Donald Trump, having contracted the COVID 19 Virus, creates turmoil and crisis, and brings up the 25th Amendment of 1967, and the Presidential Succession Law of 1947.
Trump has been reckless in NOT promoting face masks and distancing, particularly at his close up rallies, but also in the Oval Office and at other White House sites, and his family refusing to wear masks at the Presidential Debate last Tuesday was totally irresponsible!
Trump should be sidelined for a week or more if he has a mild case, but if severe, it creates a real crisis, that requires the 25th Amendment to be invoked, and brings up the Presidential Succession Law, passed by a Republican dominated Congress in 1947.
If Trump is unable for a period of time to perform his duties, then Vice President Mike Pence can take over as Acting President, as George H. W. Bush did in 1985 when President Ronald Reagan had cancer surgery; and twice under President George W. Bush, having colonoscopies, Dick Cheney was briefly Acting President.
It should have happened when Ronald Reagan was shot on March 30, 1981, but it was not invoked.
Were Trump to fail to survive, Mike Pence would become President, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi would be next in line, followed by Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley of Iowa. The fact that Pelosi is 80 and Grassley 87 is alarming, of course, and right after them would be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is 56, and Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin who is 57.
Whatever one’s feelings toward Donald Trump, we should all hope for his complete recovery, but it certainly upends the Presidential Election of 2020, and makes the likelihood of a Vice Presidential debate next week less likely, and would seem to lead to the cancellation of the two remaining Presidential Debates, which really should not be occurring after the disastrous first Presidential Debate, in any case!
Time will tell of course, never a dull moment!
Finally, it is truly ironic that the news of Trump having COVID 19 occurs on the 101st Anniversary of Woodrow Wilson suffering a paralytic stroke in 1919, five months after contracting the Spanish Flu Virus while at the Versailles Peace Conference in France after World War I.
Wilson was never as energetic after suffering from the virus, and it seems to have undermined his case for the Versailles Treaty. And once he had the stroke, his wife ran cabinet meetings, and Vice President Thomas Marshall and the American people through the news media were NOT kept informed about his condition, and we had the longest period of incapacity of any President, lasting until he left office 17 months later in March 1921.
Trump has risk factors for a serious case. He’s old, fat, and, has elevated blood pressure. Of course, not everything about his health is known.
Trump is being taken to Walter Reed.
All of a sudden tonight EVERYONE around the Cheeto-in-Chief was wearing a mask. They must’ve found a big box!
Lots of reporters on TV trying to piece together when he might have gotten. More than one noted at a Rose Garden even w/ Pence Monday, the podium arrangement changed. Normally, the two shared the same podium, right next to each other. But on Monday, the podiums were several feet apart, so speculation that the WH knew someone had tested positive by Monday.
Averages of time from infection to symptoms appearing, 2-4 days.
Symptoms appearing to hospitalization, if needed — 7 days.
Hospitalization to ICU, if needed — 3 days.
If you go to the ICU, you have a 50-65% chance of not making it out alive. If you make it out, likely it’s within 7-14 days.
Saw this on a chart on Twitter. Going back to search for it now.
The president seems to be moving into the trouble zone on an accelerated time frame.
Okay, here’s the timing chart.
https://twitter.com/jeremyfaust/status/1311929649488957441
“Mild†symptoms my rear end. These idiots don’t know how to tell the truth.
He said its like getting the sniffles. I guess Walter Reed has better kleenexes?
He also said sick people go to work—like attending debates when you have a disease?
Wonder if that experimental treatment they’re giving Trump didn’t work out as well as hoped.
It’s hard to know what to believe given the dishonesty of this administration. He could die and they will probably try to hide it and give us the equivalent of Dave.
Thom Tillis has tested positive. Sounds like Trump and his fellow ReThugs got it at the event for Amy Coney Barrett. Nobody was wearing masks or social distancing.
Rachel Maddow was saying that lots of people at the top levels of our federal government are probably going to need to quarantine, in addition to all their staff.
Testing negative doesn’t mean you are out of the woods. Symptoms could show up a few days later. We’ll know more by next week as to whether or not Biden is in the clear.
Kellyanne Conway is positive. She was at that event for Barrett as well.
Ron Johnson has tested positive. Senate GOP’s third positive Covid-19 case threatens quick Barrett confirmation.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/03/politics/ron-johnson-coronavirus/index.html
If Trump passes away before the election, what are they going to do? Some states have already started early voting.
The election goes forward, and if need be, after the election, if Pence won, which he will not, he would choose a VP under the 25th Amendment, subject to hearings in both houses of Congress, and a majority vote needed in each house of Congress. Ballots cannot be changed at this late date, Southern Liberal!
Chris Christie has tested positive. He was helping Trump to prepare for the debate.
Barr is refusing to quarantine, despite potentially being exposed.
Chris Christie has checked into the hospital now.