history. The same can be said for Trump’s effort to overturn the election results, his reckless advancement of the Big Lie, his incitement of the January 6 riot, and his decision to take no steps to quell the insurrection. If the GOP wins either the House or the Senate, the lesson will be a sad one: There is no price to pay for fucking up the country, not even for causing widespread unnecessary deaths.

We’ve even had a reminder of Trump’s lethal Covid transgressions in recent days, as veteran insider-journalist Bob Woodward revealed tapes of the interviews he conducted with Trump over the years for several books.

In July 2020—half a year into the horrific pandemic—Trump phoned Woodward and told him that he had devised a plan for dealing with Covid. But Trump said it would not be released immediately. “You will see the plan over the next four weeks,” Trump remarked. That didn’t make much sense, with thousands of people dying each day. Trump explained to Woodward, “I’ve got 106 days. That’s a long time. You know, if I put out a plan now, people won’t even remember it in a 100—I won the last election in the last week.” He meant 106 days until the election. Trump was saying it was too soon for him to release a plan to beat back the pandemic, for it was too far from Election Day and voters would no longer have his plan in mind when it came time to vote. This is hardly a shock coming from Trump, but he calculated it would be best for his election prospects to delay the unveiling of his Covid plan. While Americans perished. This latest tidbit about Trump’s warped egomania prompted not much news coverage. (CNN’s Jake Tapper did highlight it.) More noteworthy for the media was Woodward’s pronouncement that Trump is “dangerous” and “a threat to democracy.” (If Woodward says this...)

This particular Trump remark was in keeping with his effort at the start of the pandemic to downplay the pandemic because he feared coverage of this threat would crimp the economy and that would lower his re-election odds. Of course, Trump never did come up with an effective and comprehensive Covid response. This has caused much suffering and death for American families—and especially so for Republicans. A study released last month showed much higher death rates among Rs than Ds in Florida and Ohio during the main stretch of Covid. To be crass, Trump’s policies helped to kill his own people—and still the Republicans stick with him and his party.

Trump’s handling of Covid is not part of this election season. Yes, there are plenty of other matters to fret about: inflation, women’s freedom, the threat to democracy. Yet it’s striking that the immense Covid crisis is off the screen. Gore Vidal used to quip that USA stood for the United States of Amnesia. There is much we tend to forget. (That’s one reason I wrote American Psychosis.) But it feels like a sin to turn the page so quickly on that awful chapter—and doing so could have short- and long-term health consequences for the American public. It is also an insult to the dead to let the man responsible for so much misery and pain and the party that still supports him off the hook.

Got a comment on this item? Anything else to say? A tip or a lead? Email me at ourland@motherjones.com.

Dumbass Comment of the Week

The judges for DCotW like to surprise. They prefer to recognize comments that have not drawn tremendous attention. Usually that is not hard to do, given the preponderance of inane remarks each week. But occasionally they cannot avoid honoring—or dishonoring—the obvious. This is one such week. But before we make it official, let’s turn to the runner-up: Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.).

Norman, a right-winger elected in a special election in 2017, doesn’t draw quite as much notice as the other extremists in the House caucus, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, or Matt Gaetz. But when it comes to conspiratorial nonsense and nuttiness, he is no piker. He’s one of the House Republicans who refused to wear a mask on the House floor during the Covid pandemic and was fined for it. When gun safety advocates attended a town hall meeting, he brandished a weapon (a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun). He called for reinstating Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) to his House committee assignments after King was booted from these panels for making racist comments. He is an election denialist who voted against honoring the police officers who defended the Capitol during the January 6 riot. You get the picture.

The other day, he was describing what Republicans will do if they gain control of the House. It is an agenda of revenge. He noted their priority will be to target the Biden administration with investigations and subpoenas, and he placed bull’s eyes on the backs of Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Christopher Wray, the FBI director. And he went further:

We’re gonna subpoena as many people as we can. We’re gonna hopefully have consequences, starting with Mayorkas, Wray with the FBI, a whole host of things. The whole administration is a rogue administration. I guess we all know Joe Biden is not running this country. There is a cabal of unelected elitists who are running this country Probably Barack Obama is involved. Probably Eric Holder. But who knows? We know it’s not Biden.

A-ha! The Black people are the puppet masters! Norman’s unhinged, racist paranoia is almost comical. He knows that Biden is a front for unelected elites, but he cannot say for sure who these cabalists are? Once upon a time, such a comment would trigger outrage and widespread derision. Now, it’s just another dumbass remark from another dumbass Trumpy Republican. But given that Norman and his ilk might soon be in charge of the House and have the power to follow through on their hate and ignorance, a statement like this should serve as a powerful warning of the chaos and trouble that possibly lies ahead.

On to the you-guessed-it winner: Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Political candidates tend to devote hours to getting their lines right on controversial issues they know they will be asked about—say, the 2020 election, gun violence, the economy, and, most certainly, abortion. Given that, it was somewhat surprising that Oz, the Trump-endorsed GOP candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, blew the abortion question during his debate with Democrat John Fetterman. Asked whether he would vote for the national abortion ban that has been proposed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Oz avoided giving a straight answer and remarked, “I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves.”

Women, doctors, and local political leaders—Oz was roundly derided for including “local political leaders” in the group of people who ought to decide what’s best for a woman. A city council member? A state representative? A county executive? It was easy to poke fun at him for this clumsy formulation. But his comment suggests he doesn’t truly believe in the GOP war on women’s freedom that he is compelled to support as a Trump Republican. He took the fundamental talking point of the pro-choice movement (this is a decision best left to a woman and her doctor), which may well resonate positively for Oz the doctor, and added an awkward twist to kowtow to the anti-abortion forces that dominate the GOP and his electoral base. That is, he’s a cynical and opportunistic foe of reproductive rights. In any event, Oz muffed this bigtime. For such an obvious act of political malpractice, he gets the prize.

By the way, one of the many things that is hard to understand about these midterm elections is that Oz, with his history of hucksterism that includes promoting magic pills that supposedly cause weight loss, may win a Senate seat. (Thanks a lot, Oprah!)  But it does make sense that he won the endorsement of con-man Trump. I recently wrote about how Oz on his television show promoted an anti-vaxxer who went on to become one of the top sources of Covid disinformation. Check it out. 

The Mailbag

As is always the case, my most recent ruminations on Democratic messaging—this time pegged to Anand Giridharadas’s new book The Persuaders—sent many readers to their keyboards. In that piece, I proposed that Biden and the Democrats run on teeth—that is, make clear that they want to help Americans hang on to their teeth by expanding Medicare to include dental coverage and that the only reason this doesn’t happen is Republican opposition. Ditto for lower-priced insulin, universal pre-K, paid family leave, and much more. The point: to highlight what voters have to gain by voting for Democrats. Reader Kathleen Mele called this “a perfect messaging idea for the Democrats.”

Maureen E. wrote:

Today’s article seems so basic to me as a longtime time therapist, but you articulate it so well I always find myself inspired by your clarity and ongoing push-thru. Your book has been awaiting time so I can read it with the due it deserves.

Thanks, Maureen, it does deserve much due, and I am delighted to have my push-thru-ness recognized.

Tondalaya Gillespie was not as enthusiastic:

I found this article a bit sad, for it shows how you really have to continue to dumb-down messages to get to the public.  What happened to intelligence? What America needs is a full revamping of its educational system with an emphasis on what good citizenship is. One of the reasons we are in such a depressing state is we have a lot of stupid people electing stupid leaders.

I was taught long ago that it’s often better to say “ignorant” than “stupid.” But if you look at our insufficient response to climate change, you must acknowledge that we can be a pretty dumb species. And I don’t believe it’s a matter of dumbing down the message but finding straightforward ideas that solidly connect with people psychologically and emotionally. Folks have to take in far too much information these days. The best messengers make it easier for them.

Michelle Coxon was more up-beat:

I got so excited by this article on messaging this morning I was shouting it out loud around the kitchen!! My comment? Is anyone reading it? It would seem not. I think you should make a visit to the Oval Office and hand a copy to President Biden....and stay while he reads it. So, in the spirit of positive messaging, I will get busy painting yet another sign to present to the commuters on the highway and hope for lots of honks and waves in support.

Not sure it’s my job to go knocking on the White House door. But a subscription to Our Land is available to anybody.

Diane Wagner emailed:

Why aren’t Democrats screaming that gun crimes are higher in red states than blue states? Red states have more crime, domestic abuse, divorce etc. How can Republicans get away with that BS?

This is a more complicated question than it seems. If the Republicans make a bad-faith and inaccurate argument about Democrats and crime and the Democrats attempt to counter it, do the Dems unintentionally reinforce the initial accusation? Some social science experts have noted that repeating an allegation—even a false allegation—to rebut it still amplifies the original claim. The Ds could try going on the offense and accusing the Republicans of being weak on crime. But, even if true in a way, would that attack resonate or seem too far-fetched? The media should call out false accusations. But such fact-checking often does little to repel phony assaults.

Speaking of which, there was also mail about the recent issue that focused on attack ads and examined a new PBS documentary directed by Greg Mitchell on the first attack ads produced for the screen, which were deployed by Republicans during the 1934 California gubernatorial campaign. David Lytel wrote to remind me to mention Mitchell’s fine book on that pivotal election: Campaign of the Century: Upton Sinclair’s Race for Governor of California and the Birth of Media Politics. Duly noted. It's a wonderful book.

Karin Martin emailed:

I am way past angry. I have always hated attack ads. It is beyond comprehension that these ads are allowed to air at all. Free speech is absolutely necessary, but flagrant lies, editing photos or videos or selecting parts of comments should not be allowed under any circumstances. 

I feel your pain. The issue is who gets to decide what is and isn’t true or fair in an ad. Some journalistic entities try to police ads and note when they are false and misleading. But there’s not enough of that, and campaigns often don’t give a fig about such evaluations. More independent factchecking of political ads would at least give candidates unfairly accused some ammunition with which to fight back.

Kathy Hachey had this request:

Please consider a yearly subscription. I have gotten rid of all my monthly fee subscriptions and prefer a yearly, one time posting to my credit card statement. 

Kathy, I am flattered you believe I can keep this up for another year. Then again, Our Land has been around for nearly a year-and-a-half now. Time flies! I will ask our businesspeople about this. But that would mean a major commitment from me…and you.

On the subject of attack ads, reader Paul Raetsch suggested we look at this video and consider the 1800 presidential election: 

Larry Margolis wrote:

The video clip of Michael Flynn reminded me of a character and scene from Dr. Stangelove. General Jack Ripper has closed down his base and has British Officer Mandrake (played by Peter Sellers) with him and is discussing body fluids and his theory related to what is happening in his world. It is a hilarious scene. I believe Flynn is as crazy as General Ripper.

It’s certainly a toss-up.

MoxieCam™

“Fall is definitely my favorite season.”

“Really, Moxie? What about summer and the beach?”

“Fall and summer are my favorites.”

“But—”

“And I like the snow, too. So fall, summer, and winter.”

“But—”

“And spring is just so full of hope. So fall, summer, winter, and spring.”

“That’s all of them, Moxie.”

“Is there a problem?”

Read Recent Issues of Our Land

October 25, 2022: Why Joe Biden and the Democrats should be talking about teeth; Michael Flynn’s greatest hits; the brilliance of Peaky Blinders; and more.

October 22, 2022: Attack ads—why they work (then and now); Tulsi Gabbard’s short, strange trip; Dumbass Comment of the Week (Marjorie Taylor Greene); the Mailbag; MoxieCam™; and more.

October 18, 2022: John Durham confirms Donald Turmp is a liar; the big takeaway from the Cuban missile crisis; a new Bruce Springsteen tune; Bill Berry return to rock ‘n’ roll; and more.

October 15, 2022: The Mailbag: should you worry about the midterms; the final January 6 committee hearing; Dumbass Comment of the Week (Charlie Kirk); MoxieCam™; and more.

October 12, 2022: Time to push the panic button on the midterms?; Servants of the Damned and the law firm that’s Trump’s modern-day Roy Cohn; and more.

October 8, 2022: Can the centrists hold in the era of Donald Trump?; American Psychosis in the news; Dumbass Comment of the Week (Special Herschel Walker edition); the Mailbag; MoxieCam™; and more.

October 4, 2022: American Psychosis, Facebook, and a dog; a denizen of the economic establishment admits the elite’s big mistakes; Topdog/Underdog’s brilliance hits Broadway; and more.

October 1, 2022: How Giorgia Meloni’s win in Italy helps us understand a US Senate race; American Psychosis in the news; Dumbass Comment of the Week (Ben Stein); the Mailbag; MoxieCam™; and more.

September 27, 2022: Stormy Daniels, AOC, and the long arc of Donald Trump’s possible downfall; American Psychosis in the news; Skullduggery and the Havana Syndrome; the New York Times agrees about Mark Finchem; and more.

Got suggestions, comments, complaints, tips related to any of the above, or anything else? Email me at ourland@motherjones.com.